Motorsport: GT4 cars allowed in Australia GT

Australian GT has confirmed plans to allow GT4 entries into the top tier of Australian GT competition from 2018.

The announcement follows a meeting between Australian GT Manager Ken Collier, and SRO boss Stephane Ratel in London last week.

"We will offer guaranteed GT4 grid spots in the Australian GT championships for 2018 and beyond," Mr Collier confirmed.

"Our plans for 2018 will be announced soon, and will include GT4 in our Level 1 racing, which is different to this year where we have included GT4 cars in the CAMS Australian GT Trophy Series."

The inclusion of GT4 in all Australian GT competitions adds further depth to what are already regarded among the world's strongest GT competitions.

"It is obvious that GT4 has a great attraction to a wide range of teams and competitors," Mr Collier continued.

"My experience is that there is as much manufacturer support for GT4 as GT3 globally, and they are driving the development of their GT4 cars strongly.

"Combine this with the SRO Balance of Performance and proportional value for money, GT4 will grow in Australia."

Under the leadership of SRO and Mr Ratel, global interest in GT4 racing has increased significantly in recent years, prompting a number of the world's leading automotive manufacturers to develop their own cars for the class.

"Stephane Ratel has worked with manufacturers, starting with Porsche, to build the concept of GT4 racing," Mr Collier explained.

"GT4 is not simply a smaller cousin of GT3, the cars are often based on different models of cars to GT3.

"GT4 cars are closer to the road versions from manufacturers, with less aerodynamics and other high-performance components.

"The cars cost less to purchase, maintain and compete with in comparison to GT3, but still possess impressive levels of performance."

The SRO has built the GT4 concept to now boast the GT4 European Series, while the primary GT racing category in France is the GT4 European Series Southern Cup.

GT4 cars are large in volume in the British GT series and growing numbers in Asia where SRO runs the Blancpain GT Series Asia.