2015 GT Sprint Series explained

The 2015 GT Sprint Series (known for sponsorship reasons as the 2015 Blancpain Sprint Series) was the third season following on from the demise of the SRO Group's FIA GT1 World Championship (an auto racing series for grand tourer cars), the second with the designation of Blancpain Sprint Series.

Calendar

The series started at the Circuit Paul Armagnac in Nogaro, France on 6 April and finished at Circuit Park Zandvoort in Netherlands on 11 October. Baku had been scheduled to host the final round of the season, but was replaced by Zandvoort for economic reasons.^[1] The seven-event calendar contained largely the same events as the previous season, with the addition of races at Moscow Raceway in Russia and Misano in Italy.^{[2] [3]}

Event	Circuit	Date
1	Circuit Paul Armagnac, Nogaro, France	6 April
2	Brands Hatch, Kent, Great Britain	10 May
3	Circuit Zolder, Heusden-Zolder, Belgium	7 June
4	Moscow Raceway, Volokolamsk, Russia	4 July
5	Algarve International Circuit, Algarve, Portugal	6 September
6	Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, Misano, Italy	4 October
7	Circuit Park Zandvoort, North Holland, Netherlands	11 October

Entry list

Team Car Drivers Class Rounds BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil^[4] BMW Z4 GT3 0 Ricardo Sperafico^[5] P 1 Rodrigo Sperafico Cacá Bueno 2–7 Sérgio Jimenez 77 Maxime Martin P 1 Dirk Müller Átila Abreu^[6] 2–7 Valdeno Brito^[7] Belgian Audi Club Team WRT^[8] Audi R8 LMS ultra 1 Robin Frijns^[9] P All Laurens Vanthoor 1–6 Christopher Mies^[10] 7 2 P 1–6 Enzo Ide 1–6 Nicki Thiim 7 Frédéric Vervisch 3 Stéphane Ortelli P All Stéphane Richelmi 4 James Nash P All Frank Stippler Phoenix Racing^[11] Audi R8 LMS ultra 6 Nikolaus Mayr-Melnhof P All Markus Winkelhock Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracán GT3 19 Alberto Di Folco S 6 Jeroen Mul 63 Mirko Bortolotti P 6 Patrick Kujala Nissan GT Academy Team RJN^[12] Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 23 Nick Hammann PA 4 Mark Shulzhitskiy Attempto Racing McLaren 650S GT3 54 Yoshiharu Mori^[13] PA 1 Philipp Wlazik Philipp Wlazik P 2–3 Fabien Thuner 2 Nicolas Armindo 3 Porsche 997 GT3-R Sergey Chukanov 4 Ivan Samarin McLaren 650S GT3 55 Rob Bell P 1–4 Kévin Estre GT Russian Team^[14] Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 70 Aleksey Karachev PA All Bernd Schneider 1–3 Christophe Bouchut 4–6 Indy Dontje 7 71 Aleksey Vasilyev^[15] PA 1–6 Christophe Bouchut 1 Marko Asmer 2–6 P 7 Roman Mavlanov 7 MRS GT-Racing^[16] Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 73 Craig Dolby P 1–4 Sean Walkinshaw ISR^[17] Audi R8 LMS ultra 74 Anders Fjordbach^[18] S 1–3, 6–7 Thomas Fjordbach 1–3, 6 Michael Markussen 7 75 Marco Bonanomi^[19] P All Filip Salaquarda Bentley Team HTP^[20] Bentley Continental GT3 83 Jules Szymkowiak S All Olivier Lombard 1–2 Tom Dillmann 3 Max van Splunteren^[21] 4–7 84 Vincent Abril^[22] P All Maximilian Buhk Reiter Engineering^[23] Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 R-EX^[24] 88 Albert von Thurn und Taxis P All Nick Catsburg 1–2, 4–7 Peter Kox^[25] 3 Always Evolving Motorsport Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 173 Craig Dolby P 5–7 Sean Walkinshaw Rinaldi Racing^[26] Ferrari 458 GT3 333 Norbert Siedler P All Marco Seefried 1–6 Jeroen Bleekemolen^[27] 7 Triple 888 Racing^[28] BMW Z4 GT3 888 Lee Mowle PA 2 Joe Osborne Fach Auto Tech Porsche 997 GT3-R 911 Martin Ragginger PA 1 Marcel Wagner

