2016 Blancpain GT Calendar Reduced to Ten Rounds

The Blancpain GT Series calendar will feature ten rounds in 2016, as SRO has dropped two weekends and implemented other changes in an effort to reinvigorate the Sprint Series.

At the annual SRO press conference, Stéphane Ratel announced his organization’s plans for 2016, which are mainly focused on the Sprint Series and unifying the Sprint and Endurance Series in one Blancpain GT Series.

The 2016 Sprint season will open at a to-be-confirmed circuit in Italy, followed by the annual trek to Monza for the Endurance Series and a return to Brands Hatch and Silverstone in May.

Paul Ricard will again host a six-hour round of the Endurance Series in late June, followed by a new Sprint Series event at the Nürburgring in July and the Total 24 Hours of Spa for late July.

Another new event, to be held at the Hungaroring, is scheduled for Aug. 28-30, followed by the Endurance Series season finale at the Nürburgring on Sept. 17-18 and the Sprint finale in Barcelona on Oct. 1-2.

Notable absences from the 2016 schedule include the Sprint Series traditional Easter weekend season-opener at Nogaro, as well as events at Zolder, Portimao and Zandvoort, which had also previously hosted BSS rounds.

SRO will also not return to Russia, after hosting a Sprint Series round at Moscow Raceway this year.

2016 Blancpain GT Series Calendar:

April 8-10 — Italy TBC (Sprint)
April 23-24 — Monza (Endurance)
May 7-8 — Brands Hatch (Sprint)
May 14-15 — Silverstone (Endurance)
June 24-25 — Paul Ricard (Endurance)
July 1-3 — Nürburgring (Sprint)
July 28-31 — Total 24 Hours of Spa (Endurance)
Aug. 26-28 — Budapest (Sprint)*
Sept. 17-18 — Nürburgring (Endurance)
Oct. 1-2 — Barcelona (Sprint)

* Subject to event promoter agreement