FIA GT1 World Championship (Photo Credit: DPPI)
Next season's FIA GT1 World Championship over ten rounds, the FIA have announced. However, the series will not return to the UK during its third season.
Both of the previous seasons have included a trip to Silverstone – the 2011 round was the first to use the track's new Wing pit complex – but the UK is not included amongst the six European confirmed European rounds on the calendar.
After opening the championship for the past two years Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina circuit is another omission from the 2012 schedule with the opening race instead at Nogaro in France on April 8. It will be the first time the track, in the south-west of the country has hosted the GT1 series.
Zandvoort will also host its first GT1 round, while Navarra in Spain, Zolder and Portimao Algarve circuit have all hosted the series before, the Spanish and Portuguese tracks are now two of the three venues to have hosted the series every season since it was spun off the FIA GT Championship. San Luis in Argentina will also keep its 100% record, though for the first time it will not hold the season finale – that race is currently yet to be confirmed.
Just as in 2011 two Chinese rounds – at Beijing, then Ordos – will take place on successive weekends (August 26 and September 2) with an event at the Moscow Raceway taking place a fortnight later.
“The two races in China were very successful in 2011 and the events in Ordos and Beijing in 2012 promise to be even bigger and better,” said Stephane Ratel. “GT1 World will be seen at Olympic Park next year and we are working hard to get permission to stage a street race after the success of the demonstration night race held at the venue in September.”
The FIA GT3 European Championship will support the GT1 Championship at all six of the European rounds. The season will also be the first with the unified sporting and technical regulations for the two championships.
“The 2012 calendar is very exciting and, with six dates being joint GT1 and GT3 events, it will provide everyone – teams, drivers, sponsors and race fans – with a great weekend of GT racing,” said Ratel. “The mix of European and overseas events is the right balance and I'm very pleased that we will be going to Moscow next year, which, like China, is a very important market. It will mark another first for SRO and the FIA GT Championships.”
2012 FIA GT1 World Championship calendar
April 8 – Nogaro, France
April 22 – Zolder, Belgium***
May 27 – Navarra, Spain
July 8 – Algarve, Portugal
August 26 – Beijing, China **
September 2 – Ordos, China **
September 16 – Moscow. Russia *
October 7 – Zandvoort, Holland
November 25 – San Luis, Argentina *
TBA TBA
* Subject to the ASN’s confirmation and the FIA homologation of the circuit.
** Subject to the confirmation from the ASN and to the contract with the promoter.
*** Subject to the homologation of the circuit.