Icon Class P Pro PA Pro-Am Trophy S Silver Cup

Race results

Event	Circuit		Qualifying Race Winner	Championship Race Winner	Report
1	Nogaro	No. 3 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT	No. 3 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT	No. 77 BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil	Report
		Stéphane Ortelli Stéphane Richelmi	Stéphane Ortelli Stéphane Richelmi	Maxime Martin Dirk Müller
2	Brands Hatch	No. 1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT	No. 1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT	No. 1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT	Report
		Robin Frijns Laurens Vanthoor	Robin Frijns Laurens Vanthoor	Robin Frijns Laurens Vanthoor
3	Zolder	No. 1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT	No. 1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT	No. 1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT	Report
		Robin Frijns Laurens Vanthoor	Robin Frijns Laurens Vanthoor	Robin Frijns Laurens Vanthoor
4	Moscow	No. 88 Reiter Engineering	No. 88 Reiter Engineering	No. 84 Bentley Team HTP	Report
		Nick Catsburg Albert von Thurn und Taxis	Nick Catsburg Albert von Thurn und Taxis	Vincent Abril Maximilian Buhk
5	Algarve	No. 2 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT	No. 84 Bentley Team HTP	No. 1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT	Report
		Enzo Ide Christopher Mies	Vincent Abril Maximilian Buhk	Robin Frijns Laurens Vanthoor
6	Misano	No. 333 Rinaldi Racing	No. 333 Rinaldi Racing	No. 333 Rinaldi Racing	Report
		Marco Seefried Norbert Siedler	Marco Seefried Norbert Siedler	Marco Seefried Norbert Siedler
7	Zandvoort	No. 84 Bentley Team HTP	No. 84 Bentley Team HTP	No. 84 Bentley Team HTP	Report
		Vincent Abril Maximilian Buhk	Vincent Abril Maximilian Buhk	Vincent Abril Maximilian Buhk

Championship standings

Scoring systemChampionship points were awarded for the first six positions in each Qualifying Race and for the first ten positions in each Championship Race. The pole-sitter in the qualifying race also received one point, entries were required to complete 75% of the winning car's race distance in order to be classified and earn points. Individual drivers were required to participate for a minimum of 25 minutes in order to earn championship points in any race.

Qualifying race points

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	Pole
Points	8	6	4	3	2	1	1

Championship race points

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
Points	25	18	15	12	10	8	6	4	2	1

