The 2011 Avon Tyres British GT season was the 19th season of the British GT Championship. The season began on 25 April at Oulton Park and finished on 8 October at Silverstone, after ten races at seven meetings.[1]
On 22 November 2010, the SRO Motorsports Group announced changes to the structure of the 2011 season including a reduced calendar, however still with the inclusion of an overseas event. TV coverage continued to be broadcast on Channel 4 with the option to view again on 4oD and also on Motors TV.
Rule changes
Class restructure and new homologations
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For the 2011 season, the GT3 class was brought right up to date with the inclusion of new FIA homologated cars. This gave teams the options to run the new Ferrari 458 Italia or the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 as well as the currently homologated cars. New to 2011 season was the introduction of the GT3B class catering for older, GT3 spec cars which do not conform to the latest FIA homologations. This should allow the running of cars such as the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe or Ferrari F430.
For the second year in a row, the GT4 class was a merger of Supersport-spec cars and GT4 homologated cars. Despite an unsuccessful return the previous year, the Cup class is to be continued. The cars eligible are the cars currently used in the Porsche Supercup and Ferrari Challenge series, based on the Porsche 997 and Ferrari F430 road cars. It is hoped that the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain's using updated cars will increase entries.
The ballast penalty system has been dropped in favour of a pit-stop time penalty formula where more successful driver pairings will be held during pit-stops for a longer time in order to level the competition. There are also plans for the development of a "Gentleman's Trophy", new logo and rebranding of the championship.
Entry list
A list of expected entries was released on 8 March 2011 after the championship's Media Day at Silverstone.[2]
A provisional 12-race calendar was announced on 22 November 2010.[1] This was then refined on 16 February 2011.[44] All races except Belgian round at Spa, were held in the United Kingdom.
^ abTurner, Kevin, ed. (17 February 2011). "Fisken to race Trackspeed 911". Autosport. 203 (7). Haymarket Publications: 79. Now Fisken will return for a full campaign in the second of Trackspeed's Porsche 911 GT3 Rs. Reigning champion David Ashburn will defend his title in the other Trackspeed car.
^Turner, Kevin, ed. (17 March 2011). "Brit GT return for Westbrook". Autosport. 203 (11). Haymarket Publications: 116. International GT ace Richard Westbrook will aid reigning British GT champion David Ashburn's bid to retain his title in 2011. Westbrook made occasional appearances for Ashburn's Trackspeed Porsche squad last year. Glynn Geddie drove with Ashburn for most of the season, but Westbrook is now set to share with the experienced amateur in five events in 2011.
^ abTurner, Kevin, ed. (10 March 2011). "Lyons and Bateman to British GT". Autosport. 203 (10). Haymarket Publications: 80. Historic racing ace Michael Lyons has switched his modern focus from Formula Renault UK to British GT in a Scuderia Vittoria Ferrari 458. Lyons, 20, finished 12th in Formula Renault UK last year with CRS Racing. He will contest the full season with Charlie Bateman, who moves to GT after four seasons in the Porsche Carrera Cup.
^Turner, Kevin, ed. (24 February 2011). "Denis ready for British GT4 attack". Autosport. 203 (8). Haymarket Publications: 76. Denis will race a Ginetta G50 prepared by new team Scuderia Vittoria, run by ex-BTCC racer Tom Ferrier, former Renault Clio Cup champion Danny Buxton and veteran team boss Piers Masarati.
^ abcTurner, Kevin, ed. (3 March 2011). "Adam in Aston for Brit GT". Autosport. 203 (9). Haymarket Publications: 77. Former touring car ace Jonathan Adam is switching to the British GT Championship this season and will race a Beechdean Motorsport Aston Martin DBRS9...Now he will share Beechdean's Aston with team boss Andrew Howard, who returns after a year away working with Nigel Mansell in the Le Mans Series.
^ abTurner, Kevin, ed. (21 April 2011). "More aces to British GT". Autosport. 204 (3). Haymarket Publications: 86. Hodgetts will also appear in the main GT3 class at Oulton, sharing a JHR-run Ginetta G55 with former GT Supercup runner Adam Morgan.
^ abTurner, Kevin, ed. (17 March 2011). "Century to run G55 in Brit GT". Autosport. 203 (11). Haymarket Publications: 116. Former G50 Cup frontrunner Freddie Hetherington will drive Century's G55, and could be joined by Formula Renault BARC convert Jake Rattenbury.
^Turner, Kevin, ed. (31 March 2011). "Hill and Wakefield land drives in Ginetta Supercup and British GT". Autosport. 203 (13). Haymarket Publications: 75. Former one-make touring car driver Josh Wakefield will also race a G50 this season after signing a deal with crack Ginetta squad Century Motorsport for British GT.
^ abTurner, Kevin, ed. (24 March 2011). "Clarke lands Lotus Evora drive for British GT4 Championship". Autosport. 203 (12). Haymarket Publications: 95. Former Sport MAXX champion Leyton Clarke will contest the British GT4 Championship this season for the factory assisted Lotus squad. Clarke, who only appeared in a handful of Porsche races last season, will join the CM Consolidated team, driving one of its two Evoras.