1999 FIA GT Championship

The 1999 FIA GT Championship was the third 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 races featured grand touring cars and awarded a drivers and teams championship. The season began on 11 April 1999 and ended 26 November 1999 after ten races in Europe, the United States, and China.

Olivier Beretta of Monaco won his second consecutive FIA GT Drivers' Championship in 1999

Following the domination of Mercedes-Benz the previous two seasons, pre-season entries for the GT1 category were so few that the FIA and SRO chose to eliminate the class for 1999. The former GT2 class became the sole category of cars eligible for the championships, although cars from national championships were allowed to participate on an invitational basis at some events. Chrysler Viper Team Oreca dominated the championship for the entire season, winning all but one race en route to the Teams title. Olivier Beretta won his second-consecutive championship, sharing the Drivers title with teammate Karl Wendlinger, earning six of Oreca's nine race victories.

Schedule edit

For the first time in the history of both the FIA GT Championship and its predecessor series, the BPR Global GT Endurance Championship, a 1,000 km (620 mi) endurance race was not part of the season as the 1000 km Suzuka was dropped from the schedule, instead all races were held to a 500 km (310 mi) distance. The Japanese event was replaced by a race at the Zhuhai International Circuit, which the BPR series had visited in 1996. Dijon-Prenois was also not retained from 1998, replaced by the Zolder and Monza, which started the season. The series initially planned to retain the A1-Ring before the event was replaced by a second American event at Watkins Glen. The two American rounds were intended to be run in conjunction with the United States Road Racing Championship before the series was canceled in the summer of 1999, although American teams were invited to participate as non-scoring entries.

Rnd Race Circuit Date
1 Aprimatic Trophy   Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy 11 April
2 P&O Stena Line Silverstone 500   Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, United Kingdom 9 May
3 Hockenheim 500   Hockenheimring, Hockenheim, Germany 27 June
4 Hungaroring 500   Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Hungary 4 July
5 Castrol Belcar FIA GT   Zolder Circuit, Heusden-Zolder, Belgium 18 July
6 Oschersleben 500   Motopark Oschersleben, Oschersleben, Germany 8 August
7 International Car Races   Donington Park, Leicestershire, United Kingdom 5 September
8 Miami 500   Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, United States 26 September
9 Bosch Sports Car Oktoberfest   Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, United States 3 October
10 Zhuhai 500   Zhuhai International Circuit, Zhuhai, China 28 November
Source:[1]

