Motorsports

China And Russia Added To The FIA GT Championships for 2011

BY Keegan Gan

The 2011 calendars for the FIA GT1 World and GT3 European Championships have been announced by the FIA World Motor Sport Council with two new events in key markets for luxury and sports car manufactur

Photos: SRO Media

2011 FIA GT1 World Championship

26th March                  UAE                           Abu Dhabi

10th April                     Belgium                    Zolder

8th May                        Portugal                    Algarve

15th May*                   Germany*                  Sachsenring*

5th June                     Great Britain              Silverstone

3rd July                       Spain                          Navarra

17th July                     France                        Paul Ricard

4th September          China                         Ordos

23rd October              Brazil                         Curitiba

6th November            Argentina                  San Luis

 *subject to ASN confirmation

2011 FIA GT3 European Championship

8th May                       Portugal                     Algarve                                   

5th June                     Great Britain              Silverstone                 

3rd July                       Spain                          Navarra

17th July                     France                        Paul Ricard

21st August                Russia                       Smolensk

16th October              Netherlands              Zandvoort

After a highly successful first season, the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship will begin as it did in 2010, in Abu Dhabi at the end of March. As well as the event in the United Arab Emirates, the events in Algarve, Silverstone, Navarra, Paul Ricard and San Luis are all carried over from the inaugural season. The four new tracks on the 2011 calendar include Zolder (Belgium), Sachsenring (Germany) and Curitiba (Brazil), with the GT1 World Championship heading into new territory in September with a race in China, at the Ordos International Circuit.

The FIA GT3 European Championship will be held over twelve races on six circuits, including three new which are new to the Championship. The first four events will be held with the FIA GT1 World Championship in Portugal, Great Britain, Spain and France before the final four races, where GT3 will be the headline series. Rounds 9 and 10 will be held in Russia for the first time on the new Smolensk circuit in Western Russia, while the finale will be held in the Netherlands for the first time, with two races at Zandvoort in October.