SRO Motorsports Group officially launches GT4 Nordic, Central and Belgium Cups
Three new regional series to support flourishing GT4 class in 2018
SRO Motorsports Group will launch three new European-based GT4 championships in 2018 after confirming the format and calendars for GT4 Nordic European Cup, GT4 Central European Cup and GT4 Belgium.
Last month the promoter’s founder and CEO, Stephane Ratel, unveiled plans to launch several new GT4 series over the next two years. Today, SRO can add further details to that original announcement ahead of a packed 2018 season.
SRO already oversees two standalone GT4 championships – the GT4 European Series and the Championnat de France FFSA GT – GT4 France – while the class also enjoys worldwide exposure as a category within Blancpain GT Series Asia, Pirelli World Challenge, British GT, China GT and Australian GT.
GT4’s incredibly successful first season in France – known throughout its inaugural 2017 campaign as the GT4 European Series Southern Cup – provided SRO with the blueprint and confidence to expand the class’ European footprint further.
Three more regional series will therefore join SRO’s GT4 roster in 2018. All will be open to the growing number of manufacturer and privately-homologated GT4 cars that, along with SRO’s trusted Balance of Performance (BoP) regulations, have helped make the category such a global success.
GT4 Nordic European Cup, which features four rounds in Sweden and another in Norway, is a brand-new GT4 partnership overseen by GT driver and 2015 Nürburgring 24 Hours winner Edward Sandström. Each of 2018’s five events will include two qualifying sessions and races, both of which feature a mandatory pitstop and driver change. Pro/Am and Am/Am driver pairings are permitted.
While GT4 Central European Cup follows the same driver class format as its Nordic version, the German speaking Series will instead be directly organised by SRO. Nina Pfiffner moves across from her Blancpain GT Series team relations role to manage the championship, which is set to stage five events across five countries during its maiden campaign. Three of those venues – the Red Bull Ring, Nürburgring and Zandvoort – offer drivers a chance to compete at current or former Formula 1 venues.
Unlike its two new counterparts, GT4 Belgium’s inaugural five-round schedule comprises a mix of GT4 Central and GT4 European Series events. The season includes two local race weekends – Zolder and Spa-Francorchamps – as well as two trips just across the eastern border to the Nürburgring and another north to Zandvoort. Separate podiums and points will be staged and awarded at every round to distinguish Belgian ‘Cup’ entries from their hosts. Former Belgian Touring Car Champion and ‘father of GT4’ Pascal Witmeur will manage the series on SRO’s behalf.
Stephane Ratel, Founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group: “GT4 has proven incredibly successful around the world thanks to increasing manufacturer involvement, sensible budgets and balanced racing. However, with the class also now considered a viable option for young professionals, it is even more important that we continue to recognise and provide for amateur drivers taking their first steps on the GT ladder. Through our French series, which has just enjoyed an incredibly successful first season, we have established exactly what these drivers need. This will be reflected in our GT4 Nordic, Central and Belgium championships, which offer an opportunity to compete locally against similarly experienced drivers without the added cost and time pressures of travelling across the continent. This is the logical next step for GT4, which we hope will ultimately enjoy a standalone presence in more regions across Europe and beyond.”
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DID YOU KNOW?
2018 will be the first time since 2003 that an SRO-sanctioned championship has visited Scandinavia. Former Swedish F1 venue Anderstorp, staged round seven of that year’s FIA GT Championship. The 500km race was won by a Lister Storm driven by Jamie Campbell-Walter and Nathan Kinch.
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2018 GT4 Nordic European Cup
Provisional Calendar
June 3: Falkenberg (Sweden)
June 15-17: Rudskogen (Norway)
July 21: Tierp Arena (Sweden)
August 4: Mantorp Park (Sweden)
August 29: Gellerasen Karlskoga (Sweden) or October 6: Ring Knutstorp (Sweden)
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2018 GT4 Central European Cup
Calendar
April 28-29: Most (Czech Republic)
May 19-20: Red Bull Ring (Austria)
June 30- July 1: Nürburgring (Germany)
August 18-19: Slovakia Ring (Slovakia)
October 6-7: Zandvoort (Netherlands)
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2018 GT4 Belgium
Calendar
April 7-8: Zolder (Belgium) with GT4 European Series
June 30 – July 1: Nürburgring (Germany) with GT4 Central European Cup
July 21-22: Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) with GT4 European Series
September 15-16: Nürburgring (Germany) with GT4 European Series
October 6-7: Zandvoort (Netherlands) with GT4 Central European Cup
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SRO Motorsports Group – The architect of modern GT racing
Since 1995 SRO has specialised in the promotion and organisation of motorsport series. Inextricably linked with GT racing’s revival, SRO predominantly promotes categories that adhere to its successful GT3 and GT4 regulations. Indeed, these rules – a common framework allowing manufacturers, teams and drivers to compete equally with one another – has helped establish SRO as the global leader in customer GT racing.
Today, SRO’s influence and organisation can be seen around the world. SRO’s flagship is the European-based Blancpain GT Series, which combines the Sprint and Endurance Cups, of which the iconic Total 24 Hours of Spa is the highlight.
The same regulations and Balance of Performance parameters governing the Blancpain GT Series have been adopted in the United States by the Pirelli World Challenge (in which SRO is also a major shareholder), while the inaugural Blancpain GT Series Asia begins in 2017. In addition, the world’s best GT races from all four corners of the globe are brought together under the umbrella of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, and amateur drivers are also fully catered for via the Blancpain GT Sports Club.
Likewise, select European race weekends feature the Blancpain Ultracar Sports Club where the world’s fastest and most technologically advanced limited-production road and track-only cars gather to demonstrate their awesome capabilities.
SRO is also strong domestically. The multi-class British GT Championship, which it has presided over since 2005, pairs GT3 with GT4 machinery, while France’s national series – now known as the GT4 European Series Southern Cup – was recently added to its existing Northern Cup counterpart.
SRO also operates the SRO Race Centre by MMC – a high-level technical centre at Paul Ricard Circuit in southern France – and Curbstone Track Events, which provides ultimate track driving opportunities on world renowned circuits.
SRO Motorsports Group is chaired by company founder and CEO Stephane Ratel and has offices in London, Paris and Liège.
