SRO and MSV Reach Agreement for 2006
08 October 2005
SRO Motorsports Group and the MotorSport Vision are pleased to announce
that they have reached an agreement which will result in the return
of the British F3 International Series and the British GT Championship
to Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and Snetterton circuits in 2006.
These venues were absent from the F3 GT calendar in 2005 after MSV
and SRO were unable to agree acceptable terms for their inclusion. MSV
Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer commented: "It was a pity that
we could not find a way forward last year as I am a great supporter
of F3 and GT racing, as our TAG Heuer GT 250 event illustrated at the
A1 Grand Prix. However I always made it clear that despite some press
to the contrary, there has never been any animosity between Stephane
Ratel and myself. Just because someone cannot agree terms upon which
to do business does not mean they do not get on! It has been pretty
clear to competitors how much has been invested enhancing the MSV circuits
and understandably SRO wished to include our circuits in the 2006 F3
and GT Championship calendar. Similarly I have been eager to find a
commercially viable way to have F3 and GT events on our tracks and I
am happy that we have achieved this through a creative approach."
The Oulton Park event will take place on the prestigious Easter Monday
date when MSV is eager to create a fabulous GT racing festival, the
newly revamped Snetterton will host a round in July and most significantly,
the British GT and F3 Championships will compete on the Brands Hatch
Grand Prix circuit during the A1GP meeting, which enjoyed such great
success last month.
Furthermore in 2006 Formula Palmer Audi, which may be substantially
evolved, and another proposed series will reinforce the British F3 GT
package in several of the other UK rounds with dates yet to be finalised
but likely to include Donington Park, Silverstone, Thruxton and Croft.
Stephane Ratel said : "I am delighted with this agreement, which
answers the wishes of all the teams, who wish to return to some of the
best circuits in Britain. I am also very pleased to welcome the long-running,
successful and extremely well presented Formula Palmer Audi series,
which will be a great addition to the British F3 and GT package."
The 2006 calendar will be finalised shortly, and will include an additional
two or three overseas events for the British F3 International Series,
running within the FIA GT meetings.
SRO
See 2005 series calendar for British
GT Championship
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and Kirkaldy, Ahlers and Bryant Take British GT Race 2 Wins
