Stéphane Ratel: “GT4 is a good formula”

Stopped during the season due to too few competitors on the starting grid this year, the French Championships FFSA-GT and FFSA Protos will finally have a sequel in 2017, after the withdrawal of Oreca as promoter of the GT Tour.

Already instigators of the Super Series, Stéphane Ratel and SRO Motorsports will return to the controls of the flagship series of French circuits, via the introduction of the GT4 category. Exit the GT3 and make way for cars meeting regulations owned by SRO, and whose growth now seems to be well on track, as evidenced by the development of different series across Europe next year.

« I think GT4 is a good formula, Stéphane Ratel confided to us on the sidelines of the 24 Hours of Spa. This is undoubtedly a year too early compared to the new models expected in 2018.

We will have to convince the teams who will compete in the North series to also come and compete in the South series (which will be part of the French Championship). But with the GT4, we are in affordable budgets with cars that are all capable of winning.

Resumption of contact with the FFSA was quite late and the meeting organized at Paul-Ricard with the teams last June confirmed their interest. But we don't hope to have 30 cars in 2017. If we have 16, that will be encouraging. »

Alongside the various cars already meeting GT4 regulations, and competing in particular in the European Series, BMW recently confirmed the arrival of a replacement for the M3 GT4, which will be based on the new M4. Porsche and his Cayman Clubsport are already in the loop, just like Aston Martin and Maserati.