Bernd Schneider won the inaugural FIA GT Championship for the GT1 category
The 1997 FIA GT Championship was the inaugural season of
FIA GT Championship, an
auto racing series endorsed by the
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and organized by the
Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO). The FIA GT Championship replaced the
BPR Global GT Series which had been held races and championships from 1994 to 1996 after the series was promoted by the FIA, while Stéphane Ratel took over as promoter and organizer of the new championship, replaced the former BPR Organisation after the departure of partners
Jürgen Barth and Patrick Peter. The races featured
grand touring cars conforming to two categories of regulations, GT1 and GT2, and awarded driver and team championships in each category. The season began on 13 April 1997 and ended on 26 October 1997 after 11 rounds, visiting Europe, Japan, and the United States.
For the new international championship, much of the calendar was new. The
Nürburgring,
Spa,
Silverstone, and
Suzuka's endurance event were all retained, but much of the European calendar was new to the series.
Donington Park replaced
Brands Hatch as the second British round, while
Hockenheimring was added as a second German event.
Mugello took over from
Monza in Italy, and
A1-Ring also brought the series to Austria for the first time. A
street circuit in
Helsinki was unique to the calendar, and served as the first race of a shorter three-hour duration. Two American events of a three-hour duration replaced the former season-ending fly-away race in China, visiting
Sebring and
Laguna Seca.
^Lotus No. 15 was entered by GT1 Lotus Racing Franck Muller for the first event of the season before switching to First Racing Project for the rest of the season.
^Martin Veyhle Racing entered the first two rounds of the season with a McLaren before switching to a Lotus from round five onwards.
^Agusta Racing Team entered a Callaway for the first four rounds of the championship, before switching to a Porsche for the rest of the season.
^
abThe No. 77, 78, and 79 Mustangs were entered by Saleen-Allen Speedlab for the start of the season before switching to Cirtek from round 8 onward. Saleen-Allen Speedlab later reentered the series with No. 95 for round 11.
Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each category. Entries were required to complete 75% of the race distance in order to be classified.[5]
Bernd Schneider won the inaugural FIA GT Championship for the GT1 category
The 1997 FIA GT Championship was the inaugural season of
FIA GT Championship, an
auto racing series endorsed by the
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and organized by the
Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO). The FIA GT Championship replaced the
BPR Global GT Series which had been held races and championships from 1994 to 1996 after the series was promoted by the FIA, while Stéphane Ratel took over as promoter and organizer of the new championship, replaced the former BPR Organisation after the departure of partners
Jürgen Barth and Patrick Peter. The races featured
grand touring cars conforming to two categories of regulations, GT1 and GT2, and awarded driver and team championships in each category. The season began on 13 April 1997 and ended on 26 October 1997 after 11 rounds, visiting Europe, Japan, and the United States.
For the new international championship, much of the calendar was new. The
Nürburgring,
Spa,
Silverstone, and
Suzuka's endurance event were all retained, but much of the European calendar was new to the series.
Donington Park replaced
Brands Hatch as the second British round, while
Hockenheimring was added as a second German event.
Mugello took over from
Monza in Italy, and
A1-Ring also brought the series to Austria for the first time. A
street circuit in
Helsinki was unique to the calendar, and served as the first race of a shorter three-hour duration. Two American events of a three-hour duration replaced the former season-ending fly-away race in China, visiting
Sebring and
Laguna Seca.
^Lotus No. 15 was entered by GT1 Lotus Racing Franck Muller for the first event of the season before switching to First Racing Project for the rest of the season.
^Martin Veyhle Racing entered the first two rounds of the season with a McLaren before switching to a Lotus from round five onwards.
^Agusta Racing Team entered a Callaway for the first four rounds of the championship, before switching to a Porsche for the rest of the season.
^
abThe No. 77, 78, and 79 Mustangs were entered by Saleen-Allen Speedlab for the start of the season before switching to Cirtek from round 8 onward. Saleen-Allen Speedlab later reentered the series with No. 95 for round 11.
Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each category. Entries were required to complete 75% of the race distance in order to be classified.[5]