Race report

GT World Challenge Europe Sprint

Blancpain series an immediate success

Title not decided until final round.

Edited: Nov 12, 2014, 4:57 PM

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#84 HTP Motorsport Mercedes SLS AMG GT3: Maximilian Götz, Maximilian Buhk

Stéphane Ratel

Stéphane Ratel, CEO of SRO Motorsport

Stéphane Ratel

Stéphane Ratel and Natalia Freidina

#84 HTP Motorsport Mercedes SLS AMG GT3: Maximilian Götz, Maximilian Buhk in trouble

Maximilian Götz celebrates his championship

#84 HTP Motorsport Mercedes SLS AMG GT3: Maximilian Götz, Maximilian Buhk

Maximilian Götz celebrates his championship

The first edition of the Blancpain Sprint Series proved to be successful with drivers, teams and fans. Both the Drivers and Teams titles were only decided at the last round in the Baku World Challenge: The best possible proof that the inaugural season of the Blancpain Sprint Series was a close-fought battle. Time to take a look at some of the key numbers of 2014:

0: the number of pole positions new champion Maximilian Götz needed on his way to the title

0: the number of wins in a Qualifying Race new champion Maximilian Götz needed on his way to the title

0,022 sec: smallest margin to take a pole (Laurens Vanthoor over Maximilian Götz at Brands Hatch)

0,408 sec: smallest gap between winner and second placed car (#28 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini and #84 HTP Motorsport Mercedes), after the Qualifying Race in Brands Hatch

1 pole position, is all Mateusz Lisowski and Vincent Abril needed on their way to the Silver Cup title.

2: the number of races where Laurens Vanthoor and Cesar Ramos failed to score points

2: the number of laps Dominik Baumann and Thomas Jäger led before taking their first win

3 different team-mates shared a podium finish with Stéphane Ortelli (Grégory Guilvert, Fabian Hamprecht and Stéphane Richelmi)

3 flag-to-flag race wins, all in Qualifying Races

4 different drivers claimed pole position

4: number of times the crew of the #5 Phoenix Racing Audi produced the fastest pit stop

5: the highest number of cars leading the same race (Zolder Main Race)

6 different cars finished in the overall top three

9 prestigious car brands were represented during the 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series

12 races : how long Niki Mayr-Melnhof and Markus Winkelhock had to wait between their first and second podium finish of 2014 (Qualifying Race in Nogaro and Main Race in Baku)

12 consecutive races in the points for champion Maximilian Götz

18 different cars led at least one lap this season

18 different teams scored at least one point

19: highest number of cars within the same second after a qualifying session (Q2 in Zolder)

22 different driver nationalities were represented during the 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series

27 different drivers stood on the overall podium

30 cars were on the largest entry list of the year, at the Baku World Challenge

62 different drivers scored points for the overall classification

127 minutes, 45.766 seconds: duration of the longest race (the rain-stopped Qualifying Race at the Slovakia Ring)

144: highest number of laps led, by the #1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi

487 laps were completed this year

Said Stephane Ratel (CEO and founder of the SRO Motorsports Group): “In the name of the SRO Motorsports Group I would like to thank all teams and drivers that entered the inaugural edition of the Blancpain Sprint Series and congratulate our new champions. Harbouring the Blancpain Endurance Series and Blancpain Sprint Series under the same banner proved to be a success. One only has to look at the full starting grids throughout the year to see that there is a genuine interest in our Series. We are already looking forward to the second year of the Blancpain Sprint Series, with exciting new venues like Moscow and Misano on the calendar. Finally, I would also like to thank all of our partners, without whom it would not have been possible to organize and promote the Blancpain Sprint Series.”

Calendar 2015 Blancpain Sprint Series

18th -19th March Official Blancpain Sprint Series Test Days Misano (ITA)
4th -6th April Nogaro (FRA)
9th -10th May Brands Hatch (GBR)
5th -7th June Zolder (BEL)
3rd -5th July Moscow City (RUS)*
4th -6th September Algarve (PRT)
2nd -4th October Misano (ITA)
24th - 25th October Baku World Challenge (AZE)
*Pending Race Promotor agreement

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