Entries edit

Entrant Car Engine Tyre No. Drivers Rounds
  Chrysler Viper Team Oreca Chrysler Viper GTS-R Chrysler 356-T6 8.0 L V10 M 1   Olivier Beretta 1–2, 4–10
  Karl Wendlinger 1–2, 4–10
  Luca Drudi 3
  Justin Bell 3
2   Jean-Philippe Belloc All
  David Donohue 1–2, 8–9
  Justin Bell 2, 7
  Dominique Dupuy 3–4
  Marc Duez 5–6
  Vincent Vosse 10
  Roock Racing Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 Y 3   Stéphane Ortelli 1–4
  Claudia Hürtgen 1–4
  Adam Topping 10
  Robert Schirle 10
  Ugo Colombo 10
4   André Ahrlé 1–5
  Hubert Haupt 1–5
  Claudia Hürtgen 5
  Roock Sportsystem
  Michael Eschmann
5   Michael Eschmann 1–4
  Hugh Price 1
  John Robinson 1
  Paul Hulverscheid 2–4, 6
  Sascha Maassen 3–4, 6
  Ben Lievens 5
  Michel Meers 5
  Stéphane Ortelli 6
32   Raffaele Sangiuolo 2
  John Robinson 2
  Hugh Price 2
  Konrad Motorsport Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 D 6   Franz Konrad All
  Bob Wollek 1, 3–4, 6
  Mike Hezemans 2, 8–9
  Altfrid Heger 5
  Sascha Maassen 7, 10
7   Charles Slater 8–9
  Ugo Colombo 8
  Jesús Diez de Villarroel 9
  Peter Worm 10
  Batti Pregliasco 10
  Haberthur Racing Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 D 8   Luca Cappellari 1–9
  Michel Neugarten 1, 3–5
  Filippo Salvarni 1
  Angelo Zadra 2
  Patrice Goueslard 2–4
  Marco Spinelli 5
  Patrick Vuillaume 6–10
  Axel Röhr 6
  Raffaele Sangiuolo 7
  Paolo Rapetti 8
  David Kicak 9
  Rino Mastronardi 10
  Jacques Corbet 10
9   Mauro Casadei All
  Stefano Bucci 1–4
  Andrea Garbagnati 1–2, 4, 7–10
  Patrick Vuillaume 5
  Raffaele Sangiuolo 5
  Roberto Mangifesta 6
  Ivan Jacoma 6
  Massimo Cattori 7
  Marcos Racing International Marcos LM600 Chevrolet 5.9 L V8 D 10   Cor Euser 1, 3–4
  Mike Hezemans 1, 6
  Herman Buurman 3–4, 6
  Vincent Dupont 5
  Hans Willems 5
11   Cor Euser 5
  Herman Buurman 5
  Freisinger Motorsport Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 D 15   Wolfgang Kaufmann All
  Michel Ligonnet 1–7
  Bob Wollek 8–10
16   Manfred Jurasz All
  Ray Lintott 1
  Luis Marques 2
  Yukihiro Hane 3–7, 9–10
  Lance Stewart 8
  Chamberlain Motorsport Chrysler Viper GTS-R Chrysler 356-T6 8.0 L V10 M 18   Ni Amorim 1–7, 10
  Will Hoy 1–2
  Toni Seiler 2–7
  Vincent Vosse 8–9
  Xavier Pompidou 8–9
  Hans Hugenholtz Jr. 8, 10
  Michel Ligonnet 9–10
19   Christian Vann All
  Christian Gläsel All
  Hans Hugenholtz Jr. 2
  Bovi Motorsport Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 20   Attila Barta 1, 4
  Kálmán Bódis 1, 4
  Ferenc Rátkai 1
  Zoltán Zengő 4
  Paul Belmondo Racing Chrysler Viper GTS-R Chrysler 356-T6 8.0 L V10 D 21   Claude-Yves Gosselin 1–7
  Paul Belmondo 1–5, 7–10
  Marc Rostan 2
  Emmanuel Clérico 4, 6, 8
  Luca Drudi 9
  Dominique Dupuy 10
22   Emmanuel Clérico 1, 3
  Christophe Pillon 1
  Steffan Widmann 3–7
  Marc Rostan 3, 8
  Mike Hezemans 4, 7
  Alex Portman 5
  Jean-Marc Gounon 6
  Alain Filhol 7
  "Raël" 8–9
  Steve Pfeffer 9
  Werner Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 D 23   Francis Werner 2–5, 7
  Jacques Piattier 2–5, 7
  Philippe Auvray 2, 4–5
  RWS Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 24   Horst Felbermayr 1–7
  Horst Felbermayr Jr. 1–7
  Lister Storm Racing Lister Storm GT2 Jaguar 7.0 L V12 M 25   Julian Bailey 1–3, 5, 7
  Bobby Verdon-Roe 1–2
  Tiff Needell 1–2
  Jamie Campbell-Walter 3, 5
  Tim Sugden 3
  Andy Wallace 5, 7
  William Hewland 7
34   Mike Hezemans 3, 5
  David Hart 3, 5
  Ruggero Grassi Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 26   Ruggero Grassi 1
  Anssi Münz 1
  MAC Racing Porsche 911 Porsche 3.4 L Flat-6 27   Luciano Tamburini 1
  Ruggero Melgrati 1
  Ebimotors Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 28   Fabio Babini 1
  Massimo Frigerio 1
  Autorlando Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 P 29   Marco Spinelli 1, 7
  Fabio Villa 1, 7
  Gabriele Sabatini 1, 7
  BVB Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 D 30   Max Beaverbroock 2, 7
  Geoff Lister 2
  Martin Stretton 7
  Sunauto Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 P 31   Jean-Pierre Jarier 2, 4
  François Lafon 2, 4
  Michel Neugarten 2
  GLPK Racing Chrysler Viper GTS-R Chrysler 8.0 L V10 D 33   Vincent Vosse 1–7
  Didier Defourny 1–7
  Marc Duez 2
  Anthony Kumpen 4
  Jean-François Hemroulle 4
  Porsche Zentrum Regensburg Porsche 911 Turbo Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 35   Michael Trunk 6
  Bernhard Müller 6
Porsche 911 Cup Porsche 3.6 L Flat-6 36   Josef Jobst 6
  Klaus Gebendorfer 6
  Günther Kronseder 6
  Cirtek Motorsport Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 37   Robert Schirle 7
  Jonathan Baker 7
  Charlie Cox 7
  Proton Competition Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 Y 69   Gerold Ried 1–7, 10
  Christian Ried 1–7, 10
  Patrick Vuillaume 1–4
  Seikel Motorsport Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6 D 77   Richard Nearn 1–7
  Ernst Palmberger 1–6
  Nigel Smith 1–6
  Rob Wilson 7
78   Renato Mastropietro 1–2
  Claudio Padovani 1–2
  Raffaele Sangiuolo 1, 4
  Paolo Zanichelli 2
  Jacques Schwach 3
  Bernard Schwach 3
  Didier van Straaten 3
  Xavier Pompidou 4, 7
  Max Cohen-Olivar 4, 7
  Ruggero Grassi 6
  Christian Vogler 6
  Paolo Rapetti 7
Sources:[2][3]

