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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.
Bernd Schneider and his AMG Mercedes team won the GT1 Drivers' and Teams' Championships, while Justin Bell and Viper Team Oreca secured the GT2 titles.
Schedule
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 .
Rnd
Race
Circuit
Date
1
Hockenheim 4 Hours
Hockenheimring , Hockenheim , Germany
13 April
2
British Empire Trophy
Silverstone Circuit , Silverstone , United Kingdom
11 May
3
Helsinki 3 Hours
Helsinki , Finland
25 May
4
Nürburgring 4 Hours
Nürburgring , Nürburg , Germany
29 June
5
Spa 4 Hours
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps , Spa , Belgium
20 July
6
Zeltweg 4 Hours
A1-Ring , Spielberg , Austria
3 August
7
POKKA Suzuka 1000 km
Suzuka Circuit , Suzuka , Japan
24 August
8
Donington 4 Hours
Donington Park , Leicestershire , United Kingdom
14 September
9
Mugello 4 Hours
Mugello Circuit , Scarperia e San Piero , Italy
28 September
10
Sebring 3 Hours
Sebring International Raceway , Sebring , United States
18 October
11
Laguna Seca 3 Hours
Laguna Seca Raceway , Monterey , United States
26 October
Entries
GT1
Entrant
Car
Engine
Tyre
Drivers
Rounds
Gulf Team Davidoff
McLaren F1 GTR
BMW S70/2 6.0 L V12
M
1
Andrew Gilbert-Scott
1–7
Ray Bellm
1–2
Pierre-Henri Raphanel
2–3
Jean-Marc Gounon
3
Anders Olofsson
4–5, 8–11
Geoff Lees
6–11
John Nielsen
7
2
Thomas Bscher
1–7, 9–11
John Nielsen
1–7, 9–11
3
Pierre-Henri Raphanel
1–2, 4–11
Jean-Marc Gounon
1–2, 4–5, 7–11
Anders Olofsson
6–7
David Price Racing
Panoz GTR-1
Ford -Roush 6.0 L V8
G
4
Andy Wallace
1–2, 4–10
James Weaver
1–2, 4–8
Butch Leitzinger
7
Olivier Grouillard
9–11
Perry McCarthy
11
5
David Brabham
1–2, 4–11
Perry McCarthy
1–2, 4–10
Olivier Grouillard
7
Andy Wallace
11
Porsche AG
Porsche 911 GT1 Porsche 911 GT1 Evo
Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
M
6
Thierry Boutsen
1–2, 4–11
Hans-Joachim Stuck
1–2, 4–5, 7–8, 10–11
Bob Wollek
6–7
Ralf Kelleners
9
7
Yannick Dalmas
4–11
Bob Wollek
4–5, 8–11
Thierry Boutsen
5
Allan McNish
6–7
Pedro Lamy
7
47
Ralf Kelleners
11
Allan McNish
11
Team BMW Motorsport
McLaren F1 GTR
BMW S70/2 6.0 L V12
M
8
Steve Soper
All
JJ Lehto
1–10
Roberto Ravaglia
11
9
Peter Kox
All
Roberto Ravaglia
1–10
JJ Lehto
11
AMG-Mercedes
Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR
Mercedes-Benz GT112 6.0 L V12
B
10
Alessandro Nannini
All
Marcel Tiemann
1–2, 4–11
Klaus Ludwig
3
Bernd Schneider
7
11
Bernd Schneider
All
Alexander Wurz
1–3, 5–9
Klaus Ludwig
4, 10–11
Aguri Suzuki
7
12
Bernd Mayländer
4, 6–9
Klaus Ludwig
4–9
Ralf Schumacher
5
Bernd Schneider
6
Alexander Wurz
10–11
Greg Moore
10–11
GT1 Lotus Racing Franck Muller
Lotus GT1
Chevrolet LT5 6.0 L V8
M
13
Fabien Giroix
1–2, 4–6, 8, 10–11
Jean-Denis Délétraz
1–2, 4–6, 8, 10–11
14
Jan Lammers
1–2, 4–6, 8–11
Mike Hezemans
1–2, 4–6, 8–11
Max Angelelli
10–11
GT1 Lotus Racing Franck Muller First Racing Project [ N 1]
P
15
Maurizio Sandro Sala
1–2
Jérôme Policand
1, 5, 7
Ratanakul Prutirat
2–5, 7
Fabien Giroix
3, 7
Jean-Denis Délétraz
3
Alexander Grau
4
Roock Racing
Porsche 911 GT1
Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
M
16
Ralf Kelleners
1–7
Yannick Dalmas
1–2
Stéphane Ortelli
3–5
Pedro Chaves
4–6
Christophe Bouchut
7
Carl Rosenblad
7
JB Racing
Porsche 911 GT1
Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
M
17
Emmanuel Collard
1–2, 4–7, 9–11
Jürgen von Gartzen
1–2, 4–5
Mauro Baldi
6–7, 9–11
Alain Ferté
7
Schübel Rennsport
Porsche 911 GT1
Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
M
18
Pedro Lamy
1–2
Bob Wollek
1–2
Martin Veyhle Racing
McLaren F1 GTR Lotus GT1 [ N 2]
BMW S70/2 6.1 L V12Lotus Type-918 3.5 L Turbo V8
G
19
Alexander Grau
1–2, 5–6, 8–9
Gerd Ruch
1–2
Alexander Burgstaller
1
Kurt Thiim
5–6
Marco Werner
8–9
DAMS Panoz
Panoz GTR-1
Ford -Roush 6.0 L V8
M
20
Éric Bernard
1–2, 4–11
Franck Lagorce
1–2, 4–11
Kremer Racing
Porsche 911 GT1
Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
G
21
Christophe Bouchut
1, 4–5, 8–9
Carl Rosenblad
1, 4–5, 8–9
Klaus Ludwig
1
BMS Scuderia Italia
Porsche 911 GT1
Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
P
22
Pierluigi Martini
1–6, 8–9
Christian Pescatori
1–6, 8–9
GBF UK Ltd.