Drivers' championships

Cup

Driver Team NOG BRH ZOL MSC ALG MIS ZAN Total 1 Vincent Abril Maximilian Buhk Bentley Team HTP 8 4 DNS DNS 3 2 3 1 1 4 7 2 1 1 135 2 Robin Frijns align=left rowspan=2 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT DNS DNS 1 1 1 1 Ret 5 2 1 Ret DNS 15 2 127 3 Laurens Vanthoor DNS DNS 1 1 1 1 Ret 5 2 1 Ret DNS 109 4 Norbert Siedler align=left rowspan=2 Rinaldi Racing 4 5 10 Ret 2 Ret 2 3 4 3 1 1 4 DNS 95 5 Marco Seefried 4 5 10 Ret 2 Ret 2 3 4 3 1 1 92 6 Stéphane Ortelli Stéphane Richelmi Belgian Audi Club Team WRT 1 2 11 7 Ret 10 9 4 15 5 5 7 5 5 76 7 Átila Abreu Valdeno Brito BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil 2 2 5 3 7 2 13 13 4 4 9 Ret 74 8 Christopher Mies Belgian Audi Club Team WRT 3 3 9 14 9 Ret 5 7 10 7 3 8 15 2 62 9 Markus Winkelhock align=left rowspan=2 Phoenix Racing Ret 8 6 8 4 5 10^1 6^1 3 2 12 12 3 Ret 48 9 Nikolaus Mayr-Melnhof Ret 8 6 8 4 5 WD WD 3 2 12 12 3 Ret 48 10 Enzo Ide Belgian Audi Club Team WRT 3 3 9 14 9 Ret 5 7 10 7 3 8 44 11 Cacá Bueno Sérgio Jimenez BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil 4 4 7 4 4 Ret 7 Ret 6 6 8 10 40 12 Albert von Thurn und Taxis align=left rowspan=2 Reiter Engineering Ret 17 7 5 11 8 1 Ret 5 6 10 9 12 8 39 13 Nick Catsburg Ret 17 7 5 1 Ret 5 6 10 9 12 8 35 14 Maxime Martin Dirk Müller BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil 2 1 31 14 Craig Dolby Sean Walkinshaw MRS GT-Racing Ret 15 3 6 6 9 12 11 31 Always Evolving Motorsport 14 8 9 5 6 Ret 15 Marco Bonanomi Filip Salaquarda ISR 6 7 12 11 10 7 14 Ret 9 11 13 10 11 4 26 16 Rob Bell Kévin Estre Attempto Racing 12 13 5 3 Ret Ret 6 9 22 17 Mirko Bortolotti Patrick Kujala Grasser Racing Team 2 3 21 17 Nicki Thiim Frédéric Vervisch Belgian Audi Club Team WRT 2 3 21 18 Jules Szymkowiak Bentley Team HTP Ret 14 13 12 8 6 8 10 8 Ret Ret DNS 7 6 18 19 James Nash Frank Stippler Belgian Audi Club Team WRT 11 6 8 9 Ret DNS 11 8 6 12 8 13 Ret Ret 17 20 Max van Splunteren align=left rowspan=2 Bentley Team HTP 8 10 8 Ret Ret DNS 7 6 10 21 Tom Dillmann 8 6 8 21 Marko Asmer GT Russian Team Ret 13 13 DNS 15 13 11 9 15 11 10 7 8 22 Aleksey Karachev GT Russian Team 5 11 14 10 12 13 13 12 12 10 14 15 13 9 7 23 Roman Mavlanov GT Russian Team 10 7 6 24 Bernd Schneider GT Russian Team 5 11 14 10 12 13 4 24 Peter Kox Reiter Engineering 11 8 4 24 Aleksey Vasilyev GT Russian Team 14 9 Ret 13 13 DNS 15 13 11 9 15 11 4 25 Jeroen Bleekemolen Rinaldi Racing 4 DNS 3 25 Christophe Bouchut GT Russian Team 14 9 13 12 12 10 14 15 3 26 Indy Dontje GT Russian Team 13 9 2 Anders Fjordbach align=left rowspan=2 ISR 7 12 16 15 14 12 11 14 14 11 0 Thomas Fjordbach 7 12 16 15 14 12 11 14 0 Martin Ragginger Marcel Wagner Fach Auto Tech 10 16 0 Philipp Wlazik Attempto Racing 13 18 17 17 15 11 0 Michael Markussen ISR 14 11 0 Nicolas Armindo Attempto Racing 15 11 0 Olivier Lombard Bentley Team HTP Ret 14 13 12 0 Yoshiharu Mori Attempto Racing 13 18 0 Nick Hammann Mark Shulzhitskiy Nissan GT Academy Team RJN Ret 14 0 Lee Mowle Joe Osborne Triple 888 Racing 15 16 0 Sergey Chukanov Ivan Samarin Attempto Racing DNS 15 0 Alberto Di Folco Jeroen Mul Grasser Racing Team 16 DNS 0 Fabien Thuner Attempto Racing 17 17 0 Guest drivers ineligible for points Ricardo Sperafico Rodrigo Sperafico BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil 9 10 0

Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap

Notes:

• ¹ – Markus Winkelhock was unable to score at Moscow, because he did not share his car with another driver. His regular teammate Nikolaus Mayr-Melnhof had to go home just before the event started.

Pro-Am Trophy

	Driver	Team	NOG		BRH		ZOL		MSC		ALG		MIS		ZAN		Total
1	Aleksey Karachev	GT Russian Team	5	11	14	10	12	13	13	12	12	10	14	15	13	9	209
2	Aleksey Vasilyev	align=left rowspan=3	GT Russian Team	14	9	Ret	13	13	DNS	15	13	11	9	15	11			144
3	Marko Asmer			Ret	13	13	DNS	15	13	11	9	15	11			116
4	Christophe Bouchut	14	9					13	12	12	10	14	15			111
5	Bernd Schneider	align=left rowspan=2	GT Russian Team	5	11	14	10	12	13									92
6	Indy Dontje													13	9	34
7	Martin Ragginger Marcel Wagner	Fach Auto Tech	10	16													22
7	Lee Mowle Joe Osborne	Triple 888 Racing			15	16											22
8	Yoshiharu Mori Philipp Wlazik	Attempto Racing	13	18													16
9	Nick Hammann Mark Shulzhitskiy	Nissan GT Academy Team RJN							Ret	14							15

