Sportscar, GT and Endurance Racing – Every Class – Everywhere
Here’s a document inspired by an inquisitive tweet from a race fan – It seeks to explain, at least in part, the myriad of different rules and classes in Sportscar, GT and Endurance racing.
It is intended as a permanent reference document on DSC from here on in and will be updated as the rules and regulations of our sport evolve.
It won’t be perfect, but if there are any major errors (or suggested additions) please do let the DSC editor know on graham@dailysportscar.com
FIA WEC
LMP1
MINIMUM WEIGHT: 900kg
ENGINE CAPACITY:
3.4l (normally aspirated petrol)
2.0l (Turbo / Supercharged petrol)
2.7l (Turbo Charged Diesel)
Number of cylinders – FREE
Hybrid Systems permitted
OVERALL LENGTH: 4650mm (max) including rear wing
OVERALL WIDTH: 2000mm (max)
HEIGHT: No more than 1030mm above the reference surface of the car
with the exception of the rear rollover structure fairing, which may be 10mm maximum above the rear rollover structure.
DRIVERS CATEGORIES: No bronze drivers permitted
Performance can be balanced through fuel tank size, fuel flow rate and engine air restrictor
Open and closed cars accepted
Chassis currently homologated include – Audi R18 (Ultra and e-tron Quattro), Toyota TS030, Lola B12/60, HPD ARX 03a, Oak Pescarolo, Pescarolo 03
LMP2
Cost capped chassis
MINIMUM WEIGHT: 900kg
ENGINE CAPACITY:
Production based engines
5.0l (normally aspirated petrol) – 8 cylinders maximum
3.2l (Turbo / Supercharged petrol) – 6 cylinders maximum
Diesel Engines Permitted from 2013
OVERALL LENGTH: 4650mm (max) including rear wing
OVERALL WIDTH: 2000mm (max)
HEIGHT: No more than 1030mm above the reference surface of the car with the exception of the rear rollover structure fairing, which may be 10mm maximum above the rear rollover structure.
DRIVERS CATEGORIES: The crew must include at least one Silver or Bronze driver
Performance can be balanced through fuel tank size, fuel flow rate and engine air restrictor
Open and closed cars accepted
Chassis currently homologated include – Oreca 03, Morgan (Oak Pescarolo), HPD ARX 03b, Lola B12/80, Zytek Z11SN
GTE
A car will be permitted to compete as soon as a minimum of 100 road cars for the “Big Manufacturers”** and 25 road cars for the “Small Manufacturers”** will be produced.
** Big Manufacturers are companies that produce more than 2000 cars in one year. Small Manufacturers are those that produce less than 2000 cars in one year.
This category includes two groups:
• LM GTE-Pro: destined more to professional drivers
• LM GTE-Am: destined only to amateur drivers
Cars currently homologated include – Ferrari 458 Italia, Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE, Porsche 997 GT3 RSR, Chevrolet Corvette C6.R
GTE Pro
MINIMUM WEIGHT: 1245kg
ENGINE CAPACITY:
5.5l max (normally aspirated petrol)
4.0l max (Turbo / Supercharged petrol)
OVERALL LENGTH: 4800mm (max)
OVERALL WIDTH: 2050mm (max) – excluding rear view mirrors
DRIVERS CATEGORIES: FREE
Performance can be balanced through fuel tank size, fuel flow rate and engine air restrictor
GTE Am
GTE cars at least 12 months old
MINIMUM WEIGHT: 1245kg
ENGINE CAPACITY:
5.5l max (normally aspirated petrol)
4.0l max (Turbo / Supercharged petrol)
OVERALL LENGTH: 4800mm (max)
OVERALL WIDTH: 2050mm (max) – excluding rear view mirrors
DRIVERS CATEGORIES: Crews must, at most, include one Gold or Platinum driver
Performance can be balanced through fuel tank size, fuel flow rate and engine air restrictor
European Le Mans Series
LMP2 (As FIA WEC)
LMPC
Single make class for the Oreca FLM 09
Minimum weight: 900 kg
Minimum weight: 1.60 m
Maximum engine capacity: 6200 cm3
Michelin Tyres
GTE Pro (As FIA WEC)
GTE Am (As FIA WEC)
GTC – FIA GT3 homologated cars with ELMS specific Balance of Performance process
Blancpain Endurance Series (plus World GT Series, ADAC GT Masters, Brazilian GT, FFSA GT Tour)
GT3 – Cars Homologated to FIA GT3 – Rather than specific technical regulations, the cars are homologated by the FIA after completion of extensive technical documentation.
The performance of the cars is balanced by the use of various methods, including weight penalties, ride height, pitstop times and hard tyres.
Cars currently homologated include – Aston Martin DBRS9, Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3, Ferrari 458 Italia GT3, Porsche 997 GT3R, Chevrolet Corvette Z06, McLaren MP4/12C GT3, Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, Mercedes Benz SLS AMG GT3, BMW Z4 GT3, Audi R8 LMS Ultra, Lamborghini Gallardo LP600+, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Jaguar XKR, Dodge Viper
American Le Mans Series
LMP1 (As FIA WEC though weight and restrictor parameters can be changed)
LMP2 (As FIA WEC though weight and restrictor parameters can be changed)
LMPC – (As ELMS LMPC – Though weight and restrictor parameters can be changed)
GT (As FIA WEC GTE Pro)
GTC – One make class for the Porsche 997 GT3 Cup on control Yokohama rubber
Grand Am
DP – Grand-Am approve chassis providers and designs
Daytona Prototype competition is equalized further through minimum car weight. Daytona Prototypes with smaller engines can run at lighter minimum weights than their counterparts with more power.