Lotus GT1
Lotus Type-918 3.5 L Turbo V8
M
23
Mimmo Schiattarella
1–4, 6, 8–9
Luca Badoer
1–4, 6, 8–9
Mauro Martini
1
24
Andrea Boldrini
2–4, 6
Mauro Martini
2–3
Martin Stretton
4
Ralf Kalaschek
6, 8–9
Max Angelelli
8–9
Jason Yeomans
8
Davide Campana
9
BBA Compétition
McLaren F1 GTR
BMW S70/2 6.1 L V12
D
25
Jean-Luc Maury-Laribière
1, 4–5, 7
Olivier Thévenin
1
David Velay
4–5
Bernard Chauvin
5
Jun Harada
7
Tomiko Yoshikawa
7
Konrad Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT1
Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
P
26
Mauro Baldi
2–3, 5
Franz Konrad
2–3
Max Angelelli
3, 5
Parabolica Motorsport
McLaren F1 GTR
BMW S70/2 6.0 L V12
M
27
Chris Goodwin
2, 4–9, 11
Gary Ayles
2, 4–9, 11
Stefan Johansson
7
Newcastle United Lister
Lister Storm GTL
Jaguar 7.0 L V12
D
29
Eric van de Poele
10–11
Julian Bailey
10–11
G-Force Strandell
Porsche 911 GT1
Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
D
30
Geoff Lister
8, 10–11
John Greasley
8, 10–11
Magnus Wallinder
8, 10–11
Karl Augustin
Porsche 911 GT2 Evo
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
G
31
Steffano Buttiero
1–6, 8–9
Horst Felbermayr
1–3, 5–6, 8–9
Karl Augustin
1–3
Hans-Jörg Hofer
4–5, 9
Stefan Roitmayer
4
Horst Felbermayr Jr.
6, 8
Graham Racing
Venturi 600LM
Renault PRV 3.0 L Turbo V6
32
Éric Graham
1
David Velay
1
IDC Ootsukakagu SARD
SARD MC8-R
Toyota 1UZ-FE 4.0 L Turbo V8
Y
39
Tatsuya Tanigawa
7
Yuji Tachikawa
7
Yasutaki Hinoi
7
Team Menicon SARD
46
Masami Kageyama
7
Tetsuya Tanaka
7
Team Lark McLaren
McLaren F1 GTR
BMW S70/2 6.0 L V12
M
44
Keiichi Tsuchiya
7
Masanori Sekiya
7
Akihiko Nakaya
7
^ 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.
GT2
Entrant
Car
Engine
Tyre
Drivers
Rounds
Agusta Racing Team
Callaway Corvette GT2 LM Porsche 911 GT2 [ N 1]
Chevrolet 6.0 L V8Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
D
50
Rocky Agusta
1–2, 4–5
Almo Coppelli
1–2, 4
Michel Neugarten
5, 8
Bernard de Dryver
5
Michel Ligonnet
7
Luca Drudi
7
Masahiro Kimoto
7
Patrice Goueslard
8
Luigino Pagotto
8
Viper Team Oreca
Chrysler Viper GTS-R
Chrysler 356-T6 8.0 L V10
M
51
Olivier Beretta
1–2, 4–11
Philippe Gache
1–2, 4–11
52
Justin Bell
1–2, 4–11
Tommy Archer
1–2, 7, 10–11
Marc Duez
4–5
Dieter Quester
6
Hideshi Matsuda
7
Luca Drudi
8–9
Chamberlain Engineering
Chrysler Viper GTS-R
Chrysler 356-T6 8.0 L V10
G
53
Jari Nurminen
1–3
Hans Hugenholtz Jr.
