Plans, calendar for 2007 released

FIA WORLD MOTOR SPORT COUNCIL ANNOUNCES 2007 PLANS

During this week's meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council, the 2007 calendar of the FIA GT Championship was announced, as well as a programme for reducing costs.

The number of events counting towards the Championship will be limited to 10. Events will be run over two days. Races will run for two hours and each car will have to perform two mandatory pit stops. Each car will be allowed to use a maximum of three engines per season.

Each car will use a single set of gearbox ratios for the entire season and a maximum of three final drives homologated by the FIA. The championship will have a sole supplier of brakes, homologated by the FIA.

Following the acceptance of these principles, detailed regulations will be submitted to the December World Council.

Furthermore, Shell has won the tender to be the sole fuel supplier to the 2007 and 2008 FIA GT Championships.

1. 24th & 25th March - Zhuhai - China

SRO first brought international motorsport to China in 1994, and the circuit has remained a key part of our calendar since then. After the success of the previous two years, the promoter has succeeded in securing the presence of a title sponsor, allowing for a strong promotion, which is already underway. The circuit, with a reinforced management team, should see a full house in terms of spectators, an excellent way to start the 2007 season. A press conference will be held on Saturday 21st October, in the presence of the organisers and SRO chairman Stephane Ratel, with a Hong-Kong based Maserati MC12 on display.

Previous visits : 1999 - 2004 - 2005

2. 5th & 6th May -- Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy -- Silverstone, Great Britain

This historic race, which celebrated its centenary in 2005, has become a valuable part of the FIA GT Championship, and the aim of seeing their name alongside the eminent names on the Trophy has become something for the drivers to aim for. This event will also mark the first race of the 2007 FIA GT3 European Championship.

Previous visits : 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2005 - 2006

3. 19th & 20th May - Bucharest -- Romania

After the disappointment of 2006, the legal problems surrounding this event have now been solved, and the 2007 race will be officially launched on November 5th. The press conference, in the presence of the Mayor of Bucharest, will include a display of Lamborghini GT1 and GT3 cars from Reiter Engineering. The 2007 event, which promises crowds of up to 80,000, will be a full SRO event, where the FIA GT3 European Championship and the Lloyds TSB Insurance British Formula Three International Series will also be part of the show. First visit in 2007

4. 23rd & 24th June -- Monza -- Italy

A welcome return to Monza, a traditional fixture of the FIA GT Championship and one of the favourite tracks of teams and drivers alike. This event will also see races from the FIA GT3 European Championship and the Lloyds TSB Insurance British Formula Three International Series.

Previous visits : 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005

5. 7th & 8th July -- Oschersleben -- Germany

The FIA GT Championship was the first international series to race at Oschersleben, and the German circuit has featured on the calendar nearly every year since then. The 2007 event should see an exciting programme, including the soon-to-be-launched ADAC GT Masters series, based on the FIA GT3 regulations.

Previous visits : 1998 - 1999 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006

6. 28th- 29th July -- Proximus 24 Hours of Spa -- Belgium

The summer highlight of the FIA GT Championship since 2001, the Spa week will include a full support programme, likely to include the Ferrari Challenge and the Lloyds TSB Insurance British F3 International Series. The 24-hour grid will be reinforced by a relay-race of GT3 cars, running for the Coupe du Roi as a non-Championship event.

Previous visits : 1997 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006

7. 7th & 8th September -- Adria -- Italy

This past weekend captured the imagination, showing that the Adria Raceway could attract spectators and put on an amazingly close race, the nature of the circuit favouring tight racing and plenty of overtaking. For 2007, an innovative night race on the Saturday evening has been planned, in the context of an unusual event featuring a rock concert and other items, to provide a complete entertainment experience.

Previous visits : 2006

8. 22nd & 23rd September -- Brno -- Czech Republic

Building on the performance of Jarek Janis, one of the shining stars of the 2006 season, and looking for reinforced Czech presence in the FIA GT Championship, we will be returning to Brno, where the promoters have assured us of a strong promotion. The FIA GT3 European Championship will also be part of the meeting.

Previous visits : 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006

9. 30th September or 7th October -- Nogaro -- France

The FIA GT Championship will visit the circuit of Nogaro, in the south-west of France, for the first time. The circuit, which boasts some of the highest numbers of spectators of any of the French circuits, is undergoing a refurbishment programme, with a new pit lane and pit garage complex, allowing FIA GT teams to work in their usual comfort First visit in 2007

10. 20th & 21st October - Zolder -- Belgium

Thanks to the support of Toine Hezemans and Paul Kumpen, owner of the GLPK Team, the season finale for the 2007 FIA GT Championship season will take place in Zolder, in the meeting shared with the very popular final round of the Belcar series. This event traditionally welcomes a very large number of spectators, which will doubtlessly be even stronger with the presence of the FIA GT Championship.

Previous visits : 1999 - 2000 - 2001

-credit: fiaGT