Silver Cup

	Driver	Team	NOG		BRH		ZOL		MSC		ALG		MIS		ZAN		Total
1	Jules Szymkowiak	Bentley Team HTP	Ret	14	13	12	8	6	8	10	8	Ret	Ret	DNS	7	6	164
2	Anders Fjordbach	align=left rowspan=2	ISR	7	12	16	15	14	12					11	14	14	11	138
3	Thomas Fjordbach	7	12	16	15	14	12					11	14			114
4	Max van Splunteren	align=left rowspan=3	Bentley Team HTP							8	10	8	Ret	Ret	DNS	7	6	77
5	Olivier Lombard	Ret	14	13	12											53
6	Tom Dillmann					8	6									34
7	Michael Markussen	ISR													14	11	24
8	Alberto Di Folco Jeroen Mul	Grasser Racing Team											16	DNS			7

Teams' championships

Cup

	Team	Manufacturer	NOG		BRH		ZOL		MSC		ALG		MIS		ZAN		Total
1	Belgian Audi Club Team WRT	Audi	1	2	1	1	1	1	5	4	2	1	3	7	2	2	177
2	Bentley Team HTP	Bentley	8	4	13	12	3	2	3	1	1	4	7	2	1	1	143
3	BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil	BMW	2	1	2	2	5	3	4	2	7	13	4	4	8	10	118
4	Rinaldi Racing	Ferrari	4	5	10	Ret	2	Ret	2	3	4	3	1	1	4	DNS	98
5	Phoenix Racing	Audi	Ret	8	6	8	4	5	10^1	6^1	3	2	12	12	3	Ret	60
6	Reiter Engineering	Lamborghini	Ret	17	7	5	11	8	1	Ret	5	6	10	9	12	8	58
7	ISR	Audi	6	7	12	11	10	7	14	Ret	9	11	11	10	11	4	50
8	GT Russian Team	Mercedes-Benz	5	9	14	10	12	13	13	12	11	9	14	11	10	7	41
9	Attempto Racing	McLaren/Porsche	12	13	5	3	15	11	6	9							37
10	MRS GT-Racing	Nissan	Ret	15	3	6	6	9	12	11							31
11	Grasser Racing Team	Lamborghini											2	3			21
12	Always Evolving Motorsport	Nissan									14	8	9	5	6	Ret	20
13	Nissan GT Academy Team RJN	Nissan							Ret	14							4
14	Fach Auto Tech	Porsche	10	16													1
15	Triple 888 Racing	BMW			15	16											1

Notes:

• ¹ – Phoenix Racing was unable to score at Moscow, because Markus Winkelhock did not share his car with another driver. His regular teammate Nikolaus Mayr-Melnhof had to go home just before the event started.

Pro-Am Trophy

	Team	Manufacturer	NOG		BRH		ZOL		MSC		ALG		MIS		ZAN		Total
1	GT Russian Team	Mercedes-Benz	5	9	14	10	12	13	13	12	11	9	14	11	13	9	236
2	Fach Auto Tech	Porsche	10	16													25
2	Triple 888 Racing	BMW			15	16											25
3	Attempto Racing	McLaren	13	18													19
4	Nissan GT Academy Team RJN	Nissan							Ret	14							18

Silver Cup

	Team	Manufacturer	NOG		BRH		ZOL		MSC		ALG		MIS		ZAN		Total
1	Bentley Team HTP	Bentley	Ret	14	13	12	8	6	8	10	8	Ret	Ret	DNS	7	6	164
2	ISR	Audi	7	12	16	15	14	12					11	14	14	11	138
3	Grasser Racing Team	Lamborghini											16	DNS			7