1–2, 4–5
Pertti Lievonen
3
Tim O'Kennedy
4–5
David Goode
4, 8
Gerd Ruch
6
Almo Coppelli
6
Leonardo Maddelena
6, 8–9
Manabu Orido
7
Naohiro Kawano
7
Yukihiro Hane
7
Paul Thomas
8
Renato Mastropietro
9
Piergiuseppe Pironi
9
Zak Brown
10
Chris Gleason
10
Rick Fairbanks
10
Shane Lewis
11
Tim Moser
11
Patrick Vuillaume
11
54
Peter Hardman
2
Richard Dean
2, 11
Tim O'Kennedy
8, 10–11
Hans Hugenholtz Jr.
8
Wido Rössler
8
Peter Halsmer
10
Matthew Cohen
10
Karl Augustin
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
G
55
Helmut Reis
1–7
Hans-Jörg Hofer
1–2
Wido Rössler
1, 3–7, 10–11
Manfred Jurasz
3–6
Ernst Gschwender
7, 9
Wolfgang Kaufmann
9–11
Roock Racing
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
M
56
Bruno Eichmann
All
Ni Amorim
1–7
Claudia Hürtgen
1–5, 7–10
Stéphane Ortelli
8–9, 11
57
François Lefon
1–3, 5, 8
Jean-Marc Smadja
1–2, 5
Stéphane Ortelli
1–2, 4–6
Jean-Pierre Jarier
3
Hugh Price
4
John Robinson
4
Bruno Eichmann
6
Claudia Hürtgen
6, 11
Pedro Chaves
7–9
Robert Nearn
7
Hisashi Wada
7
Ni Amorim
8–10
Patrice Goueslard
9
Uwe Alzen
10–11
87
John Robinson
8–9, 11
Richard Nearn
8
Michel Ligonnet
8
Hugh Price
9, 11
Mike Martin
9
André Ahrlé
10–11
Pedro Chaves
10
Estoril Racing Team
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
58
Manuel Monteiro
1–2, 4–5, 7, 9–11
Michel Monteiro
1–2, 4–5, 7, 9–11
Henri-Louis Maunoir
7
Marcos Racing International
Marcos LM600
Chevrolet 5.9 L V8
D
59
Cor Euser
All
Harald Becker
All
Herman Buurman
7
60
Toon van de Haterd
1
Bert Ploeg
1
Christian Vann
2, 8
John Schumann
2
Ville-Pertti Teuronen
3
Teijo Lahti
3
Thomas Erdos
8
Marco Simoncini
9
Alfons Taels
9
Martijn Koene
10–11
Angelo Zadra
10
Rob Wilson
11
Stadler Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
P
61
Enzo Calderari
1, 4, 10–11
Lilian Bryner
1, 4, 10–11
Ulli Richter
4, 11
62
Denis Lay
1–2, 4–5, 7, 9–11
Axel Röhr
1–2, 4–5, 9
Uwe Sick
1–2, 5, 7, 9–11
Bruno Michelotti
4
Franz Hunkeler
7
Krauss Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
P
63
Bernhard Müller
1–6, 8–11
Michael Trunk
1–6, 8–11
Nigel Smith
7
Takashi Suzuki
7
Sumio Sakurai
7
Kremer Racing
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
G
64
Tomás Saldaña
1–2, 6, 8–9
Alfonso de Orléans-Borbón
1–2, 6, 8–9
Carl Rosenblad
2
Christophe Bouchut
6
RWS
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
65
Raffaele Sangiuolo
1–2, 4–6, 9
Luca Riccitelli
1–2, 4–6, 9
Wolfgang Münster
1
Charles Margueron
2
Benno Rottenfusser
5–6
Mario Spagnoli
9
Konrad Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
P
66
Franz Konrad
1, 4–8, 10–11
Philipp Peter
1
Uwe Alzen
1
Toni Seiler
2–6, 8–11
Marco Spinelli
2–3, 9
Richard Nearn
2
Michel Ligonnet
3
Bert Ploeg
4
Gerd Ruch
5
Wolfgang Kaufmann
7
Seiichi Sodeyama
7
André Ahrlé
8
Nick Ham
11
67
Marco Spinelli
1, 5
Michel Ligonnet
1
Toni Seiler
1
Kelly Collins
5
Barry Waddell
5
Martin Snow
10
Karel Dolejší
10
Angelo Zadra
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
P
68
Angelo Zadra
1–2, 4–5, 9
Leonardo Maddalena
1–2, 4–5
Marco Brand
1
Renato Mastropietro
2, 4–5
Philipp Peter
9
Proton Competition
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
P
69
Gerold Ried
All
Patrick Vuillaume
1–10
Ernst Gschwinder
1
Manfred Jurasz
7–11
Dellenbach Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
D
70
Rainer Bonnetsmüller
1–2, 4, 6, 8–11
Manfred Jurasz
1–2
Günther Blieninger
1, 4–6, 8–9
Wolfgang Treml
4–5
Klaus Horn
5–6, 8–11
GT Racing Team
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
71
Luca Drudi
1, 4–6
Luigino Pagotto
1, 4–6
Elf Haberthur Racing
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
D
72
Jean-Claude Lagniez
1
Guy Martinolle
1
