Video: Super GT Testing at Suzuka

A video of recent Super GT testing at Suzuka Circuit in Japan. All 3 cars in the GT500 class can be seen here; Nissan GTR, Lexus SC430, and the new Honda HSV-010. GT300 cars are the Ferrari 430, Lamborghini Murcielago/Gallardo and Mooncraft-Shiden (click the link). Some of the cars are still in plain test liveries, but others including the orange ARTA HSV-010 are in full 2010 livery.

The season starts soon, should be interesting as always

Motorsport can be dangerous

A big crash from the FIA GT3 Championship held at Circuit Paul Ricard in France - its a testament to the safety standards that nobody was seriously hurt.

The accident was caused by a bit of rain on small 1 part of the circuit which meant little grip, as the cars were running on dry slick tyres and not intermediates or wet tyres:


And the aftermath with a replay from a different angle which shows how violent the crash was.Look at the damaged armco barrier at the start of this video, after both the Corvette and Audi R8 had hit it very hard, takes a lot of force to cause this amount of damage, to both the cars and the barrier.



The race was abandoned due to the damaged barriers which were replaced for the following days racing

The final of the FIA GT and GT3 championship is on October 25/26 at Zolder in Belgium and whats more you can watch all the qualifying and racing LIVE on the series websites - FIA GT / FIA GT3

Le Mans Series 1000km of Silverstone - Part 1

Back to Silverstone and more sportscar racing in the form of the 6th and final round of the Le Mans Series , covering the event for Sportscarpros

Once again its a big event compared to the events that I normally attend

With a busy press centre hosting well attended press conferences

Not to mention a 'tyre war' of sorts

But all expensive and proper equipment, no knockoffs in evidence here

Another attraction was the main support race - the Classic Endurance Racing championship, with a scene from the 1970's as the former Mario Andretti Ferrari 712, driven by Paul Knapfield has a small lead at the end of the Hangar Straight, leading into Stowe corner

Unlike the March 75S which expired on the next lap......

and passed by this stunning Porsche 936

Porsche 911 RSR - still the definition of what a racing Porsche is for many people

BMW M1

Porsche 935

Gulf-Mirage GR7

Lola T294-BMW

Matra 670C, this car and its previous versions won Le Mans overall in 1972, 1973, and 1974,and won the World Sportscar Champion in 1973/4. Sounded immense.....

a bit like this infact


But it retired after leading, after the 712 had led also

The gas turbine powered Howmet TX certainly the most distinctive car on the grid. Click on the wikipedia link, and watch the video below



But there had to be a winner and it was Bobby Rahal in his own Lola T290, a car he drove earlier in his career and now personally owns

More soon

Silverstone Classic 2009

After last year, it was only natural that I would return to the 2009 running of the Silverstone Classic, with the massive mixture of everything from pre war sportscars to SuperTouring, but my main reason for returning was once again - Group C. This time however I was armed with a media pass, as I am now covering events for Sports Car Pros so no standing on tippytoes or dodging bits of fence...

Ive somehow managed to narrow my selection down from over 1500 to just 20, so here goes.

The start of the second Group C race, the opening shot is the start of the first. Quite a feeling to have thousands of horsepower heading straight towards you as you both feel excited at the sight of them and try and fit them all into the frame at the same time!

Its back, the Sauber C9 except this time it was not damaged at the first corner! A stunning car to see aswell as to hear, this vid will give you an idea, not the same car (its a C11 in the video) but they sound alike, with the thundering 5 litre, twin turbo V8





Another big, loud fast V8 - Aston Martin AMR-1, could be heard well before it appeared!

The first Jaguar Group C car, the XJR-5 and the Nissan R88-C

Nissan R91CK, winner of Sundays 30 min sprint race

Onto the World Sportscar Masters and 2 rather dramatic shots from the 90 minute race, above a Ferrari 512s leads a Lola T70 a scene that reminds me of the film Le Mans...

and a flaming Chevron B8

Masters ‘Gentleman Drivers’ GT & Sports Endurance Cars (Pre 66) had this beautiful Corvette Stingray - each car in the race could tell a story and deserved its own photo

Grand Prix Masters (1966 – 1973 GP Cars) - fast and very loud!


Pre 1963 GT Cars, multi million dollar grid, probably the most valuble of the weekend
Ferrari 250 GT SWB Drogo aka The Breadvan

Aston Martin Le Mans Project DP 212
Ferrari 250 SWB
Corvette and Lotus Elite
Under 2 litre touring cars, throwback to the 60's, Lotus Cortinas, BMW 1800's,Alfa Romeo Giulias and Minis. Close and exciting racing, even now

Then onto the 90's, SuperTouring revival

or is it the 70's again? as the Cologne Capri battles the BMW CSL Batmobile

While up the front a more 90's battle goes on!

A great event, think Ill go back in 2010

Video - FIA GT Championship

Found this video to give you an idea of how fast and loud these cars are. All the GT1 cars are V8's, including the Nissan GTR, with the exception of the Maserati MC12 which is a V12

Suggested Volume Setting = 11

Sound like Thunder, go like Lightning - FIA GT Championship

Drifting and Time Attack are good, but the odd time a good old fashioned race can be better, so what could be better than exotic sportscar racing and the FIA GT championship at Silverstone

Nothing like a multi million dollar grid, this is the GT3 cup

Or a multi million dollar pit area, no jeeps pulling trailers here, but plenty of trucks, hospitality areas and motorhomes
And all the action, covered on the big screen

Onto the action and the main race, the RAC Tourist Trophy, won by the K plus K motorsport Saleen S7R

Second was the VitaPhone Racing Maserati MC12

Third was the SRT Corvette C6R

There will be new rules for the GT1 category and there were 2 new cars running to these rules, firstly the awesome Ford GT, build by Matech Racing

and the eagerly awaited Nissan R35 GTR, run by Gigawave Motorsport and Nismo. The GTR retired, but the Fords managed 8th and 10th

The winner in GT2 was the ProSpeed Porsche 997 GT3 RS, seen here behind another rumbling GT1 Corvette. GT2 was Porsche 997 vs Ferrari F430, with a sole Aston Martin

on the grid

and behind the Wiesmann GT MF5 safety car

Also on the bill for the weekend was the FIA European GT3 Championship, both races won by the distinctive Morgan Aero 8 GT3, seen here overtaking a Ferrari F430 Scuderia

The GT3 had the biggest and most varied grid though, aswell as the Morgan and Ferrari it featured:

Lamborghini Gallardo GT3

Audi R8 LMS

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S

Jaguar XKR-S

Ford GT

BMW Alpina B6 GT3

Viper Competition Coupe

Corvette Z06R GT3

Aston Martin DBRS9

But the main attraction was still the GT1 cars for most, late on Saturday evening you could have a good look around them as they left scrutineering

But they belong on the track, making you feel your ear drums vibrate and your stomach rumbling.....