FFSA GT Championship
Encyclopedia
The GT Tour is a French
Grand Touring-style sports car racing
series that began in 1997. It is controlled by the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile
(FFSA) and organized by racing company Oreca
. Since the demise of the French Supertouring Championship
after the 2005 season, the GT Tour has become France's major circuit racing championship.
, this national version featured a wide variety of Grand Touring-style cars in multiple classes competing at the same time on mostly French courses. In 1998 saw the SRO Group took over the series as the classes were reorganized to reflect the changes made in the new FIA GT Championship
, continuing in a similar formula today. In 2011, the series was handed over from SRO to Oreca
, a French racing team, constructor, and organiser of the Sportscar Winter Series and the former Formula Le Mans Cup
.
Currently the series uses FIA GT3 specification cars in competition at a variety of French tracks, with a championship for both professionals and amateurs. GT3 rules include extensive performance balancing and handicap weights to make cars artificially more equal.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Grand Touring-style sports car racing
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
series that began in 1997. It is controlled by the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile
Fédération Française du Sport Automobile
Fédération Française du Sport Automobile , was founded in 1952, with the aim of organising, regulating and developing motorsport in France....
(FFSA) and organized by racing company Oreca
Oreca
Oreca is a French racing team, founded and run by Hugues de Chaunac, former team manager of F1 team AGS. Oreca has had success in many areas of motorsport including Formula Three where drivers including Alain Prost, Jacques Laffite and Jean Alesi have won the French Formula Three Championship for...
. Since the demise of the French Supertouring Championship
French Supertouring Championship
The Championnat de France de Supertourisme was a touring car racing championship organised by the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile between 1976 and 2005....
after the 2005 season, the GT Tour has become France's major circuit racing championship.
History
Founded by Patrick Peter in 1997 as an off-shoot of the international BPR Global GT SeriesBPR Global GT Series
The BPR Global GT Series was a grand tourer-based sports car racing series which ran from 1994 to 1996 before becoming the FIA GT Championship in 1997...
, this national version featured a wide variety of Grand Touring-style cars in multiple classes competing at the same time on mostly French courses. In 1998 saw the SRO Group took over the series as the classes were reorganized to reflect the changes made in the new FIA GT Championship
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout the years has visited other continents including Asia and South...
, continuing in a similar formula today. In 2011, the series was handed over from SRO to Oreca
Oreca
Oreca is a French racing team, founded and run by Hugues de Chaunac, former team manager of F1 team AGS. Oreca has had success in many areas of motorsport including Formula Three where drivers including Alain Prost, Jacques Laffite and Jean Alesi have won the French Formula Three Championship for...
, a French racing team, constructor, and organiser of the Sportscar Winter Series and the former Formula Le Mans Cup
Formula Le Mans Cup
The Le Mans Prototype Challenge is a spec racing formula created by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , organisers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and sports car constructor Oreca...
.
Currently the series uses FIA GT3 specification cars in competition at a variety of French tracks, with a championship for both professionals and amateurs. GT3 rules include extensive performance balancing and handicap weights to make cars artificially more equal.
