Super GT’s GT300 class features cars built to the same GT3 specification as used at Sepang, making it relatively simple for Japanese teams and drivers to compete for overall honours in Asia’s premier endurance GT3 race.
The collaboration was announced at Sepang International Circuit’s appreciation dinner where both GTA Senior manger of the race division Naoki Hattori and SRO Motorsports Group Founder and CEO Stephane Ratel were in attendance.
2016’s edition of the Malaysian event will act as the season finale for the inaugural Intercontinental GT Challenge following a successful first standalone race held at Sepang last December.
Indeed, SRO’s global four-round GT3 series brings together some of the world’s biggest sportscar events, starting with the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hours in Australia (February 6/7) before moving on to the USA for the Blancpain 6 Hours of The Americas (March 5/6) and then the Total 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium (July 28-31). Sepang closes the season on December 10/11.
The championship also boasts a wealth of manufacturer entries, the latest being Porsche which has entrusted its factory Manthey squad with a pair of 2016-spec 911 GT3s for the forthcoming Sepang 12 Hours.
Mr Hattori welcomed the opportunity for Japanese GT3 teams and drivers to test their mettle against some of the world’s best.
“GTA and SRO will work together to bring additional excitement and interest to the Sepang 12 Hours and create further opportunities for GT3 manufactures and teams who are aiming higher,” he said. “GTA will encourage Japanese teams to participate in the Sepang 12 Hours, which will be one of the most attractive and competitive GT3 races in the world.”
Stephane Ratel added that attracting a Japanese GT3 presence had been one of the key reasons for establishing the Sepang 12 Hours in the first place.
“The original partnership with Sepang International Circuit was, in part, intended to create an event that would ultimately establish itself as one of the world’s most important GT3 races, featuring the best European, Australian, Asian and Japanese teams,” he said. “Today’s announcement and collaboration with GTA is a major step towards fulfilling that objective. I hope many Japanese teams take the opportunity to compete against the best that the Intercontinental GT Challenge and Blancpain GT Series has to offer.”
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About 2016 Intercontinental GT Challenge
As the interest and enthusiasm for GT Racing grows all over the world, the SRO Motorsports Group introduces the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
The Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, Blancpain 6 Hours of the Americas, Total 24 hours of Spa and the Sepang 12 Hours will be part of the inaugural calendar of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, the first-ever global GT3 Series. This new Challenge is aimed at manufacturers, who are encouraged to use local teams to represent them in these leading GT3 races, as it is more cost- and time-effective to fly engineers and drivers around the world rather than cars and equipment.
Both a manufacturers’ and a drivers’ title will be awarded in the Pro category, while a Drivers’ title will be awarded in Pro-Am. The events will all have common technical regulations and the BOP will be managed by SRO. The Intercontinental GT Challenge will represent the highest achievement in long distance GT racing. By uniting these iconic events in one series, the level of racing at each round will certainly increase, improving the attractiveness of the event to fans, sponsors, media, drivers and teams alike. A large TV coverage is projected all over the world.
2016 Calendar
Australia : 6–7 February 2016 - Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour
USA : 5–6 March 2016 - Blancpain 6 Hours of the Americas
Belgium : 28–31 July 2016 - Total 24 Hours of Spa
Malaysia : 10–11 December 2016 – Sepang 12 Hours
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