World Endurance Championship's GTE Am rules tweaked for 2014
The pro-am status of the GTE Am class in the World Endurance Championship has been reinforced by new rules governing the make-up of each driver line-up
The WEC, which is jointly run by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest at Le Mans the FIA, will adopt for 2014 the same driver categorisation rules announced for the European Le Mans Series earlier this week.
Each three-driver line-up must include one bronze-rated driver and a silver or second bronze.
That is a change from this season, during which two silvers were allowed to share with a platinum or gold driver.
ACO sporting manager Vincent Beaumesnil said: "This move helps protect the category. There have been concerns about some very competitive line-ups this year."
The new rule goes hand in hand with publication of a revised list of driver ratings for 2014 on which talented amateurs such as Enzo Potolicchio, Gianluca Roda, Patrick Bornhauser and Pierguiseppe Perazzini have been downgraded from silver to bronze status.
"What we are saying is that proper gentlemen drivers should be bronze," explained Beaumesnil. "Then you have another level of amateur drivers, who are nearer to a professional, and they will remain silver."
These include Imsa Performance team boss Raymond Narac and Aston Martin Racing driver Kristian Poulsen, a former LMP2 class winner in the Le Mans 24 Hours.
A number of drivers involved in ongoing controversy over the driving ratings in GTE Am this year have been upgraded from silver to gold. They include Rui Aguas, Matt Griffin and Stuart Hall.
LMP2 frontrunner Roman Rusinov, twice a class winner in the WEC this year with G-Drive/Delta-ADR, has also been upgraded from silver to gold.
Drivers and their teams have 15 days to appeal their ranking.
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