Champions
| Season | Driver | Team / Car |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 |  Patrice Goueslard |
Larbre Larbre Compétition Larbre Compétition is a French auto racing team founded in 1988 by Jack Leconte. Based at the Circuit du Val de Vienne in La Vigeant, Larbre has had considerable success in the Porsche Carrera Cup, French GT Championship, and international FIA GT Championship... Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 911 GT2 The Porsche 911 GT2 is a sports car built by the German manufacturer Porsche since 1994. It is based on the 911 Turbo, and uses a similar twin-turbocharged engine, but features numerous upgrades, including engine upgrades, larger brakes, and stiffer suspension calibration... |
| 1998 | Jean-Pierre Jarier Jean-Pierre Jarier Jean-Pierre Jacques Jarier is a French Grand Prix racing driver, now retired. He was born at Charenton-le-Pont, near Paris, and is regarded as one of the finest drivers never to win a Grand Prix.... François Lafon |
Sonauto Larbre Compétition Larbre Compétition is a French auto racing team founded in 1988 by Jack Leconte. Based at the Circuit du Val de Vienne in La Vigeant, Larbre has had considerable success in the Porsche Carrera Cup, French GT Championship, and international FIA GT Championship... Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 911 GT2 The Porsche 911 GT2 is a sports car built by the German manufacturer Porsche since 1994. It is based on the 911 Turbo, and uses a similar twin-turbocharged engine, but features numerous upgrades, including engine upgrades, larger brakes, and stiffer suspension calibration... |
| 1999 | Jean-Pierre Jarier Jean-Pierre Jarier Jean-Pierre Jacques Jarier is a French Grand Prix racing driver, now retired. He was born at Charenton-le-Pont, near Paris, and is regarded as one of the finest drivers never to win a Grand Prix.... |
Sonauto Larbre Compétition Larbre Compétition is a French auto racing team founded in 1988 by Jack Leconte. Based at the Circuit du Val de Vienne in La Vigeant, Larbre has had considerable success in the Porsche Carrera Cup, French GT Championship, and international FIA GT Championship... Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 911 GT2 The Porsche 911 GT2 is a sports car built by the German manufacturer Porsche since 1994. It is based on the 911 Turbo, and uses a similar twin-turbocharged engine, but features numerous upgrades, including engine upgrades, larger brakes, and stiffer suspension calibration... |
| 2000 | Dominique Dupuy Dominique Dupuy Dominique Dupuy is a French racing driver.Dupuy began racing professionally in 1983 in Championnat de France Formule Renault Turbo finishing 4th. He moved to the French Formula Three Championship the following year and raced there until 1988... François Fiat |
DDO Chrysler Viper GTS-R Chrysler Viper GTS-R The Chrysler Viper GTS-R was a successful racing variant of the Dodge Viper developed in conjunction with Chrysler of North America, Oreca of France, and Reynard Motorsport of the United Kingdom. Officially unveiled at the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours, it has won numerous championships and famous... |
| 2001 | Dominique Dupuy Dominique Dupuy Dominique Dupuy is a French racing driver.Dupuy began racing professionally in 1983 in Championnat de France Formule Renault Turbo finishing 4th. He moved to the French Formula Three Championship the following year and raced there until 1988... François Fiat |
DDO Chrysler Viper GTS-R Chrysler Viper GTS-R The Chrysler Viper GTS-R was a successful racing variant of the Dodge Viper developed in conjunction with Chrysler of North America, Oreca of France, and Reynard Motorsport of the United Kingdom. Officially unveiled at the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours, it has won numerous championships and famous... |
| 2002 | Philippe Soulan Patrice Goueslard |
Nourry Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 911 GT2 The Porsche 911 GT2 is a sports car built by the German manufacturer Porsche since 1994. It is based on the 911 Turbo, and uses a similar twin-turbocharged engine, but features numerous upgrades, including engine upgrades, larger brakes, and stiffer suspension calibration... |
| 2003 |  Didier Defourny Patrice Goueslard |
Larbre Larbre Compétition Larbre Compétition is a French auto racing team founded in 1988 by Jack Leconte. Based at the Circuit du Val de Vienne in La Vigeant, Larbre has had considerable success in the Porsche Carrera Cup, French GT Championship, and international FIA GT Championship... Chrysler Viper GTS-R Chrysler Viper GTS-R The Chrysler Viper GTS-R was a successful racing variant of the Dodge Viper developed in conjunction with Chrysler of North America, Oreca of France, and Reynard Motorsport of the United Kingdom. Officially unveiled at the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours, it has won numerous championships and famous... |
