GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup

Last updated
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup
Category Grand tourer
Endurance racing
Country Europe
Inaugural season 2011
Tyre suppliers Michelin (2011–2012)
Pirelli (2013–present)
Drivers' champion Flag of Andorra.svg Jules Gounon
White flag of surrender.svg Timur Boguslavskiy
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Raffaele Marciello
Teams' champion Flag of France.svg AKKodis ASP Team
Official website www.gt-world-challenge-europe.com
Motorsport current event.svg Current season
Presentation of the inaugural 2011 Blancpain Endurance Series season Blancpain Endurance Series - Vue d'ensemble des vehicules - 002.jpg
Presentation of the inaugural 2011 Blancpain Endurance Series season

The Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup powered by AWS, formerly for sponsorship reasons the Blancpain Endurance Series from 2011 to 2015 and Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup from 2016 to 2019, is a sports car racing series developed by SRO Motorsports Group and the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium (RACB) with approval from the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). It features grand tourer racing cars modified from production road cars complying with the FIA's GT3 regulations. The series's goal is to be an endurance racing championship for GT3 cars, similar to the FIA World Endurance Championship which uses GTE cars and Le Mans Prototypes (now Le Mans Hypercars). The series was primarily sponsored by Swiss watchmaker Blancpain, and the company's Lamborghini Super Trofeo series serve as support races. In 2019, SRO announced that their sponsorship deal with Blancpain had been discontinued and the series was renamed the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup for the 2020 season.

Contents

Format

Audi R8 LMS during Blancpain Endurance Series season Audi R8 LMS ndeg32.jpg
Audi R8 LMS during Blancpain Endurance Series season
Audi R8 LMS Ultra from W Racing Team during the 2014 Blancpain Endurance Series round at the Nurburgring Audi R8 LMS Ultra 2014 BES Nurburgring.jpg
Audi R8 LMS Ultra from W Racing Team during the 2014 Blancpain Endurance Series round at the Nürburgring
Nissan GT-R GT3 driven by the 2015 Champions Alex Buncombe, Wolfgang Reip and Katsumasa Chiyo at the 2015 24 Hours of Spa Nissan GTR GT3 BES 2015.jpg
Nissan GT-R GT3 driven by the 2015 Champions Alex Buncombe, Wolfgang Reip and Katsumasa Chiyo at the 2015 24 Hours of Spa
Mercedes AMG GT3 from Black Falcon at the 2018 24 Hours of Spa Mercedes AMG GT3 24H Spa 2018.jpg
Mercedes AMG GT3 from Black Falcon at the 2018 24 Hours of Spa
The Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo driven by Jules Gounon, Daniel Juncadella and Raffaele Marciello that won the 2022 Overall Championship AKKodisAMG88Spa2022.jpg
The Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo driven by Jules Gounon, Daniel Juncadella and Raffaele Marciello that won the 2022 Overall Championship

The GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup reestablishes several elements of the former FIA GT Championship, with three hour endurance races held on European circuits such as Monza and Silverstone, as well as a continuation of the Spa 24 Hours. The races feature five classes derived from the FIA's GT3, GT4, and Supersport regulations, with the GT3 cars divided into a class for professional driver line-ups (GT3 Pro), a class for a mixed team of professional and amateurs (GT3 Pro-Am), and a class for gentleman drivers who use cars at least one year old (GT3 Am). The FIA's ranking system for drivers is utilized in determining what class each entry is eligible for. The GT4 category remained its own class. [1]

For the 2012 season, the GT4 and Supersport category were dropped and the GT3 Citation class was modified into the Gentlemen class. [2] In 2013, grids have reached 60 cars for regular races.

The series uses extensive performance balancing and handicap weights to equalise the cars' performance.

