The 2011 British GT Championship will feature a comprehensively reworked class structure, encouraging more participants and greater range of machinery.
The GT3 class will continue to be the premier category within the series, but a 'Class B' will be introduced for older GT3 machinery that is not covered by the latest FIA homologation. The GT4 Class will continue, as well as a GT Cup category, aimed at cars such as those from the 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup GB (that series going through changes which will see a new car introduced for 2011).
Competitors entering the main GT3 class will enjoy entry fees frozen at 2010 levels with further reductions for those in the lower classes. There are also plans to introduce a 'Gentleman's Cup' to the series as well as a new logo as part of a rebranded championship.
What remains however, is the TV coverage on both Motors TV and Channel 4.
New teams are also part of the changes for 2011. Audi fielding United Autosports have already confirmed a two car effort for the season with SRO CEO Stephene Ratel confident of luring more teams and brands into the series.
“Alongside the existing Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Ford squads, the presence of Audi shall motivate other teams to run the prestigious models that are now available in an ever-growing GT category,” he says. “Our main effort over the winter will be to convince current and new teams to run BMW, Mercedes and Lamborghini cars to give British GT the most diverse and professional grid in years.”
The eight date calendar will, like this year, be a mix of double-header hour long sprint races and two-hour long refuelling races – the former making up the majority of the season, accounting for six events. However, a rules change will see successful cars forced to take a longer driver change pitstop in races, rather than being given extra ballast to balance on track performance.
The series will return to Spa-Francochamps for an as yet to be confirmed summer date – part of a provisional work-in-progress calendar as series promoter SRO tries to avoid date clashes with the FIA GT3 Championship and the new for 2011 GT Endurance Series.
The remaining seven dates take the championship around the UK, largely as part of a package with the British Formula Three Championship.
The season will come to an end in October at the new Silverstone Arena layout. The month previous the series will race on the new '300' layout at Snetterton.
Provisional 2011 British GT Championship Calendar
March / Silverstone, UK / British GT & F3 Media & Test Day
March / Silverstone Bridge GP, UK
April / Oulton Park, UK
May / Donington Park GP, UK
June / Brands Hatch GP, UK
TBC / Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
September / Rockingham International, UK
September / Snetterton 300, UK
October / Silverstone Arena, UK
