Flying Lizard Evaluating GT4 Options
The California-based team could field multiple GT4 entries in the Pirelli World Challenge GTS class, and/or IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, according to program manager Darren Law.
“We are seriously considering trying to put together some GT4 cars for next season and try and run both, GT3 and GT4," Law told Sportscar365.
“I’ve had several people that have quite an interest in it. We’re talking to quite a lot of people right now, as well as manufacturers."
Law confirmed they’ve been in discussions with both McLaren, which recently announced its new 570S GT4 car, as well as Porsche with its Cayman GT4 Clubsport, which will soon be SRO GT4 homologated via an upgrade kit.
The team already holds close links with both manufacturers, having raced McLaren 650S GT3 cars in PWC GT competition the past two seasons under the K-PAX banner, as well as still being actively involved in club racing with Porsche following its tenure in the American Le Mans Series.
It also recently fielded a Cayman GT4 Clubsport for a customer in the Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA series.
“Of course McLaren is one of them because they’re producing the 570 GT4 car, and that’s in development right now," Law said. “We’ve talked to them. We have talked to Porsche as well. I know they’re coming out with a kit for their Cayman [GT4 Clubsport].
“Nothing’s off the table right now. We need to see what fits best for our program and what the customer wants to run."
Law said he sees a bright future for the platform in North America, with PWC adopting full GT4 regulations for its GTS class beginning next year and IMSA poised to do the same for its flagship GS category in Continental Tire Challenge.
He said operating costs are roughly 30 percent less than GT3, while the price of the cars are nearly half.
“There’s a lot of things that encourage me," Law said. “Just like GT3, I like that it’s a worldwide series, in that everyone’s homologated and you can go several places with that car.
“From a cost standpoint, we’re currently doing budgets and are pricing it out. We’re encouraged by that. I think it’s going to be quite a bit less than GT3 program. They’re basically stock cars with some modifications.
“Within the next year or two, it’s probably the next GT3. From a cost perspective, it makes sense. It’s the same concept as GT3. I think it’s definitely one of the classes to consider for sure."
Law said they hope to have a final decision on car choice in the next few months, in order to begin testing by the end of the year ahead of a targeted full-season effort in 2017.
A decision on whether the program would be under the Flying Lizard or K-PAX banner has also not yet been made, Law said. John Dagys/Sporstscar365