Walliser: New GT2 Platform “Very Interesting”

Photo: Porsche

SRO Motorsport Group’s newly announced GT2 platform is “very interesting” to Head of Porsche Motorsport Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, who revealed that Porsche is evaluating the reinvented class.

Announced during last weekend’s Total 24 Hours of Spa, GT2 will feature powerful supercars aimed at amateur drivers, with an initial rollout planned at selected sprint races next year.

The brainchild of SRO founder and CEO Stephane Ratel, the new platform is intended to fit in between GT3 and GT4, although follow a strict production car architecture similar to the SRO-developed GT4 formula.

Walliser, who oversees Porsche’s successful GTE, GT3 and GT4 programs, believes there’s enough room in the marketplace for an additional class, particularly one that’a aimed at gentlemen drivers.

“I think it’s very interesting looking if there is space for the amateurs,” Walliser told Sportscar365. “We have pro racing in [GT3]. If it’s pure amateurs with exciting cars, I think it’s a good time to introduce something like that.

“For sure, we have drivers interestingly saying that GT4 is not enough and it’s not glorious enough.

“GT4 should stay small cars, like the Cayman, M4 and Alpine. It’s not downscaled AMGs and R8s. They are GT3.

“It’s logical to have GT2 to have the easiness of running a GT4, with the running costs and everything, with a pure regular car. Running costs would be [reduced] and you have a more powerful car.

“So it’s GT4 for adults.”

Walliser admitted the formula, which calls for cars in the 640-700 horsepower range with limited modifications, is an ideal fit to Porsche’s 911 GT2 RS.

The 700-horsepower twin-turbo-powered Porsche held the production car lap record at the Nürburgring until last week when it was surpassed by the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ.

“This is the target group for Stephane Ratel,” Walliser said. “It’s upscale cars but not hypercars. It must be supercars.”

October Decision on Possible GT2 Program

While Ratel said he’s been in discussions with multiple undisclosed manufacturers, Walliser confirmed Porsche is in the mix to potentially build a car to the new GT2 regulations.

“As always, if there’s something moving on the motorsports scene, we’re looking,” he said.

“I think we did a proper job on the GT4 category. I still say we invented it. We pushed it and are the baseline and have established a really nice racing category that’a extremely successful around the world.

“If something new comes out we have to check and see if it’s feasible, if you can do something. We’ll then make decisions.”

He’s set a deadline by the beginning of the fourth quarter for a final decision on whether to green-light Porsche GT2 race car for 2019.

“It’s tight if you’re not prepared,” Walliser said. “Depending on the manufacturer, it takes 15 months to develop a proper race car. But it depends how you develop a car.

“For sure we’d have to run through certain programs and durability tests.”

SRO has yet to disclose details on the platform, including the technical regulations, other than stating GT2 will feature a two-to-one power-to-weight ratio, limited aero developments and no permitted modifications to the the engine and gearbox positions.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John