Why FIA driver grading debate dominated British GT 2025 opener

The 2025 British GT season was also not an old when the complaints started walking around the Padock during the Donington Park opener in the last weekend.

It began to occur around 5 pm on Saturday as 2 seas Motorsport won a major 1-2 in qualifying, with #42 Mercedes sixth fastest.

GT3’s debutant Charles Dawson was important for the results, his co-operator Keran Juice in the final qualifying outings topped the initial session up to 0.8S before the pole. The British GT qualifying is divided into two sessions: the first choice for professionals with another amateur, whose fastest lap time is combined to determine the final standing.

The results inspired teams to run to question this question, and the championship management was also understood to be shocked by the dawn interval.

But what was the problem?

“He is a silver,” said Mark Lamor, the owner of the reign of the champion Barwell Motorsport, in the context of the FIA ​​driver classification system.

Grading is divided into four levels – platinum, gold, silver and bronze – and each car in British GT3 class should field bronze -rated driver (doson) with a racer that is at least one silver (Jew).

Therefore, Lamar was referring to Dawson as someone who should be kept in a higher class. And if 2024 shows anything, it is the strength of a car bronze racer that largely determines its success, as the speed of motion in amateurs is generally more than among professionals.

Last year, Rob Collard was much faster than any amateur driver, so he and son Ricky won the title for Barwell.

But there was still a starving next to Saturday’s Rumble, given that the race was not yet and anyone knew for everyone, #42 Mercedes speed may have disappeared on Sunday.

Still it did not happen. Dawson gave a blameless term and led five seconds when it was time for Jew to ride, and put a late pressure from Sandy Michelle of 22 -year -old Barwell. To win a two -hour race over just one second,

Bronze-recorded Richard Nikri says, “I don’t think this year is going to defeat Charles Dawson.” “Give him silver ballast, 25 additional kg in the car.”

Come 2026, there is no doubt that the dawn’s license may have been upgraded, but when the time comes, the broad classification system also needs to be reconsidered.

But why? Just because Dawson was rapid in Donington, it does not mean that the 2 seas entry should be punished immediately. There is also a added warning that the qualification was without Rob Collard, which left the Donington round for medical reasons. If the reign champion was present, it is suspected that the difference would have been so big.

Michelle’s co-operator Alex Martin plays appropriately and says: “He is really driving well. We are not here, we are not here, pay money, pay money and collect a trophy, we have some racing here … I miss the challenge!”

And according to the definition, the dawson should be placed as a bronze because according to the FIA, the following criteria are applied:

• A bronze driver is one who “receives his first license after the age of 30”
Dawson ran in 2022 when he was just 32 years old.
• The driver should have “comparable level of performance for bronze drivers”
Dawson only started winning the race last year, yet won the British GT4 Pro-M Crown with apple Morris.

So the 2 CIL driver has the reason to say that “I am a real bronze” because I run out business, I am in the car in seven weekends this year, I started racing after 30 and had no experience before “.

But perhaps the fact that he is a bronze according to the definition, where the problem lies, because the minimum age for one is 30, yet there is no upper limit. Therefore, a driver can easily double the age of a fellow contestant, but can conduct the same grading.

For example, take Donington’s amateur qualifying session, in which a 34 -year -old dawn was competing against a 61 -year -old. Andrew HowardAs long as it is not a rare situation, such as Rob Collard’s ability to move, an amateur in his 30s will learn more than one early in his 60s – as a British GT champion is placed.

Therefore, there is a need to rethink a ‘gentleman’ about a ‘gentleman’ – the person who gives money to the car – is actually in the modern world and if they all can be placed in the same category.

The 57 -year -old proximity says, “Perhaps this desire is to make the speed of Charles a new bronze rule.” If this is, it is, there is no place for me and Andrew’s choice.

There should always be a place for old gentlemen drivers. Many of these complaints can also occur before a long time, as there is only one race in the season, so whether the British GT Silverstone applies the balance of weight for #42 Mercedes before the next round before the next round.

This is a dilemma that the championship currently encounters and it is actually the only change that can occur this year. Come 2026, there is no doubt that the dawson’s license may have been upgraded, but when the time comes, the broad classification system also needs to be reconsidered.