Blancpain GT boss launches new GT3 series

A new GT3 series aimed exclusively at amateur drivers has been launched by Blancpain GT Series boss Stephane Ratel. The GT Sports Club series organized by the Stephane Ratel Organisation will be open only to bronze-rated drivers and will encompass four events around Europe next year.

Ratel explained the idea for the new series had been driven by the increasing competitiveness of the Blancpain Endurance Series and other championships.

"Some drivers, who have been our valued clients for many years in GT racing, feel they are no longer competitive in the series we promote, or in many other national and international GT series in Europe," he said. "Therefore, we thought that many of these drivers would prefer their own competition, to race among friends at beautiful circuits in pleasant and sunny conditions."

Ratel also explained the events would run according to "a timetable that suits the busy lives" of the likely participants.

Each double header meeting will include a 25-minute qualifying race and a 40-minute main event, each for one driver without pitstops, and take place over a 24-hour lunchtime-to-lunchtime period (except for the series opener at Barcelona in April). The other three rounds will run on the bill of Blancpain GT events at Paul Ricard (June), the Algarve circuit (September) and Misano (October). There will be a separate 'iron' categorization for drivers over 60, who will compete for the Iron Cup.

The series will be open to GT3 machinery running in 2014 or '13 specification and to machinery homologated in the G3 category by the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium.