GT stars and cars to contest three separate events at 2022 FIA Motorsport Games
The category of GT racing, one of the founding disciplines of the inaugural FIA Motorsport Games in 2019, will be a staple feature of the vastly expanded second edition of the event being held in France this October.
Set to feature 17 disciplines from across the motorsport spectrum, the FIA Motorsport Games 2022, 26-30 October, will include separate medal-winning categories for GT, GT Sprint, and Endurance racing.
The trio of GT disciplines opens the 2022 Games up for GT3 crews and drivers to represent their nation’s FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) National Sporting Authority (ASN) and compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals under their country’s flag.
GT3 racing is in excellent health, as shown last weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard – the host venue for the FIA Motorsport Games track action this October. A huge 54-car entry comprising 162 drivers contested the fourth round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS and the Circuit Paul Ricard 1000km event.
The dedicated series for cars conforming to GT3 regulations attracted eight world-class manufacturers to Le Castellet. Those included Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche, McLaren and Mercedes-AMG, but in the end it was the Iron Lynx Ferrari of Davide Rigon, Antonio Fuoco and Daniel Serraace which won this year’s six-hour race into the sunset.
At the Games, ASNs can enter one team in each of the three GT 2022 disciplines. The GT category returns by popular demand, catering for two-driver teams (one Silver and one Bronze FIA driver grade). This year’s format will be two 60-minute practice sessions ahead of qualifying and two 60-minute races.
New for 2022, GT Sprint will be open to one driver per nation with unrestricted FIA driver grading. The competition will play out over two 30-minute practices before a 20-minute qualifying session that will set the grid for the single 60-minute sprint race.
The new Endurance category will also feature both GT3 and LMP3 machinery for the first time this year. More news will follow on this exciting new category shortly.
Introduced for the first time in 2019, 22 National Sporting Associations competed in the GT Cup at the Vallelunga Circuit near Rome, where Team Japan won the inaugural GT gold medal in Italy, Hiroshi Hamaguchi and Ukyo Sasahara taking victory in the Orange 1 FFF Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3.
Paul Ip, who finished sixth alongside Marchy Lee for Team Hong Kong in 2019, already has his sights set on a return to the FIA Motorsport Games in the hunt for gold. He comments, “It was a great honour for me to represent Hong Kong during the first edition of the FIA Motorsport Games in the GT class in 2019 at Vallelunga. I really enjoyed the event and I think SRO and the FIA have created an amazing concept. I’m looking forward to this year’s event in Marseille and at Paul Ricard, especially as there will be three GT categories to enjoy in 2022.”
Registration for competing nations will be open from 15 June to 25 September 2022 via the dedicated FIA registration platform. Competitors wishing to represent their county are also encouraged to contact their respective National Sporting Authorities.
For further information visit fiamotorsportgames.com