Champions

Drivers

YearPro Cup (2011–2015)
Overall (2016–present)
Silver CupGold CupPro-Am CupGentlemen Trophy (2011–2014)
Am Cup (2015–2020)
Bronze Cup (2022-present)
GT4
2011 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Greg Franchi Not heldNot held Flag of the Netherlands.svg Niek Hommerson
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Louis Machiels
Flag of France.svg Georges Cabannes Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alex Buncombe
Flag of France.svg Jordan Tresson
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Christopher Ward
2012 Flag of Germany.svg Christopher Haase
Flag of Germany.svg Christopher Mies
Flag of Monaco.svg Stéphane Ortelli
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Niek Hommerson
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Louis Machiels
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Pierre Hirschi
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Robert Hissom
Not held
(discontinued)
2013 Flag of Germany.svg Maximilian Buhk Flag of Spain.svg Lucas Ordóñez Flag of France.svg Jean-Luc Beaubelique
Flag of France.svg Jean-Luc Blanchemain
Flag of France.svg Patrice Goueslard
2014 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Laurens Vanthoor Flag of Italy.svg Stefano Gai
Flag of Italy.svg Andrea Rizzoli
Flag of Portugal.svg Francisco Guedes
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Peter Mann
2015 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alex Buncombe
Flag of Japan.svg Katsumasa Chiyo
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Wolfgang Reip
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Duncan Cameron
Flag of Ireland.svg Matt Griffin
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ian Loggie
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Julian Westwood
2016 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Rob Bell
Flag of France.svg Côme Ledogar
Flag of New Zealand.svg Shane van Gisbergen
Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Bonacini
Flag of Poland.svg Michał Broniszewski
Flag of Italy.svg Andrea Rizzoli
Flag of Russia.svg Vadim Gitlin
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Liam Talbot
Flag of Italy.svg Marco Zanuttini
2017 Flag of Italy.svg Mirko Bortolotti
Flag of Italy.svg Andrea Caldarelli
Flag of Germany.svg Christian Engelhart
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonathan Adam
Flag of Oman.svg Ahmad Al Harthy
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Jacques Duyver
Flag of South Africa.svg David Perel
Flag of Italy.svg Marco Zanuttini
2018 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Yelmer Buurman
Flag of Germany.svg Maro Engel
Flag of Germany.svg Luca Stolz
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Alex Fontana
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mikaël Grenier
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Adrian Zaugg
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Chris Buncombe
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Nick Leventis
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Lewis Williamson
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Adrian Amstutz
Flag of Russia.svg Leo Machitski
2019 Flag of Italy.svg Andrea Caldarelli
Flag of Italy.svg Marco Mapelli
Flag of Germany.svg Nico Bastian
Flag of Russia.svg Timur Boguslavskiy
Flag of Brazil.svg Felipe Fraga
Flag of Oman.svg Ahmad Al Harthy
Flag of Ireland.svg Charlie Eastwood
Flag of Turkey.svg Salih Yoluç
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Adrian Amstutz
Flag of Russia.svg Leo Machitski
2020 Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Pier Guidi Flag of Finland.svg Patrick Kujala
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alex MacDowall
Flag of Denmark.svg Frederik Schandorff
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Chris Goodwin
Flag of Sweden.svg Alexander West
Flag of France.svg Stéphane Tribaudini
2021 Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Pier Guidi
Flag of Denmark.svg Nicklas Nielsen
Flag of France.svg Côme Ledogar
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Alex Fontana
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Ricardo Feller
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Rolf Ineichen
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Chris Froggatt
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Jonathan Hui
Not held
2022 Flag of France.svg Jules Gounon
Flag of Spain.svg Daniel Juncadella
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Raffaele Marciello
Flag of Denmark.svg Benjamin Goethe
Flag of France.svg Thomas Neubauer
Flag of France.svg Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oliver Millroy
Flag of Denmark.svg Frederik Schandorff
Flag of the United States.svg Brendan Iribe
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Louis Machiels
Flag of Italy.svg Andrea Bertolini
Flag of Italy.svg Stefano Costantini
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Reema Juffali
Flag of Germany.svg Tim Müller
Flag of Germany.svg Valentin Pierburg
Flag of the United States.svg George Kurtz
YearPro Cup (2011–2015)
Overall (2016–present)
Gold CupSilver CupBronze CupPro-Am CupGT4
2023 Flag of Andorra.svg Jules Gounon
White flag of surrender.svg Timur Boguslavskiy
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Raffaele Marciello
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Nicolas Baert
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Maxime Soulet
Flag of Chile.svg Benjamín Hites
Flag of Austria.svg Clemens Schmid
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Glenn van Berlo
Flag of Italy.svg Eddie Cheever III
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Chris Froggatt
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Jonathan Hui
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Alex Fontana
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Ivan Jacoma
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Nicolas Leutwiler
Not held
(discontinued)

Teams

YearPro Cup (2011–2015)
Overall (2016–present)
Silver CupGold CupPro-Am CupGentlemen Trophy (2011–2014)
Am Cup (2015–2020)
Bronze Cup (2022-present)
GT4
2011 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgian Audi Club Not heldNot held Flag of Germany.svg Vita4One Flag of France.svg Ruffier Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg RJN Motorsport
2012 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Flag of Italy.svg AF Corse Flag of France.svg Saintéloc Racing Not held
(discontinued)
2013 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Marc VDS Racing Team Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Nissan GT Academy Team RJN Flag of France.svg SOFREV Auto Sport Promotion
2014 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Flag of Italy.svg Scuderia Villorba Corse Flag of Italy.svg AF Corse
2015 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Flag of Italy.svg AF Corse Flag of France.svg AKKA ASP
2016 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Garage 59 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Kessel Racing Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Kessel Racing
2017 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Bentley Team M-Sport Flag of Oman.svg Oman Racing Team with TF Sport Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Kessel Racing
2018 Flag of Germany.svg (Mercedes-AMG Team) Black Falcon Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 961 Corse / Flag of Italy.svg AF Corse Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Barwell Motorsport
2019 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Orange1 FFF Racing Team Flag of France.svg AKKA ASP Team Flag of Oman.svg Oman Racing with TF Sport Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Barwell Motorsport
2020 Flag of Italy.svg AF Corse Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Barwell Motorsport Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Garage 59 Flag of France.svg CMR
2021 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Team WRT Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Emil Frey Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sky - Tempesta Racing Not held
2022 Flag of France.svg AKKodis ASP Team Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Team WRT Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Inception Racing Flag of Germany.svg SPS Automotive Performance Flag of Germany.svg SPS Automotive Performance
YearPro Cup (2011–2015)
Overall (2016–present)
Gold CupSilver CupBronze CupPro-Am CupGT4
2023 Flag of France.svg AKKodis ASP Team Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Comtoyou Racing Flag of Austria.svg GRT Grasser Racing Team Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sky – Tempesta Racing Flag of Germany.svg Car Collection Motorsport

See also

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References

  1. "The new GT Endurance Series in detail!". planetlemans.com. 2010-11-03. Archived from the original on 2010-11-12. Retrieved 2010-11-03.
  2. "2012 Blancpain Endurance Series Presentation (english)". SRO. 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-03-21. Retrieved 2012-03-20.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)