Come on down the price is right, yes a round of the Global GT championship, four hours of real racing with real cars ( well almost ) all for £12 ( kids £1 )can be yours at Brands Hatch on Sunday.
On the face of it a pretty good bargain, particularly as it represents a chance to see in action for the first time in a GT race the new wundercar from Porsche, its 911 GT1. I and everyone else expect that this machine will disappear into the distance round the roller-coaster track in Kent. Well almost everyone, Jurgen Barth told me that the speed of the Porsches at Le Mans relative to the McLarens et al was due "the one hundred years experience that Porsche have at the 24 hour event" perhaps they came over with the Prussian army in 1870 and perhaps Jurgen imagines that I came down with last nights rain. The 911 GT1 is quick because it has 50-60 bhp more than the McLarens and ABS and most importantly, shedloads of downforce. Now if there is one thing that you need at Brands it is downforce, I remember the Williams go kart that Keke Rosberg put on pole in the 1983 GP was glued to the track, clearly the fastest thing on four wheels despite being 100-150 bhp down to the Renaults, Ferraris and BMWs. Now better ground effect AND more power is a sure-fire recipe for domination and neither Hans Stuck nor Thierry Boutsen are likely to fail to take advantage of this. The good news for the others is that the car will not be eligible for points but nevertheless I think we all know who will be spraying the Moet from the top steps at 4.45 on Sunday.
Those who went to Japan have now shaken off the effects of the Log Cabin also known as jet lag and the regulars are all there. In the battle for second and top points it will be business as usual for GTC/Gulf Racing, DPR with Harrods and West, Lotus and the ENNEA Ferraris. Lister are gracing us with their presence once more and should feature strongly, contenders perhaps for a podium finish. Other irregulars are the ORECA Vipers with two entries for Philippe Gache and Eric Helary together with Justin Bell and Olivier Beretta, the Jaguar XJ220 surfaces for the first time since Silverstone with Geoff Lister and ANO, and the Superpower de Tomaso Pantera is also scheduled to make an appearance.
In GT2 the battle will be as fiercely fought as with their bigger cousins. The class leaders Roock Racing Porsche 911 GT2 will keep the Suzuka winners of Kelleners, Ruch and Eichmann in the frame and ranged against them in the Porsche battle will be Konrad's GT2 with Franz himself and "brilliant" Bob Wollek, Lanzante with Soames Langton and Paul Burdell. The Marcos of Cor Euser and Thomas Erdos will carry the fight to the 911s as will the Augusta Callaway. New additions and returning prodigals to the family will be third cars for both Konrad and Roock, the regular Kremer car, two more Marcos' (should that be Marcii)?, the TVR Cerbera for Mark Hales and Phil Andrews, a Dodge Viper of dodgy provenance, a more powerful Morgan and the Parr Motorsports mob's 911s.
All in all there are 50 entries and 46 will start, I strongly suggest that you be there or be square.
NB kick off is at 11.30 so don't be late.
Other news in is the first signs of a split in the BPR front over the legality of the 911 GT1 Porsche with Patrick Peter being quoted as expressing the opinion that as the car is not really a road car and not in the showrooms for a year or so, is thereby outside the spirit of the BPR regulations, whereas Jurgen says nonsense, you can go into any Porsche showroom in Europe, put your money down and bingo one will arrive - eventually. When I tried this at my local dealership I was escorted to the door by security and given a stiff warning not to return but that may have just been me.
While the question of the legality of the Porsche is being debated the other manufactures are getting on with the job of matching the raised performance levels. Ferrari (and McLaren) are using the old method, trying to get the rules altered in their favour with the restrictors on the engines (they call this process making things fair). The question of which engine the McLaren runs with next year the V12 or the non existent V8 4litre turbo that everyone denies will depend on this political manoeuvring.
At the present various ITC teams are hunting for sponsorship to run cars next year, Joest is most likely to confine themselves to the events such as Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans, but both Zakspeed and Rosberg are looking to take on full programmes. Scandia are going to take on an F50 over here, together with Dallara and ENNEA.
The calendar for 1997 is now taking shape with the following dates penciled in:
March - Enna Pergusa and Jarama April - Magny Cours May - Silverstone and Brands Hatch (they hope) June - Nurburgring July - TBA (but not Anderstorp) August - Suzuka September - Donington and Spa October - Nogaro November - Zhuhai December - two races probably the fabled Brazilian rounds that will not happen this year.
Other stories are that the Chinese race will definitely take place on the new GP circuit, the pits are almost finished as is the media centre and control tower.
Mundus vult decipi.
jb