The 2017 GT Series Sprint Cup, known for sponsorship reasons as the 2017 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, was the fifth season of the GT Series Sprint Cup following on from the demise of the SRO Group's FIA GT1 World Championship (an auto racing series for grand tourer cars), the fourth with the designation of Blancpain Sprint Series or Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup.
At the annual press conference during the 2016 24 Hours of Spa on 29 July, the Stéphane Ratel Organisation announced the first draft of the 2017 calendar. The series started at Misano on 2 April and ended at the Nürburgring on 17 September. [1] Zandvoort would make its return on the schedule after a one-year absence, replacing the round in Barcelona, but on 7 November the SRO announced the finalised calendar, confirming Zandvoort had been replaced by Zolder. The finalised calendar also showed the series would return to the Hungaroring. [2]
Event | Circuit | Date | Report |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, Misano Adriatico, Italy | 2 April | Report |
2 | Brands Hatch, Kent, Great Britain | 7 May | Report |
3 | Circuit Zolder, Heusden-Zolder, Belgium | 4 June | Report |
4 | Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Hungary | 27 August | Report |
5 | Nürburgring, Nürburg, Germany | 17 September | Report |
Bold indicates overall winner.
Event | Circuit | Pole position | Qualifying Race Winners | Main Race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pro Winners | Pro-Am Winners | Silver Winners | Am Winners | ||||
1 | Misano | No. 66 Attempto Racing | No. 84 Mercedes-AMG Team HTP Motorsport | No. 84 Mercedes-AMG Team HTP Motorsport | No. 333 Rinaldi Racing | No. 85 HTP Motorsport | No entries |
Marco Mapelli Giovanni Venturini | Maximilian Buhk Franck Perera | Maximilian Buhk Franck Perera | Daniel Keilwitz Alexander Mattschull | Fabian Schiller Jules Szymkowiak | |||
2 | Brands Hatch | No. 63 GRT Grasser Racing Team | No. 63 GRT Grasser Racing Team | No. 63 GRT Grasser Racing Team | No. 333 Rinaldi Racing | No. 42 Strakka Motorsport | |
Mirko Bortolotti Christian Engelhart | Mirko Bortolotti Christian Engelhart | Mirko Bortolotti Christian Engelhart | Daniel Keilwitz Alexander Mattschull | David Fumanelli Lewis Williamson | |||
3 | Zolder | No. 17 Team WRT | No. 17 Team WRT | No. 2 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT | No. 11 Kessel Racing | No. 85 HTP Motorsport | No. 888 Kessel Racing |
Robin Frijns Stuart Leonard | Robin Frijns Stuart Leonard | Will Stevens Markus Winkelhock | Michał Broniszewski Giacomo Piccini | Fabian Schiller Jules Szymkowiak | Stephen Earle David Perel | ||
4 | Hungaroring | No. 5 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT | No. 5 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT | No. 5 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT | No. 333 Rinaldi Racing | No. 85 HTP Motorsport | No finishers |
Marcel Fässler Dries Vanthoor | Marcel Fässler Dries Vanthoor | Marcel Fässler Dries Vanthoor | Daniel Keilwitz Alexander Mattschull | Fabian Schiller Jules Szymkowiak | |||
5 | Nürburgring | No. 5 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT | No. 84 Mercedes-AMG Team HTP Motorsport | No. 17 Team WRT | No. 333 Rinaldi Racing | No. 85 HTP Motorsport | No. 888 Kessel Racing |
Marcel Fässler Dries Vanthoor | Maximilian Buhk Franck Perera | Robin Frijns Stuart Leonard | Daniel Keilwitz Alexander Mattschull | Fabian Schiller Jules Szymkowiak | Stephen Earle David Perel |
Championship points were awarded for the first six positions in each Qualifying Race and for the first ten positions in each Main Race. The pole-sitter in the Qualifying Race also received one point and entries were required to complete 75% of the winning car's race distance in order to be classified and earn points. Individual drivers were required to participate for a minimum of 25 minutes in order to earn championship points in any race.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | Pole |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 25 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
|
Bold – Pole |
Pos. | Driver | Team | MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR | Points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | ||||
1 | Daniel Keilwitz Alexander Mattschull | Rinaldi Racing | 25 | 14 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 27 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 144 |
