FIA Proposes Dual Platform GT3 Regs for 2022

Photo: Bathurst 12H

The FIA has proposed a radical new homologation concept for GT3, which would see seperate platforms for purebred sports cars and sports coupe-based machinery competing within the same category.

Sportscar365 has learned that the concept, which was presented to manufacturers in a technical working group meeting last week in Geneva, could debut in the next regulations refresh in 2022.

While details are still unclear, it’s understood the two platforms would feature different specifications and be equalized through a Balance of Performance process.

Currently, all GT3 cars are homologated under the same set of regulations, which have caused challenges in balancing large sports coupes such as the Bentley Continental GT3 and BMW M6 GT3 with two-seater sports cars like the Ferrari 488 GT3 and Porsche 911 GT3 R.

It’s believed the proposal would see sports cars falling under a rigid set of technical regulations, similar to GTE, with sports coupes remaining with the current freedoms of GT3 but permitted to be based on the manufacturer’s shared modular platforms.

The FIA currently prohibits GT3 cars based off production car architecture that’s shared with four-door road-going models, a rule that is set to affect BMW with its next-generation race car.

Additionally, it’s believed the sports coupes would be required to run with the manufacturer’s base engine from its production model, which has not been a requirement for GT3 in the past.

It’s understood the proposal has received mixed views among manufacturers in attendance.

GT3 Homologation Date Shift in the Works for 2020

An active effort is underway to advance the FIA homologations for new and updated GT3 cars to ensure its eligibility for early season races.

Currently, new-generation machinery have been prohibited from competing in the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour due to not yet completing its FIA homologation and SRO Motorports Group-organized BoP test.

According to SRO Motorsports Group technical director Claude Surmont, new models could end up being permitted to contest Bathurst next year, should they take part in at least one end-of-year SRO race to help establish the BoP.

“It all depends on the date of approval,” Surmont told Endurance-Info. “I know that the FIA dealt with the process and the date of approval in the technical working group [meeting].

“If the process is completed before the final SRO [race] and the car can run in the last race as a BoP test, it would [able] to run Bathurst.”

Surmont explained that the new-for-2019 GT3 models from Aston Martin, McLaren and Porsche, as well as various Evo kits, have still not been fully homologated by the FIA, which typically doesn’t occur until March or April each year.

The cars have been running under draft homologations in IMSA and Creventic competition.

Laurent Mercier contributed to this report

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