SRO decided to postpone the FIA GT2 championship, in order to redefine its regulations, between GT1 World Championship and GT3 European Championship.
"After the successful launch in Paris last week of the FIA GT1 World Championship, which has a full grid of 12 teams and 24 cars, and the continuing strong support for the FIA GT3 European Championship, with 40 cars expected to be on the grid at Silverstone for the first race in May, SRO has proposed to the FIA to postpone the FIA GT2 European Championship for 2010, said SRO press release.
"The thundering development of the GT3 category, with 13 models from 12 brands homologated to date and the likely arrival of three additional ones in 2012, offering cars more affordable with performances equal to those of the GT2 category, has forced SRO to redefine its plans for the GT2 category.
"A proposition has been made to FIA, which will be heard by the FIA World Motor Sport Council on Thursday 11 March, to postpone the introduction of the GT2 European Championship, to be relaunched once the future orientation of the GT2 class has been agreed with a minimum of four manufacturers, possibly around the introduction of Hybrid technologies in GT racing.
"In the meantime, SRO has proposed to the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium (RACB), promoters of the 24 Hours of Spa, to concentrate its GT2 effort on the blue ribbon event with a FIA GT2 European Cup to be awarded to the best placed GT2 car at the event. The similar performances of the GT2 and GT3 categories promise an epic competition between many different brands.
"SRO has a long and successful history of revitalising championships and we are working hard with everyone involved to relaunch GT2 as a full championship as soon as possible."
"After the successful launch in Paris last week of the FIA GT1 World Championship, which has a full grid of 12 teams and 24 cars, and the continuing strong support for the FIA GT3 European Championship, with 40 cars expected to be on the grid at Silverstone for the first race in May, SRO has proposed to the FIA to postpone the FIA GT2 European Championship for 2010, said SRO press release.
"The thundering development of the GT3 category, with 13 models from 12 brands homologated to date and the likely arrival of three additional ones in 2012, offering cars more affordable with performances equal to those of the GT2 category, has forced SRO to redefine its plans for the GT2 category.
"A proposition has been made to FIA, which will be heard by the FIA World Motor Sport Council on Thursday 11 March, to postpone the introduction of the GT2 European Championship, to be relaunched once the future orientation of the GT2 class has been agreed with a minimum of four manufacturers, possibly around the introduction of Hybrid technologies in GT racing.
"In the meantime, SRO has proposed to the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium (RACB), promoters of the 24 Hours of Spa, to concentrate its GT2 effort on the blue ribbon event with a FIA GT2 European Cup to be awarded to the best placed GT2 car at the event. The similar performances of the GT2 and GT3 categories promise an epic competition between many different brands.
"SRO has a long and successful history of revitalising championships and we are working hard with everyone involved to relaunch GT2 as a full championship as soon as possible."