In a rules change described as “minimal but important” by championship manager Benjamin Franassovici all performance balancing between different driver pairings in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship will be done with weight penalties in 2013.
The decision marks a departure from the 2012 scheme where pairings of two silver grade drivers were penalised with a longer mandatory pitstop in races, while other combinations were balanced with additional weight.
For the coming season double-silver line-ups will have the severity of the penalty increased, the series’ promoter seeking to reinforce the Pro-Am ethos of the championship.
“If any teams do submit [a ‘double-silver’] entry, these will be subject to a much more strict adjustment, using weight this time instead of time added on in the mandatory pit stop,” said Franassovici. “The spirit and success of British GT is based on the Pro Am nature and I don’t want this to be disrupted as we advance.”
There were few such driver pairings in the 2012 championship, United Autosports’ team of Charles Bateman and Matt Bell the only full-season duo in which both drivers held silver status. Bell maintains his place with the team for 2013, however, escapes the new strict penalty, Bateman’s slot as co-driver taken by Mark Patterson in the Audi R8 LMS ultra.