See also

• 2015 Blancpain GT Series
• 2015 Blancpain Endurance Series

Notes and References

1. News: Zandvoort to Replace Baku as Final Round. Marcel. ten Caat. 6 June 2015. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 4 July 2015.
2. News: Blancpain 2015 calendar includes Moscow street race and prize tweak. Codling. Stuart. 2 November 2014. Autosport. Haymarket. 2 November 2014.
3. News: Moscow Blancpain Sprint Series race forced to switch venue. 12 June 2015. Autosport. Haymarket. 12 June 2015.
4. News: BWM Team Brasil auch 2015 in Europa. 1 December 2014. Fabian. Stein. adrivo Sportpresse GmbH. 11 December 2014.
5. News: Nogaro kicks off exciting 2015 Blancpain GT Series. 27 March 2015. Stéphane Ratel Organisation. Blancpain GT Series. 28 March 2015.
6. News: Atila Abreu back to Europe with BMW Brazil Blancpain GT Series deal. Watkins. Gary. Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 26 February 2015. 1 March 2015.
7. News: BMW Team Brasil Confirms Expansion to BES, First Drivers. Wouters. Vincent. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 24 February 2015. 25 February 2015.
8. News: James Nash moves to Blancpain Sprint Series with WRT Audi. 9 January 2015. 10 January 2015. Watkins. Gary. Autosport. Haymarket Publications.
9. News: Frijns, Vernay Join Belgian Audi Club Team WRT. Wouters. Vincent. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 26 March 2015. 26 March 2015.
10. News: Mies Replaces Vanthoor in Zandvoort BSS Finale. Wouters. Vincent. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 8 October 2015. 8 October 2015.
11. News: Phoenix Racing in all 12 races of 2015 Blancpain GT Series. 6 March 2015. Stéphane Ratel Organisation. Blancpain GT Series. 6 March 2015.
12. News: Hammann Confirmed for Moscow Blancpain Sprint Round. Dagys. John. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 24 June 2015. 27 June 2015.
13. Web site: Nogaro Coupes de Pâques / Entry List. Stéphane Ratel Organisation. 30 March 2015. Blancpain GT Series.
14. News: 2015 Blancpain GT Series most competitive yet. 11 March 2015. Stéphane Ratel Organisation. 11 March 2015. Blancpain GT Series. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923191927/http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/sprint/news/398/2015-blancpain-gt-series-most-competitive-yet?filter_season_id=5&filter_series_id=11&filter_team_news=0. 23 September 2015. dead.
15. News: Алексей Васильев: Будем бороться за титул в GT Series. 12 March 2015. Motorsport.com. ru. 12 March 2015. Alexey Vasilyev: We will fight for GT Series title.
16. News: MRS GT-Racing to Enter Blancpain GT Series With Nissan. Marcel. ten Caat. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 25 February 2015. 25 February 2015.
17. News: I.S.R. Racing turning the page. 18 November 2014. ISR Racing. 18 November 2014.
18. News: ISR Racing Confirms Fjordbach Brothers for 2015. Marcel. ten Caat. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 27 January 2015. 27 January 2015.
19. News: Audi WEC driver Marco Bonanomi gets 2015 ISR Blancpain GT drive. 2 February 2015. 3 February 2015. Autosport. Haymarket Publications.
20. News: HTP brings Bentley Continental GT3 to Blancpain Sprint Series. 30 November 2014. Stéphane Ratel Organisation. 5 December 2014. Blancpain GT Series.
21. News: Max van Splunteren to Make Bentley Debut in Moscow. Marcel. ten Caat. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 26 June 2015. 27 June 2015.
22. News: Double programme pour Vincent Abril. Double programme for Vincent Abril. 19 March 2015. AUTOhebdo.fr. Grouppe Hommel. fr. 19 March 2015.
23. News: Catsburg, von Thurn und Taxis Team Up for Blancpain Sprint. Vincent. Wouters. 13 March 2015. sportscar365. John Dagys Media. 13 March 2015.
24. News: Reiter si accaparra Catsburg. Cortesi. Marco. 6 February 2015. ItaliaRacing.net. Inpagina. it. 7 February 2015.
25. News: Kox Rejoins Reiter Engineering for Zolder. Marcel. ten Caat. 29 May 2015. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 3 June 2015.
26. News: Rinaldi Racing Expands to Sprint Series. Wouters. Vincent. 6 March 2015. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 6 March 2015.
27. News: Bleekemolen drafted for Zandvoort BSS by Rinaldi Ferrari GT team. Watkins. Gary. 6 October 2015. Autosport. Haymarket. 6 October 2015.
28. News: Triple Eight BMW Joins Blancpain Sprint at Brand Hatch. Wouters. Vincent. Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 4 May 2015. 4 May 2015.