[FIA GT] GT2 European Championship

[Danny_GT2]

Has this series been killed off or what?? I've heard plenty bout GT1, GT3 & Blancpain ES but not a peep out of this. Will it be just a single Spa 24 Hours event for next year?? I certainly hope not cos I think if this series actually goes ahead, it'll be a good un especially with all the GT2 cars available today.

[Yakuncha]

Originally Posted by Danny_GT2

Will it be just a single Spa 24 Hours event for next year??

Wont even be that it would seem

[Graham Goodwin]

No GT2s planned for Spa 24 Hours I gather

[Samoan Attorney]

Originally Posted by Graham Goodwin

No GT2s planned for Spa 24 Hours I gather

As ever Graham is right, however I understand that BMW is lobbying to get the M3 GT2 into the Spa 24 Hours.

This was the PR release that SRO sent out this week: Mods, delete if considered boring.

Back to the roots …
the Blancpain Endurance Series is Unveiled
Five high profile events for the new Blancpain Endurance Series


Three-hour races, with all the excitement of pit stops, driver changes, multiple classes and non-stop overtaking. The magical formula that made the FIA GT Championship such a success with teams, drivers and the media alike is coming back… 2011 will see the rebirth of the endurance format for GT cars with the brand-new Blancpain Endurance Series.



The SRO-promoted FIA GT1 World Championship has proved to be a great success in its inaugural season. With growing audiences, and a round in China in 2011, its focus will be increasingly global in future years. As for the FIA GT3 European Championship, it will be entering its sixth season in 2011. With new cars from major manufacturers such as Ferrari and Mercedes, the Championship is growing in professionalism year after year, and will make an extra step in its European reach with an event in Russia in 2011.



“Although we are convinced that the one-hour sprint format is ideal for the growing mediatisation of our professional series, we are aware that we have left some of our most staunch supporters behind,” Stephane Ratel commented. “Some of the gentlemen drivers, and a number of smaller teams, are looking for a new challenge. We believe that the Blancpain Endurance Series will provide them with exactly the right environment.”



Reserved for GT3 and GT4 cars, which have already made their mark in long-distance races, without having a specific arena to test their skills, the new series will be centred around GT racing’s showcase event, the Total 24 Hours of Spa. The remaining three-hour events will take place at high-powered Monza, in Italy, Spain’s newest circuit of Navarra, France’s popular and classic Magny Cours, and the home of British racing, Silverstone.



With the three-driver line-up so popular with teams and gentlemen drivers, no driver classification in the top class, and a three-step qualifying system inspired from Formula One, the new series aims to give teams drivers everything they want in a friendly yet professional atmosphere. With live TV production and the excitement guaranteed from large grids in long races on beautiful circuits, the public and media should also be spoiled !




Promoted by SRO Motorsports Group, the company which was behind the rebirth of GT racing and without whom the GT3 and GT4 categories would not exist, the Blancpain Endurance Series will be an international GT series run under the aegis of the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium, and recognised by the FIA. It takes its name from a much-valued partnership with the prestigious Swiss watch manufacturer Blancpain.

Stephane Ratel said: “After just a year away from the long-distance format, we are returning to our roots. This three-hour format was the backbone of our racing for a decade, and has proved its popularity and worth. With some of the most beautiful, powerful and challenging circuits in Europe on the calendar, no clashes with national or European GT3 Championships, and categories to suit all drivers and teams, I am certain that this new series has a real chance of success. We are aiming at grids of thirty or so cars, and are certain that many teams competing with us in either the FIA GT3 European Championship or the GT4 European Cup will appreciate the opportunity to stretch their legs on longer races, amortising their costs and pleasing their drivers.”



2011 Blancpain Endurance Series

17th April Monza Italy

22nd May Navarra Spain

30th July Total 24 Hours of Spa Belgium

27th August Magny Cours France

9th October Silverstone Great Britain




The Blancpain Endurance Series

Weekend format for the three-hour races :
Two free practice sessions of one hour each
Three qualifying sessions of 15 minutes each, one for each of the three drivers. The grid will be determined by the fastest time set by each car but there is freedom of choice for the starting driver
A three-hour race
For the 24 Hours of Spa, the format similar to that in 2010 will remain in place

The three hour events will include two mandatory pit stops with tyre and driver change in order to avoid issues of fuel consumption.

Mandatory participation of three drivers per car in all categories for the three-hour races, except for the Pro-Am and Citation Cup, in which the organiser will be allowed to accept two driver teams on condition that the professional driver (in Pro-Am) or Silver (in Citation Cup) does not run more than 80 minutes.

The changing of the four tyres is mandatory at each of the two pit stops so as not to disadvantage heavier or front-engined cars which generally wear out more rubber.


The technical regulations will be those from the FIA GT3 European Championship and from the GT4 European Cup. For the older models with national homologations, the files will be studied on a case by case basis.

FIA-style points scale 25 – 18 – 15 – 12 – 10 - 8 – 6 – 4 – 2 – 1 will be used for all categories. Points will be doubled for the 24 Hours of Spa, with one quarter at six hours, one quarter at 12 hours and half after 24 hours.

The series is open to teams of one, two or three cars. Only the points scored by the team’s best placed car will count in the team’s points standings.

The choice of manufacturer will be free, but development tyres will not be permitted. Only customer tyres, regularly sold and registered by the RACB/SRO before the first race of the season will be accepted.

Three categories in GT3 will be accepted, each of them with their own podium:

1)- GT3 Pro Cup
Drivers: Three drivers (3) at all races, including the 24 Hours of Spa. No driver categorisation.
Cars: GT3 cars in the latest FIA Homologation Specs and FIA Balance of Performance.

