Finalised race weekend calendar maintainsstability and builds on 2011
The Avon Tyres British GT Championship, Britain’s premier GT series, today announced the format for its 2012 calendar, and the appointment of a new PR manager for the forthcoming season.
Following, the announcement last October of the dates and circuits that would compromise the 2012 season, today SRO, the British GT Championship organiser released details of the format of each weekend.
Continuing with the same format as in 2011, one three-hour race and a mix of two-hour and twin one-hour ‘double header’ races, the championship builds upon the stability created in the past two seasons and promises to deliver more action with a visit to the infamous Nürburgring, as part of the support race package for its annual 24 Hour race.
Beginning at Oulton Park in April over the Easter weekend, the championship moves to Germany and the perils of the Nürburgring GP circuit in front of over 150,000 fans that will attend the annual 24-hour race that weekend. From the plush greenery of Germany to Rockingham where the drivers will for the first time in the championship’s history use the ISS Long Circuit layout. In quick succession comes the annual visit to the perilous Brands Hatch GP circuit, arguably one of the finest tracks on the calendar, before the teams move east to Snetterton’s 500 circuit which created a dramatic weekend for Trackspeed last year. Moving back to the midlands, the championship begins to reach its climax at the 3 hour endurance race on the Silverstone GP circuit, before one final trip, to thesuper-fast Donington Park where a victory in the two hour race could seal the championship – that is if last year’s incredible final round was anything to go by.
The Official 2012 Avon Tyres British GT Calendar:
Silverstone 3 Hour test/media day 21st March
Oulton Park 2 x 1 Hour 07th & 9th April
Nürburgring GP 2 x 1 Hour 17/18/19 May
Rockingham 2 Hours 9th & 10th June
Brands Hatch 2 Hours 23rd/24th June
Snetterton 2 x 1 Hour 04th/05th August
Silverstone GP 3 Hours 08th/09thSeptember
Donington GP 2 Hours 29th/30th September
“We’re confident that the 2012 championship will be the best yet,” said a positive Benjamin Franassovici, SRO’s championship manager.
“2011 was a great year for us and we built a solid foundation for this season. We’ve decided not to meddle with a formula that is proven to work, instead we’re adding to the series on and off track and adding clarity to the regulations to improve understanding.”
With a number of significant entries already announced and more to follow before the first of the two entry deadlines on Tuesday 31st January, British GT looks set for another bumper year. The final entry date deadline for interested teams and drivers is Tuesday 29th February.
Franassovici commented, “Judging by the unprecedented levels of interest we have already had for January we are on track for another exciting British GT season. We are working on adding some new cars to join us this season and I can't wait forrace one at Oulton Park.”
Joining SRO as part of the organisational team as PR officer is James Warnette, taking over the reigns from Nick Carter who has worked with the series for several years.
“For the last two seasons James has assisted in a background role with the British GT championship, and I’m looking forward to working with him to help take the evolving platform to the next level. I’m very much looking forward to his input.”
