Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe
| Category | Grand tourer |
|---|---|
| Country | International |
| Inaugural season | 2013 |
| Tyre suppliers | Pirelli |
| Drivers' champion |
  |
| Teams' champion |
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| Official website |
www |
 | |
The Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe, formerly the FIA GT Series in 2013 and the Blancpain Sprint Series in 2014 and 2015, and Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup from 2016 to 2018, is a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO) with the approval of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The championship now exclusively races in Europe, but had in previous years visited other continents including Asia. The series continues the sprint format for GT-cars carried out by the defunct FIA GT1 World Championship.[1]
Regulations
The Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe is contested with GT3-spec cars. Each event consists of two races over a weekend with two drivers per car and a mandatory pit stop.
Races
The schedule of the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup consists of races in Europe and Asia. The majority of the races are held on mid-size European circuits.
History
In 2013, the FIA GT Series was created after the demise of the FIA GT1 World Championship and the FIA GT3 European Championship. The series was supposed to form the FIA GT World Series in conjunction with the Blancpain Endurance Series. This plan was abandoned before the start of the 2013 season.
The name of the FIA GT Series resembles the FIA GT Championship (1997-2009) that was known for its endurance races all over the world. Except for the mandatory driver changes the two championships differ highly in sporting and technical regulations.
In 2014, the competition changed the name for Blancpain Sprint Series.[2]
After developing their partnership, Blancpain and the SRO have decided that 2016 will see both the Sprint and Endurance Series further integrated into the Blancpain GT Series, putting the emphasis on the prestigious overall drivers' and manufacturers' titles causing the Sprint Series name to change from Blancpain Sprint Series to Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup.[3]
On 25 May 2018, the SRO acquired promotional rights to the Pirelli World Challenge, a North American GT series sanctioned by the United States Auto Club. On 29 September 2018, the SRO changed the names of the Blancpain GT Asia and Sprint Cup, to adopt the World Challenge name used in North America. The three series together will be known as the Blancpain GT World Challenge, with each series adding their region to the series name (America, Asia, Europe).[4]
Champions
Drivers
| Year | Pro Cup (2013–2015) Overall (2016–) |
Silver Cup | Pro-Am Trophy (2013–2015) Pro-Am Cup (2016–) |
Gentlemen Trophy (2013) Am Cup (2016–) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 |  |
Not awarded |   |
 |
| 2014 |  |
  |
|
Not awarded |
| 2015 | |
 |
| |
| 2016 | |
|
|
|
| 2017 | |
|
|
  |
| 2018 | |
|
|
|
Teams
| Year | Pro Cup (2013–2015) Overall (2016–) |
Silver Cup | Pro-Am Trophy (2013–2015) Pro-Am Cup (2016–) |
Gentlemen Trophy (2013) Am Cup (2016–) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | |
Not awarded | |
|
| 2014 | |
|
|
Not awarded |
| 2015 | |
|
| |
| 2016 | |
Not awarded |  |
|
| 2017 | |
|
|
|
| 2018 | |
Not awarded | |
|
See also
References
- ↑ "FIA GT SERIES IS GO FOR 2013". gt1world.com. Stéphane Ratel Organisation. 2013-01-10. Retrieved 2013-01-10.
- ↑ http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/news/details/blancpain-watches-extends-partnership-to-the-sro-promoted-gt-sprint-series
- ↑ "About Blancpain GT Series". Blancpain GT Series. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ↑ "Stephane Ratel outlines exciting 2019 season plans for SRO Motorsports Group". blancpain-gt-series.com. SRO Motorsports Group. 29 September 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
External links