Brands Hatch owner MSV and championship promoter SRO have extended their deal to host the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup on the legendary Grand Prix circuit, it was announced. This means that the Kent circuit will continue to host a round of the series until at least 2019.
The Blancpain GT Series is the leading international championship exclusively for GT cars, which includes representation from supercar manufacturers Audi, Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren. The series runs to GT3 regulations, which promotes fair and equal competition between the marques, placing emphasis on the skills of the drivers, who range from rising stars to seasoned Le Mans competitors and ex-Formula 1 racers.
The Blancpain GT Series consists of both Sprint and longer distance Endurance Cup events. Brands Hatch has held a round of the Sprint Cup since 2014.
The first three Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup events at Brands Hatch have seen grid sizes almost double, with vast supercar displays and demonstrations also attracting a growing audience to the event. The return of top-line international GT racing to the venue has also brought racing heroes such as Alex Zanardi and Bernd Schneider to the historic circuit.
MSV Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer said: “We are delighted to extend this partnership with SRO for a further three years. Stéphane Ratel has worked tirelessly to support and promote GT racing across the world, and this year’s Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup grid is absolutely stunning and a tribute to the efforts of Stéphane and his outstanding team, with whom we enjoy a very strong working relationship.”
Founder and CEO of SRO, Stéphane Ratel, said: “When Brands Hatch was included on the Blancpain GT Series calendar in 2014, the meeting proved to be an immediate success. The following years only confirmed the fact that the biggest GT series in the world belongs on the legendary Kent racetrack and that is why everybody at the SRO Motorsports Group is pleased and honoured to extend our partnership with MSV and Brands Hatch.”