2 | Piti Bhirombhakdi Carlo van Dam | Kessel Racing TP12 | 17 | 19 | 26 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 26 | 20 | 119 |
3 | Jean-Luc Beaubelique | AKKA ASP | Ret | 26 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 27 | 21 | 27 | 24 | 87 |
4 | Jean-Philippe Belloc Christophe Bourret | AKKA ASP | Ret | 20 | 28 | 24 | 27 | 23 | 29 | 22 | 29 | 26 | 72 |
5 | Jules Gounon | AKKA ASP | Ret | 26 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 27 | 21 | 69 | ||
6 | Michał Broniszewski Giacomo Piccini | Kessel Racing | 13 | 22 | 27 | 25 | 20 | 16 | 62 | ||||
7 | Tristan Vautier | AKKA ASP | 27 | 24 | 18 | ||||||||
8 | Matteo Malucelli Rinat Salikhov | Rinaldi Racing | 24 | 28 | 16 | ||||||||
9 | Kenneth Heyer Yoshiharu Mori | Kornely Motorsport | 24 | 23 | WD | WD | 14 | ||||||
Pos. | Driver | Team | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | Points |
MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR |
Pos. | Driver | Team | MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR | Points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | ||||
1 | Fabian Schiller Jules Szymkowiak | HTP Motorsport | 2 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 154 |
2 | Lewis Williamson | Strakka Motorsport | 19 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 25 | Ret | 17 | 13 | 110 |
3 | Lorenzo Casè Phil Quaife | Spirit of Race | Ret | DNS | 25 | 19 | 25 | 17 | 22 | 19 | DNS | DNS | 65 |
4 | Nicolas Pohler | Attempto Racing | Ret | 26 | 21 | 21 | 62 | ||||||
Orange 1 Team Lazarus | 23 | 23 | 25 | 23 | |||||||||
5 | David Fumanelli | Strakka Motorsport | 14 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 58 | ||||||
6 | Max van Splunteren | Attempto Racing | Ret | DNS | Ret | 26 | 21 | 21 | 28 | 20 | 21 | Ret | 50 |
7 | Fabrizio Crestani | Orange 1 Team Lazarus | 23 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 34 | ||||||
8 | Martin Kodrić | Strakka Motorsport | 25 | Ret | 17 | 13 | 27 | ||||||
9 | Nick Leventis | Strakka Motorsport | 19 | 13 | 25 | ||||||||
10 | Marko Helistekangas Caitlin Wood | Reiter Young Stars | 26 | 21 | WD | WD | 19 | ||||||
11 | Christopher Zöchling | Attempto Racing | 28 | 20 | 17 | ||||||||
12 | Isaac Tutumlu | Attempto Racing | 21 | Ret | 5 | ||||||||
Adrian Zaugg | Attempto Racing | Ret | DNS | ||||||||||
Pos. | Driver | Team | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | Points |
MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR |
Pos. | Driver | Team | MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR | Points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | ||||
1 | Stephen Earle David Perel | Kessel Racing | 30 | 26 | 30 | Ret | 28 | 27 | 77 | ||||
Pos. | Driver | Team | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | Points |
MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR |
Pos. | Team | Manufacturer | MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR | Points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | ||||
1 | Belgian Audi Club Team WRT | Audi | 6 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 106 |
2 | Team WRT | Audi | 12 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 97 |
3 | GRT Grasser Racing Team | Lamborghini | 8 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 91 |
4 | (Mercedes-AMG Team) HTP Motorsport | Mercedes-Benz | 1 | 1 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 87 |
5 | Rowe Racing | BMW | 11 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 49 |
6 | Bentley Team M-Sport | Bentley | 4 | 2 | 20 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 25 | 4 | 7 | 48 |
7 | AKKA ASP | Mercedes-Benz | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 22 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 46 |
8 | Saintéloc Racing | Audi | 7 | 5 | Ret | 8 | 31 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 20 | 22 | 31 |
9 | Strakka Racing | McLaren | 18 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 20 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 25 |
10 | ISR | Audi | 10 | 15 | 10 | Ret | 4 | 2 | 17 | 14 | Ret | Ret | 23 |
11 | Attempto Racing | Lamborghini Porsche | 23 | 27 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 10 | 21 | Ret | 18 |
12 | Strakka Motorsport | McLaren | 19 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 25 | Ret | 17 | 13 | 7 |
13 | Rinaldi Racing | Ferrari | 25 | 14 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 27 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 2 |