Results and standings edit

Race results edit

Rnd Circuit Overall Winning Team Report
Overall Winning Drivers
1 Monza   No. 1 Chrysler Viper Team Oreca Report
  Olivier Beretta
  Karl Wendlinger
2 Silverstone   No. 1 Chrysler Viper Team Oreca Report
  Olivier Beretta
  Karl Wendlinger
3 Hockenheimring   No. 2 Chrysler Viper Team Oreca Report
  Jean-Philippe Belloc
  Dominique Dupuy
4 Hungaroring   No. 2 Chrysler Viper Team Oreca Report
  Jean-Philippe Belloc
  Dominique Dupuy
5 Zolder   No. 1 Chrysler Viper Team Oreca Report
  Olivier Beretta
  Karl Wendlinger
6 Oschersleben   No. 1 Chrysler Viper Team Oreca Report
  Olivier Beretta
  Karl Wendlinger
7 Donington   No. 1 Chrysler Viper Team Oreca Report
  Olivier Beretta
  Karl Wendlinger
8 Homestead   No. 21 Paul Belmondo Racing Report
  Paul Belmondo
  Emmanuel Clérico
9 Watkins Glen   No. 2 Chrysler Viper Team Oreca Report
  Jean-Philippe Belloc
  David Donohue
10 Zhuhai   No. 1 Chrysler Viper Team Oreca Report
  Olivier Beretta
  Karl Wendlinger
Source:[4]

Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each race. Entries were required to complete 75% of the race distance in order to be classified as a finisher. Drivers were required to complete 20% of the total race distance for their car to earn points. Teams scored points for each of its cars which finished a race in a top six placing.[5]

Points system
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
10 6 4 3 2 1

Drivers championship edit

Pos. Driver Team MON
 
SIL
 
HOC
 
HUN
 
ZOL
 
OSC
 
DON
 
HOM
 
WAT
 
ZHU
 
Total
points
1   Olivier Beretta   Chrysler Viper Team Oreca 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 78
1   Karl Wendlinger   Chrysler Viper Team Oreca 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 78
2   Jean-Philippe Belloc   Chrysler Viper Team Oreca 2 2 1 1 Ret 2 16 4 1 5 53
3   David Donohue   Chrysler Viper Team Oreca 2 2 4 1 25
4   Dominique Dupuy   Chrysler Viper Team Oreca 1 1 24
  Paul Belmondo Racing 3
5   Christian Gläsel   Chamberlain Motorsport 4 4 12 8 Ret 4 5 7 3 2 21
5   Christian Vann   Chamberlain Motorsport 4 4 12 8 Ret 4 5 7 3 2 21
6   Wolfgang Kaufmann   Freisinger Motorsport 3 6 5 6 4 5 Ret 5 4 4 21
7   Paul Belmondo   Paul Belmondo Racing 6 7 7 10 5 7 1 5 3 19
8   Bob Wollek   Konrad Motorsport 15 3 3 8 16
  Freisinger Motorsport 5 4 4
9   Vincent Vosse   GLPK Racing 5 3 Ret 13 14 Ret 4 16
  Chamberlain Motorsport 3 6
  Chrysler Viper Team Oreca 5
10   Ni Amorim   Chamberlain Motorsport Ret Ret Ret 4 2 3 6 10 14
11   Toni Seiler   Chamberlain Motorsport Ret Ret 4 2 3 6 14
12   Michel Ligonnet   Freisinger Motorsport 3 6 5 6 4 5 Ret 14
  Chamberlain Motorsport 6 10
13   Franz Konrad   Konrad Motorsport 15 13 3 3 6 8 3 Ret 11 Ret 13
14   Justin Bell   Chrysler Viper Team Oreca 2 2 16 12
15   Emmanuel Clérico   Paul Belmondo Racing Ret Ret 10 6 1 11
16   Marc Duez   GLPK Racing 3 10
  Chrysler Viper Team Oreca Ret 2
17   Julian Bailey   Lister Storm Racing Ret Ret 4 12 2 9
18   Didier Defourny   GLPK Racing 5 3 Ret 13 14 Ret 4 9
19   Luca Drudi   Chrysler Viper Team Oreca 2 8
  Paul Belmondo Racing 5
20   Hans Hugenholtz Jr.   Chamberlain Motorsport 4 3 10 7
21   Sascha Maassen   Roock Sportsystem 9 5 14 6
  Konrad Motorsport 3 Ret
22   Xavier Pompidou   Seikel Motorsport NC 12 5
  Chamberlain Motorsport 3 6
23   Mike Hezemans   Marcos Racing International 13 DNS 4
  Konrad Motorsport 13 Ret 11
  Lister Storm Racing Ret 3
  Paul Belmondo Racing 9 Ret
24   David Hart   Lister Storm Racing Ret 3 4
25   Claude-Yves Gosselin   Paul Belmondo Racing 6 7 7 10 5 6 7 4
26   Jamie Campbell-Walter   Lister Storm Racing 4 12 3
27   Tim Sugden   Lister Storm Racing 4 3
28   Stéphane Ortelli   Roock Racing 8 5 15 16 2
  Roock Sportsystem 14
29   Claudia Hürtgen   Roock Racing 8 5 15 16 15 2
30   Paul Hulverscheid   Roock Sportsystem Ret 9 5 14 2
31   Michael Eschmann   Roock Sportsystem 21 Ret 9 5 2
32   Manfred Jurasz   Freisinger Motorsport 19 Ret 14 17 7 10 9 6 8 6 2
33   Yukihiro Hane   Freisinger Motorsport 14 17 7 10 9 9 6 1
34   André Ahrlé   Roock Racing 11 Ret 6 7 15 1
34   Hubert Haupt   Roock Racing 11 Ret 6 7 15 1
35   Altfrid Heger   Konrad Motorsport 6 1
35   Lance Stewart   Freisinger Motorsport 6 1
Pos. Driver Team MON
 
