GT3 is one of the most popular and competitive racing categories in the world, but there’s always room for a greater level of understanding. That's where we come in!
The short answer: it’s a global GT racing standard. But if we want to go into more detail, a GT3 race car is a purpose-built competition vehicle based on a production-based supercar or sports car, developed to compete under a global set of technical regulations.
Manufacturers design GT3 cars to look and feel like their road-going counterparts, but underneath the bodywork you’ll find that they are engineered specifically for racing through a number of different methods such as balancing performance, reliability, and cost control so that different brands can compete on equal footing.
From there, manufacturers transform those cars into race-ready machines by stripping the interior and installing a full roll cage, adding race suspension, brakes, and aerodynamic components, integrating motorsport electronics and data systems, and upgrading safety systems.
Despite these differences between models, GT3 cars are designed to compete within a narrow performance window. That is achieved through Balance of Performance (BoP), a system that adjusts factors like weight, power, and fuel capacity to ensure no single car has a built-in advantage.
Just as importantly, GT3 cars are designed to be accessible. They can be driven by Pro, Pro-Am, and Am drivers. Additionally, ABS and traction control are allowed, and costs are controlled through homologation and parts lifecycles.
This approach is what makes GT3 the backbone of global GT racing, with championships on nearly every continent. The success of the GT3 era comes from its global consistency, with the ability to compete in GT World Challenge championships worldwide, major endurance races like the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, as well as regional and national GT series across Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia.
In GT World Challenge America, GT3 cars form the premier class of competition. They represent the highest level of GT racing in the paddock and showcase the best manufacturers, teams, and drivers competing under a unified rulebook.
Have a GT3 question you want answered next? Submit it through the Chat GT3 Typeform, and we’ll break it down in an upcoming installment.