Kessel Racing (TP12) | Ferrari | 13 | 19 | 26 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 26 | 20 | 0 | |
Orange 1 Team Lazarus | Lamborghini | 15 | 17 | 21 | 15 | 29 | Ret | 23 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 0 | |
AF Corse | Ferrari | Ret | DNS | 25 | 19 | 25 | 17 | 22 | 19 | DNS | DNS | 0 | |
Emil Frey Lexus Racing | Lexus | 22 | 21 | 0 | |||||||||
Reiter Young Stars | Lamborghini | 26 | 21 | WD | WD | 0 | |||||||
Kornely Motorsport | Mercedes-Benz | 24 | 23 | WD | WD | 0 | |||||||
Pos. | Team | Manufacturer | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | Points |
MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR |
Pos. | Team | Manufacturer | MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR | Points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | ||||
1 | Rinaldi Racing | Ferrari | 25 | 14 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 27 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 150 |
2 | Kessel Racing (TP12) | Ferrari | 13 | 19 | 26 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 26 | 20 | 130 |
3 | AKKA ASP | Mercedes-Benz | Ret | 20 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 27 | 21 | 27 | 24 | 99 |
4 | Kornely Motorsport | Mercedes-Benz | 24 | 23 | WD | WD | 18 | ||||||
Pos. | Team | Manufacturer | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | Points |
MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR |
Pos. | Driver | Team | MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR | Points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | ||||
1 | HTP Motorsport | Mercedes-Benz | 2 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 154 |
2 | Strakka Motorsport | McLaren | 19 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 25 | Ret | 17 | 13 | 110 |
3 | AF Corse | Ferrari | Ret | DNS | 25 | 19 | 25 | 17 | 22 | 19 | DNS | DNS | 65 |
4 | Attempto Racing | Lamborghini | Ret | DNS | Ret | 26 | 21 | 21 | 28 | 20 | 21 | Ret | 50 |
5 | Orange 1 Team Lazarus | Lamborghini | 23 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 34 | ||||||
6 | Reiter Young Stars | Lamborghini | 26 | 21 | WD | WD | 19 | ||||||
Pos. | Driver | Team | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | Points |
MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR |
Pos. | Team | Manufacturer | MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR | Points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | ||||
1 | Kessel Racing | Ferrari | 30 | 26 | 30 | Ret | 28 | 27 | 77 | ||||
Pos. | Team | Manufacturer | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | QR | MR | Points |
MIS | BRH | ZOL | HUN | NÜR |
Raffaele "Lello" Marciello is a Swiss-born Italian professional racing driver who currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup for BMW M Team WRT. A former member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, he was the 2013 European Formula Three Champion, a reserve and test driver for the Sauber Formula One team in 2015, and spent three seasons competing in the GP2 Series. He switched to GT racing in 2017 and became a works Mercedes-AMG driver ahead of the 2018 campaign, where he stayed until leaving in 2023 and subsequently signing with BMW. In 2022, Marciello earned his first major endurance race victory by winning the Spa 24 Hours.
The 2015 GT Sprint Series was the third season following on from the demise of the SRO Group's FIA GT1 World Championship, the second with the designation of Blancpain Sprint Series.
The 2015 Blancpain Endurance Series season was the fifth season of the Blancpain Endurance Series. The season started on 12 April at Monza and ended on 20 September at the Nürburgring. The season featured five rounds, with each race lasting for a duration of three hours besides the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and the 1000 km Paul Ricard events.
The 2016 GT Series Sprint Cup was the fourth season following on from the demise of the SRO Group's FIA GT1 World Championship, the third with the designation of Blancpain Sprint Series or Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup. After developing their partnership, Blancpain and the SRO decided that 2016 would see both the Sprint and Endurance Series further integrated into the Blancpain GT Series, putting the emphasis on the prestigious overall drivers' and manufacturers' titles causing the Sprint Series name to change from Blancpain Sprint Series to Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup.
