British GT Press Release
Following the success of the 2012 Avon Tyres British GT season, series promoter Stephane Ratel Organisation (SRO) has today announced a revised calendar for the upcoming season, an exciting overseas event, changes to driver grading adjustments and the introduction of live TV coverage at a minimum of two race weekends, in a bid to further develop the exciting Pro-Am national GT series.
Following the tradition of a British GT ‘away race’ where the series visits a top European circuit, in 2013 British GT will travel to the Netherlands for the Trophy of the Dunes at the Circuit Park Zandvoort. The Trophy of the Dunes is a highly coveted event held by the Zandvoort organisers for over forty years, and British GT will feature top billing over the weekend with Dutch GT. The Sunday action will receive live coverage on Motors TV, bringing the popular British series to the increasing audience back home.
The 2.7 mile Dutch track is steeped in motorsport history and is home to the exciting Tarzan hairpin which is often the scene of spectacular overtaking manoeuvres. Set on the North Sea coastline of the Netherlands, the circuit will play host to two 60-minute sprint races at round six in September. In an additional bonus for the British GT teams, they will be located in the garages at the Trophy of the Dunes, making the event somewhat of a home from home.
In addition to Zandvoort, the 2013 Championship will also travel to six of the top circuits in the UK. As is now customary, the season will begin at Oulton Park (Little Budworth, Cheshire) over the Easter Weekend for two 60 minute sprint races, before moving to the super fast Rockingham circuit (Corby, Northamptonshire) in early May for an endurance race; Silverstone’s (Towcester, Northamptonshire) now annual jewel in the crown event will take place on the final weekend in May. Snetterton (Norfolk) plays host to another sprint double header weekend in Mid-June, before the series moves to the drivers favourite Brands Hatch GP Circuit (Fawkham, Kent) for the third endurance race of the year. Donington Park will once more close the season with an endurance battle over the first weekend of October.
After the introduction of several Silver/Silver driver pairings in 2012, SRO has switched to a weight adjustment to balance the pairing, bringing it in line with the other adjustments in the Championship. The series organiser has also decided to increase the severity of the adjustment applied to such pairings in 2013 in a bid to further underline the Pro-Am roots of the series in GT3.
As the series seeks to further bolster its ever-increasing fan base, the addition of live television coverage is a critical addition to British GT in 2013. Two race weekends during the new season will feature live broadcasts on Motors TV across the UK, with more details on which rounds set to follow in the approach to the season.
Revised 2013 Calendar:
Media Day - TBC March – Silverstone (GB)
1 Oulton Park (GB) - 30 March (Sat) 1 April (Mon) - Sprint Races
2 Rockingham (GB) - 5 & 6 May – Refuelling Race
3 Silverstone GP (GB) – 25 & 26-May - Refuelling Race
4 Snetterton 300 (GB) – 15 & 16-Jun - Sprint Races
5 Brands Hatch GP (GB) – 10 & 11-Aug - Refuelling Race
6 Zandvoort (NL) – 6, 7, 8-Sep - Sprint Races
7 Donington Park (GB) - 56-Oct - Refuelling Race
Photo credit: United Autorsports
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