- Full roster of support series announced for upcoming campaign
- Extensive GT action complemented by single-seaters, touring cars, historics and esports
- New season gets underway at Monza on 21–23 April
A varied line-up of high-calibre support championships will join Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS at its race weekends in 2023, ensuring a wealth of track action at each of this season's 10 events.
There are new and familiar names among the 18 different championships that will make at least one appearance this year. GT action forms the heart of the programme, while single-seaters, touring cars and historic machinery are also represented. What’s more, a pair of esports categories will add another dimension to the show at each Endurance Cup event.
These are the series that will join the Fanatec GT tour in 2023.
MCLAREN TROPHY EUROPE
There is a significant addition for 2023 as McLaren Trophy Europe gets set for its debut season. All five events will take place during Fanatec GT weekends, which means trips to some of the continent's premier venues are in store for this brand-new championship.
Catering for the British marque's Artura Trophy and 570S Trophy models, each round will feature two 50-minute races. The series promises to be 'the ultimate proving-ground for any ambitious Bronze racer' and it has all the ingredients to thrive. There's no question that a full field of McLaren machinery will look spectacular.
McLaren Trophy Europe will make its debut at Circuit Paul Ricard before joining the support line-up at the blue riband CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. That's followed by back-to-back German rounds at the Nürburgring and Hockenheim before a deciding trip to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
GT4 EUROPEAN SERIES and GT4 SCANDINAVIA
The GT4 European Series is the bedrock of the 2023 support line-up. All six of its events take place during Fanatec GT weekends, continuing a long and successful partnership that has served up plenty of thrills.
Indeed, if there is one word that sums up this series, it's action. From lights-out to chequered flag the GT4 European Series delivers some of the closest and most compelling racing you'll find. The 2023 calendar is effectively unchanged from last year and includes a spot at the at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa alongside GT4 Scandinavia, which promises to deliver another bumper grid.
In addition to the marquee event the GT4 European Series will also be present for the season opener at Monza, at Circuit Paul Ricard, and Misano. After the summer break it's on to Hockenheim, then a finale at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
LAMBORGHINI SUPER TROFEO
Another fixture on the Fanatec GT support line-up, the relationship with the Lamborghini Super Trofeo stretches back more than a decade to the very first Endurance Cup race at Monza in 2011. Since then the series has brought its fleet of stunning Italian machinery to countless events and will do so again in 2023.
Now using the ferocious Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2, this championship is known for big grids and a whole lot of noise. The cars may be works of art, but the drivers aren't afraid to race them, so there's plenty of action to enjoy. In 2023, Lamborghini Super Trofeo will join Fanatec GT at four events: Circuit Paul Ricard, the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, the Nürburgring and Valencia.
GT1 SPORTS CLUB POWERED BY CURBSTONE
This is truly a petrolhead's dream. GT1 Sports Club Powered by Curbstone launched at a Fanatec GT event (Barcelona 2021) and has expanded considerably since. It's non-competitive, but racing is in its DNA and the sight and sound of these incredible machines being driven at speed is more than enough to set pulses racing.
There's also a chance to see the cars on display in the paddock, so don't forget your camera. You can catch GT1 Sports Club by Curbstone at Circuit Paul Ricard, the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, the Nürburgring and Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
CLIO CUP SERIES
Though not a new addition, the Clio Cup Series will enjoy a significantly enhanced presence on this season's Fanatec GT support package, joining the programme at four events.
This long-running one-make championship stages races across Europe using the fast and nimble Renault Clio R.S. V. The competition is ultra-close, with tenths of a second often the difference between victory and defeat. In 2023 the Clio Cup Series will be part of the season opener at Monza before linking up with Fanatec GT at Misano, the Nürburgring and at the Zandvoort finale.
FORMULA REGIONAL EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP BY ALPINE
Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine is among the most coveted titles in junior single-seater racing. Now entering its third season, it draws on considerable history from its forerunner series and features young talents from across the globe.
Positioned directly below FIA Formula 3, winning this championship is a huge boost in a young driver's career. As such, the competition is fierce and the racing is often thrilling. This term the series will join Fanatec GT at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa and for the season-ending trip to Zandvoort.
FANATEC GT2 EUROPEAN SERIES
Set for its third season of competition, the Fanatec GT2 European Series will once again form part of the support programme this year. Though still relatively new the championship has evolved quickly, with both Maserati and Mercedes-AMG ready to join existing brands Audi, Brabham, KTM, Lamborghini and Porsche in 2023.
As such the season ahead promises big things and it is well worth seeing these cars from trackside. As was the case last term two of its six events will run in support of Fanatec GT. It will be present at Monza and once again joins the line-up for the trip of Valencia.
ESPORTS
Virtual motorsport has been part of the Fanatec GT programme since 2021 and will expand even further this year. The Fanatec Esports GT Pro Series remains in place, with drivers from the Pro and Silver Cup categories set to compete in a one-hour Assetto Corsa Competizione race, staged on-site at the Fanatec Esports Arena. There are real-world championship points on offer, making this part of the main Fanatec GT championship.
There's also a new addition for 2023. Set to launch at Monza, the SRO Esports Sim Pro Series is an invitational championship for Europe's top sim racers and will also stage a one-hour Assetto Corsa Competizione race at the Fanatec Esports Arena. This is located in the paddock and fans with paddock access are welcome to take a look around and enjoy the races. Both esports series will be present at all five of this season's Fanatec GT Endurance Cup rounds.
FURTHER ONE-OFF APPEARENCES BOLSTER 2023 SCHEDULE
In addition to the regulars, no fewer than nine different series will make a one-off appearance on the Fanatec GT support line-up during 2023. Four of those will be on the Brands Hatch bill: Equipe Classic Racing brings sports cars from the fifties, sixties and seventies to the British track, while there is more contemporary machinery on display thanks to Sports 2000, the 7 Race Series and the BMW Car Club Racing Championship.
There will be two more one-off support acts at Misano. The highly competitive FFSA French F4 Championship will make the trip to Italy, staging three races during the weekend, while FX Italian Series adds further single-seater action at the Adriatic venue. As was the case last year, the Mitjet International Series will be at Hockenheim with its extensive fleet of silhouette racers.
There’s something quite different on the menu at Valencia thanks to VOLRACE. Fans can look forward to a series of demonstrations from this travelling track expo, which features some truly spectacular cars. Finally, at Zandvoort, Fanatec GT will be joined by the GB3 Championship, a predominantly Britain-based single-seater series has already produced several talented graduates.
–––
The 2023 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS season gets underway with an Endurance Cup race at Monza on 21–23 April, while the Sprint Cup schedule begins at Brands Hatch on 13–14 May. The Circuit Paul Ricard 1000kms runs on 2–4 June, followed by the marquee CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, which marks its 75thedition on 29 June–2 July. Misano stages its annual Sprint Cup contest on 14–16 July, followed by a return to the Nürburgring on 28–30 July.
The series will pause during August for its traditional summer break. It returns to Germany to begin the final leg of the season, with Hockenheim moving to the Sprint Cup schedule on 1–3 September. Next up is another Sprint round at Valencia (15–17 September) followed by the Endurance Cup finale at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on 29 September–1 October. The campaign will conclude with a Sprint Cup round at Zandvoort, which hosts the season-closing event for the first time since 2015 on 13-15 October.
___