Stéphane Ratel: “I am an ardent defender of customer competition”

What do you think of the 2021 grids?

In GT3, we still lost around ten cars, which is no small thing. We had 38 cars in 2019 in GT4, and we took our biggest blow last year with Covid-19 when we dropped to 17-18 cars. To come back to 47 cars, it's pretty incredible. Sometimes some things are hard to explain.

I went to the last race in France at Paul Ricard to chat with the teams. By making a double program by adding GT4 Europe to GT World Challenge Europe, amortization costs will be reduced.

Furthermore, GT4 was previously organized somewhat independently, and I entrusted the series to Laurent Gaudin and his work must be recognized. We also suffered from sporting problems in 2019, which harmed us for 2020.

The GT3 will take the place of the GTLM in IMSA, and we are still waiting for the future face of the GT category in the ACO series. Do you fear a draft that will be detrimental to your series in the future?

I do not believe. It is neither in the interest of SRO nor the ACO to compete. I may be wrong, but we have built two platforms that work well and this constructive emulation, rather than destructive competition, can contribute to the success of sports cars in general. For our part, we have excellent relations with the ADAC GT Masters for which we ensure the BoP. I don't see any intention of going against each other.

The ACO is achieving something extraordinary with its main category. I think it's going to be a huge success. I am a strong advocate of customer competition and there is an element to it. There will perhaps be, as in the great era of Porsche 956, factory cars and customer cars. Whatever the GT part, whether it's GTE or GT3 or whatever, I don't see the whole Monza paddock going to Le Mans.

We must not forget that the balance seen with IMSA and ACO is due to the fact that there are clearly two platforms. One where GT is a category that always runs with prototypes, and the other where GT is alone. There will always be people who prefer to win overall in GT, and others who prefer to go with the prototypes. These are two different products.

I'm not worried because they are communicating vessels, and there is enough reserve in GT in more modest series or with a simpler profile. If there are fewer Pros here, because they are turned towards Le Mans, we will then have more room for the Ams.

The GT2 launches timidly. Do you still have confidence in the concept?

The GT2 remains my great hope for the future. It may seem complicated to say that with only twelve cars on the grid, but I believe it. People haven't yet understood that these are big GT4s, with very similar running costs, and impressive cars to drive. I also hope that we will be able to recreate a better distribution between categories.

The GT4 was initially designed for “small cars”. Put together Alpine and Toyota GR Supra faces the more massive Audi and their V10 engine is quite complex in terms of BoP. I really hope the GT2 works, because it's a great insurance policy should the GT3 become too expensive. »

Where are you regarding the 2021 edition of the 24 Hours of Spa? Can the July – August hinge date be maintained?

We stop predicting anything. It's very complicated today. Last year, we changed the date, placing ourselves in the cold of autumn, but with a superb race. Today we can move, but if we do, we destroy our current calendar, because everything is intertwined. We therefore have to redo an entire part of the program.

We could lose our support races. We don't know what the situation will be at the end of July. If we change everything and, without imagining welcoming a full audience, we can have several bubbles of at least 5 people, it is worth a try.

Do you have a deadline?

The decision will be made very quickly.

What about the choice of circuit in the Middle East for the round to be confirmed in the Intercontinental GT Challenge?

Not yet. We have several logical options, and as with Spa, the decision will come shortly.