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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">FIA SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">28/09/2000</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">MONZA 1000KMs</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">Returns next April, with GTs</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">John Mangoletsi feels that he has a superb calendar in place for 2001, with a number of GP venues, and Imola likely to be added to the list. <BR> April 22 will see the newly renamed series running at Monza, over 1000 Kilometres. And it won't just be the Sports Racers and the Lights cars running; GT cars are to be invited, Mangoletsi expecting an entry of "50 cars. It will be an invitation class of GTs, to run alongside the best grid of sportscars we can find." <BR> <BR> <BR> Only GT machines will be invited, not N-GTs / GTOs / GTs - more simply, avoiding the old problem of what class is what, only the previously named GT2s will be invited, so no GT3R Porsches. <BR> <BR> This is an interesting development in several ways. John Mangoletsi has always been opposed to mixing his SRs with GTs, but the prospect of reviving the Monza 1000Ks seems to have been too strong to resist. This announcement also pre-empts the ELMS plans that are expected to become public at the Petit Le Mans. Five ELMS races in Europe? There is also the matter of Le Mans regulations being adjusted as regards roll hoops. It seems more than likely that full hoops will be needed at Le Mans next year.<BR> <BR> John Mangoletsi is rising to the challenge of the growing ELMS presence in Europe. As he explained, "let's bring the regulations together and let entrants decide where they want to race." <BR> <BR> Is there room for the ELMS, and the FIA GTs and the SRWC? There surely aren't enough cars for the three series to cater for different entrants. Stéphane Ratel is already setting out his FIA GT plan, with the requirement that teams enter two cars at all the races, with the team cars in the same colour scheme.<BR> <BR> Paul Truswell commented on the Monza news: "What a shame it's only a one-off. If it could be part of the rumoured World Sports Car Championship, then it would really get the season off well. Daytona, Sebring, Monza - the first three races will be for prototypes and GTs running together." Paul's use of the word 'rumoured' is a reference to his ideal-world World Sports Car Championship.<BR> <BR> Laurence Pearce didn't seem terribly impressed though. "We're concentrating on the FIA GT series, not one-off races."</FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>