FIA GT1 World Championship official launch

[overdrayv]

The FIA GT1 World Championship was launched to the world at the Automobile Club de France in the Place de la Concorde, Paris today.

Jean Todt, President of the Fédération Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA), presided over the unveiling of the cars, teams and drivers that will compete in the 2010 Championship.

Mr Todt, along with Stephane Ratel, CEO of the world championship promoters SRO Motorsport Group, spoke at length to a room full of international media, teams and VIP guests before travelling to the Place Vendôme to unveil 12 of the GT1 supercars.

In addressing the gathering, Mr Todt said: “It’s a big privilege for me to be here to share this important moment with Stephane Ratel, whose determination and patience has brought together all the different elements to form the FIA GT1 World Championship.

“In terms of FIA World Championships, we have Formula One, WRC, WTCC - and now GT1 World Championship.

“I like the way the 10 GT1 World Championship races are divided geographically. It is a good balance. The championship also features very talented drivers and six great brands. I’m sure it will be very spectacular. You can be sure that me as president and my colleagues at the FIA will do everything to ensure that it succeeds.”

The FIA GT1 World Championship will feature six different supercar manufacturers (Aston Martin, Corvette, Ford, Lamborghini, Maserati and Nissan), 12 teams, each with two cars making a total of 24 GT1 cars and 48 of the world’s leading sportscar drivers.

The championship will be held over 10 events and will visit some of the world’s most legendary circuits and exciting new destinations. The season starts in the United Arab Emirates in April on the F1 circuit at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi.

In announcing the revamped FIA GT1 World Championship format, Stephane Ratel said: “We now have a clear product which has only been achieved before by Formula One.

“Sports car racing has always been a bit messy. Finally, after 15 years of effort, we do have 24 cars, we have two-car teams only, we have two teams per brand, two, one-hour races, and I think for the spectator it will be very easy to follow and appreciate.

“We are also want to make full use of 21st century media. We will use HD television production and we have appointed Sport 5 of the Legardere Group for the distribution of our TV rights. We have also launched GT1World.com which is aimed directly at our fans.

“GT racing is about the iconic, prestigious brands which are filled with history. Our ambition is to regenerate GT racing and transform it from a championship which was aiming at a specialized, somewhat limited and ageing audience and bring it to a far larger and younger fan base.

“And through partnerships like the relationship with Bloomberg TV which we are also announcing today, which takes us into 220 million homes around the world, we will take GT racing to a truly global and diverse audience.”

GT1world.com

[Monseratto]

I hope they recieve the same TV coverage as Formula One does...