The 2016 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup was the sixth season of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup. The season started on 24 April at Monza and ended on 18 September at the Nürburgring. The season featured five rounds, with each race lasting for a duration of three hours besides the 24 Hours of Spa and the 1000 km Paul Ricard events. After developing their partnership, Blancpain and the SRO decided that 2016 would see both the Sprint and Endurance Series further integrated into the Blancpain GT Series, putting the emphasis on the prestigious overall drivers' and manufacturers' titles causing the Endurance Series name to change from Blancpain Endurance Series to Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup.
The 2016 Blancpain GT Series was the third season of the Blancpain GT Series. The season started on 10 April in Misano and ended on 2 October in Barcelona. The season featured ten rounds, five Endurance Cup rounds and five Sprint Cup rounds.
The 2017 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup was the seventh season of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup. The season began on 23 April at Monza and ended on 1 October in Barcelona. The season featured five rounds, with each race lasting for a duration of three hours besides the 24 Hours of Spa and the 1000 km Paul Ricard events.
The 2017 Blancpain GT Series Asia was the inaugural season of SRO Motorsports Group and Team Asia One GT Management's Blancpain GT Series Asia, an auto racing series for grand tourer cars in Asia. The races were contested with GT3-spec and GT4-spec cars.
The 2018 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup was the eighth season of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup. The season began on 22 April at Monza and ended on 30 September in Barcelona. The season featured five rounds, with each race lasting for a duration of three hours besides the 24 Hours of Spa and the 1000 km Paul Ricard events.
The 2018 GT Series Sprint Cup was the sixth season of the GT Series Sprint Cup following on from the demise of the SRO Motorsports Group's FIA GT1 World Championship, the fifth with the seasons sponsored by Blancpain. The season began on 7 April at Zolder and ended on 16 September at the Nürburgring.
The 2018 Blancpain GT Series was the fifth season of the Blancpain GT Series. The season began on 7 April at Zolder and ended on 30 September in Barcelona. The season featured ten rounds, five Endurance Cup rounds and five Sprint Cup rounds.
The 2018 Blancpain GT Series Asia was the second season of SRO Motorsports Group and Team Asia One GT Management's Blancpain GT Series Asia, an auto racing series for grand tourer cars in Asia. The races were contested with GT3-spec and GT4-spec cars. The season began on 14 April at Sepang and ended on 14 October at Ningbo.
The 2018 Blancpain GT Sports Club was the fourth season of the SRO Motorsports Group's Blancpain GT Sports Club, an auto racing series for grand tourer cars. The Blancpain GT Sports Club is a championship for Bronze, Titanium and Iron drivers only. The Titanium categorisation is within the Bronze category, for drivers between the age of 50 and 59. The Iron categorisation is within the Bronze category, for drivers over the age of 60. The races are contested with GT3-spec, RACB G3, GTE-spec and Trophy cars.
Maximilian Buhk is a retired German racing driver.
The 2019 GT Series Endurance Cup was the ninth season of the GT Series Endurance Cup. The season began on 14 April at Monza and ended on 29 September in Barcelona. The season featured five rounds, with each race lasting for a duration of three hours besides the 24 Hours of Spa and the 1000 km Paul Ricard events.
The 2019 GT World Challenge Europe was the seventh season of the GT World Challenge Europe following on from the demise of the SRO Motorsports Group's FIA GT1 World Championship, the first with the sponsorship of Blancpain. The season began on 4 May at Brands Hatch and ended on 8 September at the Hungaroring. It was the first season of the unification of GT3 sprint series across the globe under the World Challenge name.
The 2020 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup was the eighth season of the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup following on from the demise of the SRO Motorsports Group's FIA GT1 World Championship, the first after title sponsor Blancpain withdrew sponsorship. The season began on 9 August at Misano World Circuit and finished on 11 October at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. This season the GT Sports Club Europe was brought into the GT World Challenge Europe, meaning the Bronze-focused GT3 and GT2 series shared grids with the headlining series.
The 2020 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup was the tenth season of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup and the first after title sponsor Blancpain withdrew support.
The 2020 GT World Challenge America powered by AWS is the 14th season of the United States Auto Club's GT World Challenge America, the third season under ownership of the SRO Motorsports Group and the first season without Blancpain sponsorship. The season began on 7 March in Austin and will end on 4 October at Indianapolis.
Simon Gachet is a French racing driver who currently competes in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup for Tresor by Car Collection.