This just in from SRO after a weekend that saw just eight cars start the combined GT3/ LMP3 opening round(s) of the FFSA GT Tour (French National GT Championship at Nogaro with almost all of the headlines dominated by an incident that saw one of the GT3 Ferraris utterly demolished after Sacha Bottemanne comprehensively miscalculated an overtake, the driver very fortunate to escape relatively unscathed after his 458 GT3 hit the barrier head on at high speed.
It has been a rapid decline for the FFSA GT Tour – the picture below is from 2013 – and with the LMP3s introduced in an attempt to stem a flow of cars moving to VdeV, and to the Blancpain GT Series the opposite effect has actually been achieved with teams moving away in their GT3 cars disappointed that the arrival of the Prototypes will not allow them to compete for overall wins.
“From 1998 to 2010, SRO Motorsports Group successfully managed the FFSA French GT Championship. With an average of 38 cars taking part each season, and 29 cars competing in the first race of the 2010 season at Nogaro, it is with real sadness that the SRO Motorsports Group has noted the current situation of the FFSA French GT Championship.
“To avoid the complete disappearance of the GT category at the national level, SRO Motorsports Group will therefore be launching a 100% GT series in 2017, centred on the French racing scene. Entered as an international series on the FIA calendar, it will include five races in France, one in Portugal and one in Spain.
“Should the FFSA so wish, the SRO Motorsports Group is fully prepared and motivated to cooperate with the French Federation in order to renew the national championship, on the basis of this new concept.
“The details of the new 2017 series will be announced at the annual SRO Motorsports Group press conference, which will take place during the 2016 edition of the Total 24 Hours of Spa, at the end of July.”
There has been no statement either from the French national federation the FFSA, or from Championship organisers Oreca.
