Eight manufacturers are confirmed for Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli. The global GT3 series begins the schedule of five races on five continents in Australia at this weekend’s Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour and heads to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the California 8 Hours on March 29-30.
The recent confirmations of Ferrari and Honda following Nissan’s confirmation earlier in the week bring this year’s total number of full-season manufacturers to a record-breaking eight. They are joined on the grid by Audi, Bentley, BMW, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche.
Ferrari is fielding two 488 GT3 entries and registered to score points towards this year’s Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ championships beginning at this weekend’s opening round at Bathurst. Honda, meanwhile, has chosen to skip Bathurst in favor of beginning its 2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge campaign at the California 8 Hours on March 29-30 when its new NSX GT3 Evo is homologated to compete for the first time. The same model will then contest the Total 24 Hours of Spa (Belgium), Suzuka 10 Hours (Japan) and season-closing Kyalami 9 Hour (South Africa).
Manufacturers are permitted to nominate a maximum of four cars per Intercontinental GT Challenge round, although only the two best-placed entries will score points towards the overall Manufacturers’ Championship. Drivers competing in all nominated entries will score points towards their respective overall championship while amateur drivers are also eligible for Bronze Drivers’ Championship points, subject to registration.
“The addition of seventh and eighth full-season manufacturers, and especially those of Ferrari and Honda’s standing, underlines the growing significance of the Intercontinental GT Challenge on the world stage,” said Stephane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group Founder and CEO. “A global championship featuring five of GT3’s biggest endurance races deserves a stellar entry list, and that is exactly what Intercontinental GT Challenge has assembled ahead of its fourth season.
“I am delighted that Ferrari and Honda have committed to the 2019 championship and cannot wait to see how they compare against the likes of Audi, Bentley, BMW, Mercedes-AMG, Nissan and Porsche. Not since the days of the FIA GT1 World Championship has GT racing enjoyed such a high-profile global platform.”
Audi begins the defense of its Bathurst 12 Hour victory and Intercontinental GT Challenge Manufacturers’ title at Mount Panorama in Australia this Sunday, February 3. The event will be broadcast live on Intercontinental GT Challenge’s web site (www.intercontinentalgtchallenge.com) and Facebook page.
Audi will return to the California 8 Hours on March 29-30 having won at both previous events in 2017 and 2018. South African driving ace Kelvin van der Linde was a winning co-driver on both occasions. Eight manufacturers will field GT3 entries with additional GT4 and TCR entries on the grid.
Tickets, camping and VIP hospitality for the Intercontinental GT Challenge California 8 Hours are available by visiting www.WeatherTechRaceway.com or calling 831-242-8200. Fans can save on all eight premier events on the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca schedule with a 2019 Season Pass.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
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