Question about Blancpain GT3 Categories

I have very casually followed GT3 for the past couple of years, and since ACC I have been getting much more into it. Watching a bunch of the 2018 Blancpain races on youtube to work on my driving and also because I find the races to be very exciting, more so than F1 lately. At first I was very confused on the format of the series, but now I understand the Spring vs Endurance, but I am still confused on the Driver Classes.

Pro is pretty self explanatory, but what about the other ones? Gold, Silver, Am? Am is also self explanatory, but my question is who are these amateurs? Are they people that have normal 9-5 office jobs and just race on the weekends? Or these guys that are trying to go Pro? And then I am completely lost on Silver and Gold drivers. I tried googling and couldn't find an explanation. Hopefully someone on here can get me sorted out!

 

https://www.fia.com/fia-driver-categorisation

• Drivers' Categorisation Regulations WMSC 180309
  
  check that PDF file

 

Ams are usually FIA bronze rated. They may or may not have a job, but they are the guys that bring the budget to go racing.

Silvers are technically amateurs. To be classified as a silver you technically have to show that while you're competent behind the wheel, racing is not your main source of income. It's a huge grey area and the fast silvers are some of the most sought after drivers in the pro-am category. Ams under 30 automatically get a silver rating after their first year racing. iirc some series also regard silvers as pros. Some silvers bring budget, some don't.

Not sure what exactly entails a gold, I do know if you're a silver and you had a drive (season) in a factory backed effort, you'll get bumped to a gold. Guys who used to be factory drivers and are not anymore may get bumped down from platinum to gold.

 

Thanks for the replies, it really cleared things up.

Follow up question about Amateurs. So they bring the budget with personal money? Or sponsorship? If it is sponsorship, i feel like that goes against being an "am."

 

Traditionally the Am or "gentlemen"drivers are the ones that funded the team either Partially or fully though external sponsors likely cover some costs, thing is if your rich and like driving fast cars its maybe better to buy a GT3 car and race it. More fun then driving them on the streets unless your just a poser and trying to find a gold digger to fund instead of a race team. Modern GT3 is quite blurred as its become a pretty big sport with many top pro's getting involved for full time racing, I really don't know how its all funded but someone is paying the bills.

I know in F1 the old saying was the quickest way to become a millionaire in F1 is buy a team as a billionaire and really its hard to see how anyone makes any money in racing. Its why GT3 try's to keep costs down so a privateer entry can go out buy a car, parts and crew then go racing. Often the cars are quite a bit cheaper then the street versions especially in Australia where I you have massive taxes on luxury cars but a race car doesn't have all these taxes plus what you do pay can be balanced out with expenses so if your not making massive profits it can be alm0st tax free and a great hobby.