| 2004 | Patrick Bornhauser |
VBM Chrysler Viper GTS-R Chrysler Viper GTS-R The Chrysler Viper GTS-R was a successful racing variant of the Dodge Viper developed in conjunction with Chrysler of North America, Oreca of France, and Reynard Motorsport of the United Kingdom. Officially unveiled at the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours, it has won numerous championships and famous... |
| 2005 | Olivier Thévenin Patrick Bornhauser |
VBM Chrysler Viper GTS-R Chrysler Viper GTS-R The Chrysler Viper GTS-R was a successful racing variant of the Dodge Viper developed in conjunction with Chrysler of North America, Oreca of France, and Reynard Motorsport of the United Kingdom. Officially unveiled at the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours, it has won numerous championships and famous... |
| 2006 | Soheil Ayari Soheil Ayari Soheil Ayari is a French race car driver born in Aix-les-Bains, Savoie, from an Iranian father and a French mother. He won the French Formula Ford championship of 1994, Formula Three championship of 1996 and the Macau Grand Prix of 1997... Bruno Hernandez |
Oreca Oreca Oreca is a French racing team, founded and run by Hugues de Chaunac, former team manager of F1 team AGS. Oreca has had success in many areas of motorsport including Formula Three where drivers including Alain Prost, Jacques Laffite and Jean Alesi have won the French Formula Three Championship for... Saleen S7 Saleen S7 The Saleen S7 is a limited-production, hand-built, high-performance American supercar developed jointly by Steve Saleen for the initial concept and direction, Hidden Creek Industries for resources and initial funding, Phil Frank for the body and interior CAD design and development, and Ray Mallock... -R |
| 2007 | Soheil Ayari Soheil Ayari Soheil Ayari is a French race car driver born in Aix-les-Bains, Savoie, from an Iranian father and a French mother. He won the French Formula Ford championship of 1994, Formula Three championship of 1996 and the Macau Grand Prix of 1997... Raymond Narac |
Oreca Oreca Oreca is a French racing team, founded and run by Hugues de Chaunac, former team manager of F1 team AGS. Oreca has had success in many areas of motorsport including Formula Three where drivers including Alain Prost, Jacques Laffite and Jean Alesi have won the French Formula Three Championship for... Saleen S7 Saleen S7 The Saleen S7 is a limited-production, hand-built, high-performance American supercar developed jointly by Steve Saleen for the initial concept and direction, Hidden Creek Industries for resources and initial funding, Phil Frank for the body and interior CAD design and development, and Ray Mallock... -R |
| 2008 | Christophe Bouchut Christophe Bouchut Christophe Bouchut is a French race driver. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1993. He currently drives in the FIA GT1 World Championship... Patrick Bornhauser |
Larbre Larbre Compétition Larbre Compétition is a French auto racing team founded in 1988 by Jack Leconte. Based at the Circuit du Val de Vienne in La Vigeant, Larbre has had considerable success in the Porsche Carrera Cup, French GT Championship, and international FIA GT Championship... Saleen S7 Saleen S7 The Saleen S7 is a limited-production, hand-built, high-performance American supercar developed jointly by Steve Saleen for the initial concept and direction, Hidden Creek Industries for resources and initial funding, Phil Frank for the body and interior CAD design and development, and Ray Mallock... -R |
| 2009 | Eric Debard |
DKR DKR Engineering DKR Engineering is a racing team and preparation firm from Luxembourg, currently competing in the FIA GT1 World Championship. The company was founded in 2004 by Kendy Janclaes as a branch of the PSI Experience racing team from Belgium. After running PSI's racing programs, DKR began their own... Chevrolet Corvette C6.R Chevrolet Corvette C6.R The Chevrolet Corvette C6.R is a grand tourer racing car built by Pratt & Miller and General Motors for competition in endurance racing. It is a replacement for the Corvette C5-R racing car, applying the body style of the new C6 generation Chevrolet Corvette as well as improvements to increase the... |
| 2010 | Laurent Groppi Laurent Groppi Laurent Groppi is a French racing driver.He won the Formula Campus by Renault and Elf in 2003 and the Championnat de France Formula Renault 2.0 in 2006... Patrick Bornhauser |
Larbre Larbre Compétition Larbre Compétition is a French auto racing team founded in 1988 by Jack Leconte. Based at the Circuit du Val de Vienne in La Vigeant, Larbre has had considerable success in the Porsche Carrera Cup, French GT Championship, and international FIA GT Championship... Porsche 911 GT3 R |