Michel Neugarten
10–11
Guy Ligonnet
10
Will Pace
10
Stéphane de Groodt
11
Seikel Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
73
Fred Rosterg
1, 4
Ruggero Grassi
1
Renato Mastropietro
1
Wolfgang Haugg
4
Giuseppe Quargenten
4
Bruno Michelotti
9
Jacques Corbet
9
Andrew Bagnall
9
G-Force Strandell
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
D
75
Geoff Lister
2, 4–5
John Greasley
2, 4–5
Magnus Wallinder
4–5
Nigel Barrett
8
Koit Veertee
8
Steve O'Rourke
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Flat-6
D
76
Steve O'Rourke
2
Win Percy
2
Tim Sugden
2
Saleen-Allen Speedlab Cirtek [ N 2]
Saleen Mustang SR
Ford 5.9 L V8
D
77
Steve Saleen
2
Price Cobb
2
Carlos Palau
2
Peter Owen
5, 8–10
James Kaye
5
Guy Smith
5
Mark Peters
8–9
Jonathan Baker
8
Robert Schirle
9–11
Christian Vann
10–11
78
Allen Lloyd
2, 5
Robert Schirle
2, 8
James Warnock
2, 8
Thomas Erdos
5
Richard Dean
8
79
Peter Owen
2
James Kaye
2
Richard Piper
2
Charles Morgan
Morgan Plus 8 GTR
Rover 3.9 L V8
D
80
William Wykeham
2–3, 5, 8, 10–11
Charles Morgan
2–3, 5, 8
Tony Dron
10
Mark Hales
11
David Vegher
11
Michael Eschmann
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
81
Michael Eschmann
4
Paul Hulverscheid
4
Gunter Döbler
4
TVR
TVR Cerbera
TVR Speed Six 4.5 L I6
D
82
Colin Blower
8
Jamie Campbell-Walter
8
Larbre Compétition
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
83
Patrice Goueslard
7
Jean-Luc Chéreau
7
Jack Leconte
7
NSX Dream 28 Competition
Honda NSX
Honda 3.2 L V6
84
Hajime Ooshiro
7
Masayoshi Furuya
7
Shigekazu Saeki
7
Team Signal
Nissan Silvia
Nissan SR20DET 2.0 L Turbo I4
85
Takeshi Yuasa
7
Kiyoaki Hanai
7
Akio Tomita
7
Millennium Motorsport
Marcos LM600
Chevrolet 5.9 L V8
D
86
Nick Car
8
Ian Astley
8
Andy Purvis
8
Prova Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
88
Scott Maxwell
10
Scott Peeler
10
Saleen-Allen Speedlab [ N 2]
Saleen Mustang SR
Ford 5.9 L V8
95
Steve Saleen
11
Carlos Palau
11
GMB Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
97
Dirk Layer
11
Cort Wagner
11
Kelly Collins
11
^ 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.
^ a b The 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.
Results and standings
Race results
The No. 11 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR of Bernd Schneider and Alexander Wurz en route to victory at Donington Park
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.
Points system
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
10
6
4
3
2
1
Driver championships
GT1
Colour
Result
Gold
Winner
Silver
Second place
Bronze
Third place
Green
Points finish
Blue
Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple
Retired (Ret)
Red
Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black
Disqualified (DSQ)
White
Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank
Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)
GT2
Team championships
AMG-Mercedes won the GT1 Teams Championship
Team BMW Motorsport placed second in the GT1 Teams Championship
Teams score points for all cars that finish each round of the championship. Cars must complete at least 75% of the race distance to be classified.
GT1
Colour
Result
Gold
Winner
Silver
Second place
Bronze
Third place
Green
Points finish
Blue
Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple
Retired (Ret)
Red
Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black
Disqualified (DSQ)
White
Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank
Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)
GT2
References
External links
International
Asia
Europe
Americas
Oceania
Europe GT4
Americas GT4
Asia GT4
Australia GT4
Europe TC
Americas TC