CEC builds China's own GT racing car and approaches the new GTL category in the new season

In the 2025 season, the CEC China Automobile Endurance Championship GT Cup ushered in a major innovation - the birth of a new group GTL group, which will compete with existing prototypes, GT3, GT4, GTC, TCE and other racing cars, injecting new vitality into the GT Cup, and also opening up a new stage for Chinese racing clubs.

**GTL, full name GT LIGHT, its core highlight is to subvert the traditional concept of "all people modify, lightly equipped to participate in the competition", allowing the team to personalize the commercial supercars, allowing Chinese clubs to independently build GT racing cars that meet the competition technology and safety modification rules, and help Chinese drivers drive GT racing cars to participate in CEC competitions with stronger cost-effectiveness and higher efficiency. **

In addition, the organizing committee specially set up an "original frame protection policy" to minimize the risk of modification damage, so that drivers can enjoy the thrill of adrenaline surge and take back the "old buddy" who is fighting on the field intact. This is the endurance race that truly belongs to Chinese car fans - no sky-high investment, you can drive your favorite car to fight on the professional track!

New opportunities for Chinese racing

The birth of the GTL category not only fits the trend of the times of the rapid rise of China's independent automobile industry, but also brings unprecedented opportunities to China's racing industry. The establishment of the new category makes the GT Cup more entertaining and diverse, and is expected to attract more viewers and sponsors, thereby enhancing the commercial value of the event. In addition, the self-built racing car has also become an excellent opportunity to showcase the strength of China's racing industry and enhance the image of Chinese racing.

Li Lin, the CEC event director, has high hopes for the establishment of the new category and expects the GTL group to play an important role in the upgrading of China's racing industry. He pointed out: "The establishment of the GTL group will drive the development of related industries such as racing modification parts suppliers and technical support teams, and provide a practical platform for local racing engineers, technicians and drivers, which will help cultivate a group of professional talents with international standards and form a more dynamic and competitive racing industry ecology."

Autonomous racing cars usher in the "Sword-drawing" moment

Before setting up the GTL group, the CEC organizing committee conducted in-depth research with teams and drivers and convened several teams in Beijing for discussion. Everyone agreed that after years of precipitation, China's racing culture has reached the threshold of qualitative change, and the models on the market that meet the GTL group standards are rich and diverse, and the new group is expected to receive positive responses from the majority of teams and drivers.

CEC Manufacturer Cup annual champion Wang Tao was one of the first drivers to respond to participate in the GTL group, and the Autohome Racing Team was the first club to start modifying this level of racing. As a champion driver with rich experience in rally, touring car, GT and other fields, Wang Tao keenly perceived the demand for entry-level GT racing cars in the Chinese racing market. He pointed out: "In recent years, a large number of Chinese teams have gone abroad with GT racing cars to compete in overseas arenas, leaving huge room for development for Chinese local events. However, the current GT3 and GT4 racing cars are dominated by foreign manufacturers, and certified parts are required in the competition, which makes Chinese teams lack the right to speak in the operation, logistics, and price of racing cars."

The setting of the GTL group further lowers the threshold of GT racing, which helps to attract more outstanding clubs and drivers to participate in GT events. **Its entry-level positioning and moderate performance level can meet the transition needs of drivers from front-wheel drive racing to rear-wheel drive racing, and has a very high cost performance. **Wang Tao said: "GTL group racing cars are manufactured by us independently, and the team can choose racing parts independently, which will stimulate the creativity of local engineers and promote independent innovation in racing modification technology. Through practical accumulation, Chinese racing teams are expected to gradually master core technologies and experience with the help of mature racing concepts."

CEC's diversified development and future prospects

After several seasons of careful operation, CEC has developed into one of the focus events of Chinese racing. With its high participation, high attention and high level, it has become a model for the combination of racing and cultural tourism industries. CEC expects the GTL group to become a new engine for the event and further explore the value of motorsports.

Li Lin concluded: "The GTL group is more friendly than the mainstream GT3 and GT4 groups, and the self-built racing cars are more topical. I believe this group can attract more fans to pay attention to and participate in racing sports, and further promote the popularization of racing culture. At the same time, it also brings new opportunities for the combination of racing with tourism, entertainment and other industries, and helps CEC continue to contribute to the promotion of local economic development."

As the 2025 season approaches, the GTL group is about to make its debut on the field. We expect this Chinese racing category to shine on the track, bring new breakthroughs to the Chinese racing industry, and promote Chinese racing to a broader world in innovation.

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