The short answer
The FIA puts every driver in one of four categories. From the top they are Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. A dedicated FIA committee sets each driver’s category from their racing record and career results.
Series use the categories to build fair lineups. Many GT and endurance classes require at least one Bronze driver in the car. Some classes allow only Bronze drivers.
The four categories
Platinum. The most experienced and successful drivers, often with long international careers.
Gold. World-class drivers, often with results in Formula 1 or at Le Mans.
Silver. Experienced drivers who are still building consistency. Young drivers on the way up often hold Silver.
Bronze. Drivers without major results in top-level series. Many came to racing later in life, or race alongside a business career.
Why lineups need Bronze drivers
Classes mix ratings so that teams with amateur drivers can race for a win.
- In the FIA World Endurance Championship, every LMGT3 crew must include at least one Bronze driver.
- In Pirelli GT4 America, 2026 entries run two drivers in Pro-Am, Silver or Am classes. Check the series rules for the rating each class needs.
- In IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, Bronze status is required for GS Bronze Cup eligibility.
In a class that needs a Bronze, the Bronze stints count as much as any other stint. A team with a fast Bronze can race at the front for the whole race.
A rating is a record, not a speed
People assume a Bronze is slow, the slowest driver in the car. A rating looks back at a career. It does not measure pace on the day.
I am an FIA Bronze. I ran with and ahead of higher-rated Silver and Gold drivers in IMSA. That is where the nickname Cheater Bronze came from. I won the GS Bronze Cup at Daytona and Mid-Ohio in 2025 in an all-Bronze lineup, and the Cayman Am class at Road Atlanta in 2026.
How I help
I race as the Bronze in Pro-Am and Am lineups, and I coach the other drivers in the car. If you are a Bronze who wants to race, I can share the car with you in the classes that allow it. If you manage a team that needs a fast Bronze, see the questions team managers ask me.