2)- GT3 Pro-Am Cup
Drivers: Three drivers (3) at the three-hour races (3H), and four (4) at the 24 Hours of Spa.
The driver categorisation will be applied as follows:
*Platinum or Gold / Bronze / Bronze, for Spa + Gold or Platinum
*Silver / Silver / Bronze, for Spa + Silver
Cars: GT3 cars in the latest FIA Homologation Specs and FIA Balance of Performance.

3)- GT3 Citation Cup
Drivers: Three drivers (3) for the three-hour races (3), and up to four (4) at the 24 Hours of Spa.
The driver categorisation will be applied as follows:
*Silver / Bronze / Bronze, for Spa + Silver
Cars: GT3 cars with older specifications and Models in conformity with the latest FIA or National homologation files. Balance of performance RACB/SRO

Two categories will be accepted in GT4, each with their own podium:
1)- GT4 Cup
Drivers: Three drivers (3) for the three-hours race (3H), and four (4) at the 24 Hours of Spa.
The driver categorisation will be applied as follows
*Platinum or Gold / Bronze / Bronze, for Spa + Gold or Platinum
*Silver / Silver / Bronze, for Spa + Silver
Cars: GT4 cars in the latest RACB/SRO Homologation Specs and RACB/SRO Balance of Performance.

2)- Supersport Cup (not eligible at the 24hrs of Spa)
Drivers: Three drivers (3) for the three hours races (3H).
The driver categorisation will be applied as follows:
*Silver / Bronze / Bronze
Cars: Supersport cars in the latest RACB/SRO Homologation Specs and RACB/SRO Balance of Performance.

ENDS

[NaBUru38]

GT2 at European level has two main championships: International GT Open (sprint races) and Le Mans Series (endurance races). That's enough, I think.

[arakis]

international gt opem is more of a spanish national gt championship, and lms has only 5 races so its nowere near enough, the the FiaGT championship had 10 races and i really miss it!!! the level of racing was equal to the alms, sprint race, without the prototyps and yelow flags

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by arakis

international gt opem is more of a spanish national gt championship.

So that would be a Spanish National GT Championship with one round in Spain and no Spanish teams in the top 5 in either class!

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by arakis

international gt opem is more of a spanish national gt championship

Man , you really need to get outta them Balkan mountains ..... cuz you cant see past'em !!! Since when was the GT Open a Spanish championship ?

FFS ..... next you will be claiming Le Mans as your own !!!

[FordCosworthPanoz]

[QUOTE=arakis;2808412]international gt opem is more of a spanish national gt championship[QUOTE]

Are you thinking of the Spanish GT Championship? International GT Open has less races in Spain than F1 and MotoGP do. Next year they'll be racing at Imola, Magny Cours, Spa, Nurburgring, Brands Hatch, Spielberg, and Monza in addition to a spanish round at Catalunya.

Also, the series attracts top European GT teams including AF Corse and IMSA Performance Matmut. If you havn't seen it I would recommend it.

However it does suck about the Spa 24 Hour race though, first no GT1, and now no GT2.

[arakis]

The International GT Open is a grand tourer-style sports car racing founded in 2006 by the Spanish GT Sport Organización. It is a spin-off of the Spanish GT Championship, and uses a similar format, except its races are held internationally.

it is a Pro-Am series with an emphacis on the AM part! even though geat teams participate out of 3 cars AF corse has run only one driver is Ferrari works.

compareing that to the ex Fia GT2 is ridicilus, ex FiaGT2 had all profetional line ups and had better sporting regulations. Fia gt was in the class along with LE Mans, ALMS, LMS itd, IGTO is not

While gt open is fun to watch and an excelent series in its own right, it can never replace FIA GT

[E46]

Originally Posted by arakis

While gt open is fun to watch and an excelent series in its own right, it can never replace FIA GT

To replace old FIA GT spirit was never GT Sport aim. But with this kind of sprint format they achieved a successfully championship and certainly an important rival for Stephane Ratel and SRO.

[arakis]

they have an excelent series, i am not doubting that, i just pointed out that gt open and lms is not enough for european races expecialy since 80% of gt2 manufacturers are European

[SALEEN S7R]

Originally Posted by arakis

While gt open is fun to watch and an excelent series in its own right, it can never replace FIA GT

I agree, like yourself I was a big fan of the old FIA GT championship when it consisted of GT1 and GT2 machinery. Some of the line ups in GT2 were the best in the world at that time and capable of winning any race (in their class) around the world. Certainly they were on a parr with the ALMS GT2 teams and well ahead of the LMES runners which were, and mainly still are, pro am entries. International GT open is a good series and it is very competitve in its own right but for whatever reason it hasnt reached the same level of professionalism as GT2 did with FIA GT.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

I agree, like yourself I was a big fan of the old FIA GT championship when it consisted of GT1 and GT2 machinery.

Me too, I miss the days when both classes ran together, maybe Im just being nostalgic but those were the golden days and as much as I like the new GT1 champs I miss FIA GT so.

[SALEEN S7R]

If you are being nostalgic then I am guilty of it too Rich. However I think there is more to this than just nostalgia, the series was IMO better when GT1 and GT2 ran alongside one another. Ok maybe that will never happen again, and maybe it is necessary for it to be that way in order to have a GT world championship but I would personally rather have a 2 class series again, perhaps GT2 and GT3 in the future? GT1 has put itself in direct competition with the likes of the DTM and V8 Supercars and super GT and it has to a extent paid off so far. Just a shame it hasnt worked out so well for GT2 left back in Europe.