The 2011 Calendars for the FIA GT1 World and FIA GT3 European Championships have been announced by the FIA World Motor Sport Council with two new events in key markets for luxury and sports car manufacturers – China and Russia.

The FIA GT3 European Championship will be held over twelve races on six circuits, including three new which are new to the Championship.  The first four events will be held with the FIA GT1 World Championship in Portugal, Great Britain, Spain and France before the final four races, where GT3 will be the headline series.  Rounds 9 & 10 will be held in Russia for the first time on the new Smolensk circuit in Western Russia, while the finale will be held in the Netherlands for the first time, with two races at Zandvoort in October.  

After a highly successful first season the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship will begin, as it did in 2010, in Abu Dhabi at the end of March.  As well as the event in the United Arab Emirates, the events in Algarve, Silverstone, Navarra, Paul Ricard and San Luis are all carried over from the inaugural season.  The four new tracks on the 2011 calendar include Zolder (Belgium), Sachsenring* (Germany) and Curitiba (Brazil), with the GT1 World Championship heading into new territory in September with a race in China, at the Ordos International Circuit.

Stephane Ratel, CEO of the SRO Motorsports Group, said: “Today the 2011 calendars for the two leading international GT series in the world were unveiled.  This year saw the FIA GT1 World Championship become a reality and 2011 will see us build on the solid foundations we laid this season by adding a race in Asia alongside the ones in Europe, South America and the Middle East.  China is a very important market for luxury and sportscar manufacturers and another step in our long term strategy that will eventually see GT1 World Championship race on every continent. 

“The FIA GT3 European Championship continues to provide a great platform for drivers, teams and sponsors.  Racing on the same events as the FIA GT1 World Championship gives the GT3 teams access to a far greater audience and helps establish the FIA GT brand in new markets. Russia, like China, is one of the World’s fastest growing markets for the luxury and sports car manufacturers and the GT3 race at Smolensk is an extremely important event by paving the way to a GT1 presence in 2012.”

2011 FIA GT3 European Championship
8th May   Portugal   Algarve   
5th June   Great Britain   Silverstone  
3rd July   Spain    Navarra
17th July   France    Paul Ricard
21st August   Russia    Smolensk
16th October   Netherlands   Zandvoort

2011 FIA GT1 World Championship
26th March   UAE    Abu Dhabi
10th April   Belgium   Zolder
8th May   Portugal   Algarve
15th May*  Germany*   Sachsenring*
5th June   Great Britain  Silverstone
3rd July   Spain    Navarra
17th July   France    Paul Ricard
4th September   China    Ordos
23rd October   Brazil    Curitiba
6th November   Argentina   San Luis

*subject to ASN confirmation