Cars fitted with engines less than 4 litres can weigh 2,200 pounds or more.
Daytona Prototypes running engines 4 litres and up to the maximum 5 litres must weigh in at a minimum 2,250 pounds.
Horsepower: 500
Wheelbase: 108-110 inches
Weight (min.): 2225-2275 pounds
Roof Height (min): 41 inches (measured from flat floor reference plane)
Wing Height (max): 41 inches (measured from flat floor reference plane)
Width (max.): 79 inches
Engines: 5.0L V-8; Porsche, Ford, BMW, Lexus, Chevrolet 3.99L, Flat 6 Porsche; 3.8L V-6 Honda; 4.3L V-8 Infiniti Gearbox: Six-speed sequential shift (five-speed for 5.0L V-8)
Tires: Continental control rubber
Brakes: Up to 6-piston calipers, steel rotors
Chassis: Steel tube integrated roll cage
Suspension: Pushrod with multilink
Traction Control: Not permitted
GT – GT cars competing in the Rolex Series can be tubed production cars, modified GT3 cars (with additional side protection) or custom tube frame chassis.
The rules for GT employ several methods of equalization, including race car weight, tyre size and engine RPM limits to provide an even playing field for the variety of different cars. Engines in GT machines produce between 390 and 450 horsepower depending on the car.
Minimum weights range from 2,300 to 2,800 lbs. Porsche GT3s and BMW M6s must weigh in at 2,600 lbs, while the Corvettes are at 2,800 lbs. The top speed for Rolex Series GT cars is 180 mph.
Top Speed: 180 mph
Horsepower: 450
Wheelbase: As production
Weight (min.): 2,200-2,800 pounds
Height (max): Production (based on ride height)
Width (max.): 74 inches
Gearbox: Five- or six-speed
Tires: Continental control rubber
Brakes: 4-piston calipers steel rotors (carbon pads)
Chassis: Steel tubing with integral roll cage or production tub with cage
Suspension: Front and rear – independent coil springs, upper and lower A arms
Traction Control: Not permitted
GX – A new for 2013 class that will slot in at a performance level below the current GT class including the potential for “a wide variety of alternative technologies and alternative fuels. This could include turbocharged engines; fuels other than gasoline, such as clean diesels; and hybrid powertrains.”
Speed Euroseries
FIA CN class prototypes, powered by 2 litre Honda engines – Open and closed cars permitted
Super GT
GT500 – Carbon tubbed prototypes with Tube sub-frames and rollover structure
3.4 litre V8 engines restricted to 500 bhp
ABS, Traction Control and Stability Control barred
GT300 – Carbon and/ or tube-framed silhouettes with tubed rollover structure
Engines restricted to 300 bhp
Hybrid systems permitted
Or
Cars to FIA GT3 homologation
Super GT specific balance of performance
Asian Le Mans Series
LMP2 (As FIA WEC)
LMPC (As ELMS)
GTE (As FIA WEC GTE Pro)
GTC (Includes Cars homologated to FIA GT3, Super GT GT300 and some one make ‘Cup’ cars – Series specific Balance of Performance)
International GT Open (plus Spanish GT, Iberian GT)
Super GT (Cars homologated to LM GTE/ FIA GT2 plus some rebalanced GT1 cars and locally homologated cars)
GTS (Cars homologated to FIA GT3 and some nationally homologated cars)
VLN
The Series Cars division is intended to allow relatively low cost racing with near-production cars. It consists of six gasoline classes differentiated by engine displacement V1 to V6 and a diesel class VD.
The Specials division consists of pure race cars that may compete in other race series. It consists of the classes SP1 to SP8 differentiated by engine displacement with an optional suffix T for turbo charged engines, the SP9 class for FIA GT3 cars, the SP10 class for SRO GT4 cars, the special E1-XP 2009 class and the D1T to D4T classes differentiated by engine displacement for diesel cars.
The Cup division consists of one-make cup cars in the classes Cup1: Seat Leon, Cup2: Honda Civic R, Cup3: Porsche Carrera Cup.
Italian GT
GT2 (As FIA WEC GTE Pro)
GT3 (As Blancpain Endurance Series GT3)
GT Cup (One make racers including Ferrari 430 and 458 Challenge, Porsche 997 Cup, Maserati and Lamborghini Trofeo)
British GT
GT3 (As Blancpain Endurance Series GT3)
GT3B (Older GT3 Homologated cars)
GT4 (FIA GT4 Homologated cars – cars much closer to production specification with mainly safety related enhancements plus some one-make racers with limited aero enhancements – Performance balancing as per FIA GT3)
GTC – one make championship cars, such as the Porsche Cup and the Ferrari Challenge, regulated by power to weight ratio. Changes of bodywork material and sizes may be granted, for example rear wings may be fitted
Britcar
A power to weight balance is applied to all classes –
Britcar Class 4 – (5200cc max engine size) – Cars “may include, but are not limited to”: FIA GT4 / GT Cup / Super Touring / 24hr Special / 996 Porsche Cup/ Ginetta G50
Britcar Class 3 – (6200cc max engine size) – Cars may include, but are not limited to: GT Cup / 24hr Special / 997 Porsche Cup / Ginetta G55
Britcar Class 2 – (7200cc max engine size) – Cars may include, but are not limited to: Older FIA GT3 / 24hr Special / BMW V8 GTR
Britcar Class 1 (Unlimited maximum engine size) – Cars may include, but are not limited to: FIA GT2 (GTE) restricted / Current FIA GT3 / V8star / Stealth* / RSR Porsche / Mosler / Aquila* / LMP2* / SR2* / Daytona Prototype*
In several series and Championships invitation entries out of homologation are accepted as non points scoring entries
