Risi warns against GT2 cost increases

Le Mans organiser the ACO confirmed last week that the GT1 class would be abandoned and GT2 would become the main GT category at La Sarthe. The GT2 technical group has also recently agreed to allow cars with carbon fibre monocoques, opening the door for other manufacturers, such as McLaren, to compete.

With works teams from Chevrolet and BMW having already joined GT2, Risi boss Giuseppe Risi is happy the profile of the class is being increased but warned costs should not be allowed to rise.

"If I were the American Le Mans Series or ACO I would think it was very important to get the manufacturers here," Risi told AUTOSPORT. "But we've got to be careful it doesn't get extremely expensive.

"When you produce performance you increase costs, but if we can keep it at this level more manufacturers will come. It's not just a question of prestige [of racing] - it has to make commercial sense."

Risi's defeat at Le Mans last weekend, due to a gearbox failure on his lead car, ended a run of GT2 successes in the big enduros that stretched back to Sebring in March 2008. Nevertheless Risi, who is a privateer with Ferrari factory support, welcomes the increased competition and believes his team can remain competitive.

"The top teams are what make GT2 what it is," he said. "With them coming in it has put more pressure on us, but it's not pressure we can't cope with.

"We've not changed how we do things. We're an equal to anybody in the pitlane."