Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe
Autosport Plus

The Dutch oddity that was too niche for its own good

Despite (briefly) having its own F1 arm, Spyker's period in international sportscar racing was spent mostly propping up the grid. Its C8 Laviolette GT2-R stands as one of the last underfunded factory GT efforts that never got a helping hand from BOP

They're the three letters that have come to dominate sportscar racing in the past decade. But in the time before BOP (or Balance of Performance), the mechanism used by governing bodies the world over to incentivise participation by as many manufacturers as possible, there were no leg-ups for smaller manufacturers looking to take on the might of Porsche and Ferrari.

That's not to say that the minnows didn't have their day on occasion. Blackpool manufacturer TVR experienced fleeting success in the Le Mans Series in 2005, while Panoz caused a major upset by winning the GT2 class at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2006.

Previous article Rescheduled Spa 24 Hours on with or without spectators, says Ratel
Next article GT News: Suzuka 10 Hours cancelled for Intercontinental GT Challenge

More from James Newbold

How motorsport is embracing the opportunities of AI

How motorsport is embracing the opportunities of AI

Plus
Plus
MISC General
How motorsport is embracing the opportunities of AI How motorsport is embracing the opportunities of AI
Friday favourite: Why F1's original circuit retains its thrilling appeal

Friday favourite: Why F1's original circuit retains its thrilling appeal

F1 Formula 1
Friday favourite: Why F1's original circuit retains its thrilling appeal Friday favourite: Why F1's original circuit retains its thrilling appeal
Verschoor loses Jeddah F2 sprint win to tech breach, Hauger inherits victory

Verschoor loses Jeddah F2 sprint win to tech breach, Hauger inherits victory

F2 FIA F2
Jeddah
Verschoor loses Jeddah F2 sprint win to tech breach, Hauger inherits victory Verschoor loses Jeddah F2 sprint win to tech breach, Hauger inherits victory
Friday favourite: The Dallara that triggered Reynard’s F3 exodus

Friday favourite: The Dallara that triggered Reynard’s F3 exodus

BF3 BF3
Friday favourite: The Dallara that triggered Reynard’s F3 exodus Friday favourite: The Dallara that triggered Reynard’s F3 exodus
FIA reveals plans to focus hydrogen storage development in liquid form

FIA reveals plans to focus hydrogen storage development in liquid form

MISC General
FIA reveals plans to focus hydrogen storage development in liquid form FIA reveals plans to focus hydrogen storage development in liquid form
The new combinations to look out for as GT3 arrives in the WEC

The new combinations to look out for as GT3 arrives in the WEC

Plus
Plus
WEC WEC
Losail Prologue
The new combinations to look out for as GT3 arrives in the WEC The new combinations to look out for as GT3 arrives in the WEC
Friday favourite: The Ferrari partners that conquered GT racing

Friday favourite: The Ferrari partners that conquered GT racing

GT GT
Friday favourite: The Ferrari partners that conquered GT racing Friday favourite: The Ferrari partners that conquered GT racing
How Toyota has helped its new LMGT3 partner team in WEC transition from Mercedes

How Toyota has helped its new LMGT3 partner team in WEC transition from Mercedes

WEC WEC
How Toyota has helped its new LMGT3 partner team in WEC transition from Mercedes How Toyota has helped its new LMGT3 partner team in WEC transition from Mercedes

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe