Corvette Racing's Future; The Demise of GT1?

This week, I attended a media teleconference hosted by Corvette Racing to announce its Le Mans program for the next few years. Rumors had spread around giving hint to the possibility of the factory team building a prototype for LMP1, but instead, they committed to moving to the GT2 division with an all-new Corvette C6.R starting in 2009.

See Story: "Corvette Racing Plans for the Future"

While this news didn't catch many people by surprise, it did have an implication on the future of the GT1 class, which the two Velocity Yellow C6.Rs currently compete in. With the only competition coming from Bell Motorsports' privately entered Aston Martin DBR9, question marks now hang over the future of this category.

Corvette has committed to running two ALMS races in GT1 next year - the season-opening Twelve Hours of Sebring and the Grand Prix of Long Beach. The decision to take the cars to Southern California was mainly based on marketing, since the Los Angeles is one of the largest in the country. After a final race in GT1 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the main focus will shift to developing the new GT2 car. Who will that leave in GT1?

Bell Motorsports has yet to confirm its 2009 program, while speculation leads that the American Le Mans Series and IMSA could just do without GT1 for next year. It would be pretty embarrassing to see only one car racing in that category. Instead, the focus could be on 2010, when the new GT regulations come into effect.

These new rules are aimed at providing a world arena for GT cars. Stephane Ratel, promoter of the FIA GT Championship, confirmed his plans to take his series global in 2010, to become the "FIA World GT Championship." Ratel has already inked plans to race at a newly constructed circuit in Russia, and will take his current championship to Argentina this November. Ratel is also in negotiations with a nearly a dozen other countries around the world regarding the possibility of hosting a round of the "World Championship."

While this World Championship will not likely involve a factory team from Corvette Racing, they will be providing cars to customers, much like what they are doing already for Phoenix Carsport Racing and SRT, among others. The FIA regulations will be identical to the ACO's used in the American Le Mans Series, (European) Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Once they come into effect in 2010, the big question is will there be anyone in the (new) GT1?

Corvette Racing Program Manager Doug Fehan doesn't think there will be, and this could have huge implications on Ratel's plans, as GT1 is the one and only category for the "World Championship." The new GT2 cars would be used for a European-only Cup, much like how the FIA GT3 European Championship operates right now.

With more questions than answers regarding the future of GT racing worldwide, we can be rest assured that Corvette Racing is in it for the long haul, and will be on the grid in the 2010 American Le Mans Series with two Corvette C6.Rs. Now all we need is the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin to commit to racing in the same category. Then, we will be up for one hell of a fight.