kristap

Looks like they are staying with Porsche but moving (down?) to GTC. Flying Lizards Announcement

What's this mean for the factory drivers? I thought Holzer did a fantastic job this year and hope he's not relegated to second tier someplace.

stuttgart46

I would imagine that they stay and run in GTC. I think they are just trying to keep them all together until the LMP car comes out next year.
Great to hear. I was starting to think that they were headed to Ferrari.

David in Chicago

So this pretty much does it for the RSR - it's an orphan now, right?

Where would an RSR race now? There's no GT-1 series (and Porsche wasn't interested when there was). ALMS just surrendered to GA (which is a Cup Car - almost GT-3 - series). They're not compliant with the (possibly growing, possibly shrinking) GT-3 series. Does ELMS still allow them or are their GTs also under the GT-3 rules?

So that'd leave the ACO - owner of one race, admittedly the most important one - to "defend" the RSR or, at least, give it a place to play.

Is the RSR dead?

Regards to all.

GuyIncognito

So far only Seth and Spencer Pumpelly listed as drivers. will be interesting to see where Pat and Jorg end up.

Also, customer program with the Lizards?!?!? Why oh why must I be poor!?!!!!!

stuttgart46

Guy, check your sofa cushions. I'm sure there's enough in there to buy a seat at Sebring.

Cory M

RSR is still racing ALMS next year with Falken and Miller...

Lets hope this GTC thing is just temporary until the 991 RSR comes out

ZAPmobile

Interesting that Spencer is moving to Lizards as he was TRG's main driver after Andy left.

Cory M

pretty sure Pumpelly drove with Seth a couple of times last year

sad that the main factory team in USA is basically telling Porsche that the RSR is so uncompetitive it isn't worth paying the bill to race it in 2013

GTgears

Seems the logical course of action to me. Go run in a class and series where they can be the champions while they wait for Porsche to roll out the 991 RSR.

Not too worried about the factory drivers either. They've historically been pretty good at finding their own seats when they aren't officially driving for Porsche. They won't be homeless.

And I wouldn't be surprised if, like in years past, we see a Lizard entry at Daytona, which very likely would have a factory driver or two on their roster.

analogmike

I'm digging all my sofas for quarters!!!!

ProCoach

^^This^^

stuttgart46

My understanding is that Porsche pulled the plug on all of the R&D (read as free stuff) from the Lizards. That is why they are heading to GTC. We can all speculate as to where there will be going in 2014 but time will tell.

GTgears

Which makes total sense. Why would Porsche, or any company for that matter, spend another cent developing a vehicle that is obsolete and slated for retirement in less than 12 months?

David in Chicago

I understand and, of course, it makes sense for FL to "hibernate" in the TRG business model (ie: let someone else pay the bills for a while) - perfectly logical until GA/ALMS formalize their GT rules (which, I'm guessing, will remain Cup Car-based).

But, still, even with a new-for-2014 991 RSR, where will the car race, other than in LM 24 under the ACO - which seems to be the only place for non-GT-3-spec GT cars to race right now?

Isn't a new-for-2014 991 RSR a near-orphan the day it arrives?

Regards to all.

GTgears

I think it may be a little premature to say that there won't be a place for the RSR in the new merged GA-ALMS program. Right now, GA Cup Cars are much less like GTC Cups and much more like baby RSRs. All the top competitors have 4.0l engines, RSR gearboxes and RSR suspension components on the cars. We've all got to wait and see how it shakes out, but in addition to Porsche, ALMS has redunancy in BMWs, Corvettes, and Ferraris.

Whether GA writes rules that let the faster more powerful versions of the cars from ALMS come in or keeps the slower versions that are the current Rolex GT spec is the question I think that all of us want to see answered.