SIL
 
HOC
 
HUN
 
ZOL
 
OSC
 
DON
 
HOM
 
WAT
 
ZHU
 
Total
points
Sources:[4][6]
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)

Teams championship edit

Pos. Team MON
 
SIL
 
HOC
 
HUN
 
ZOL
 
OSC
 
DON
 
HOM
 
WAT
 
ZHU
 
Total
points
1   Chrysler Viper Team Oreca 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 137
2 2 2 2 Ret 2 16 4 2 5
2   Chamberlain Motorsport 4 4 12 4 2 3 5 3 3 2 40
Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 4 6 7 6 10
3   Freisinger Motorsport 3 6 5 6 4 5 9 5 4 4 23
19 Ret 14 17 7 10 Ret 6 8 6
4   Paul Belmondo Racing 6 7 7 9 5 6 7 1 5 3 20
Ret Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret Ret 7
5   Lister Storm Racing Ret Ret 4 3 2 13
Ret 12
6   Konrad Motorsport 15 13 3 3 6 8 3 9 11 NC 13
Ret 12 Ret
7   GLPK Racing 5 3 Ret 13 14 Ret 4 9
8   Roock Racing 8 5 6 7 15 9 3
11 Ret 15 16
9   Roock Sportsystem 21 Ret 9 5 10 14 2
Ret
-   Haberthur Racing 7 Ret 8 12 9 7 14 8 9 7 0
14 Ret 11 20 Ret 13 Ret Ret 10 Ret
-   BVB 8 8 0
-   Proton Competition Ret 10 NC Ret 8 Ret 10 0
-   Seikel Motorsport 10 9 13 11 11 9 12 0
17 Ret 16 NC 12 Ret
-   Autorlando 9 11 0
-   Marcos Racing International 13 10 14 Ret DNS 0
Ret
-   RWS 12 11 Ret 15 Ret 11 Ret 0
-   Werner Ret NC 19 13 15 0
-   Sunauto 12 18 0
-   Cirtek Motorsport 13 0
-   Ruggero Grassi 16 0
-   MAC Racing 18 0
-   Bovi Motorsport 20 DNS 0
-   Ebimotors Ret 0
-   Porsche Zentrum Regensburg Ret 0
Ret
Sources:[4][7]

References edit

  1. ^ "FIA GT Championship Calendar 1999". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  2. ^ "FIA GT Championship Entry List 1999". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  3. ^ "FIA GT Championship - 1999: Entrylist". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "FIA GT Championship - Season 1999: Results". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  5. ^ "FIA GT Championship - 1999: Point standings". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Points chart: 1999 FIA GT Drivers Championship". FIA GT Championship. Archived from the original on 5 May 2006. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Points chart: 1999 FIA GT Teams Championship". FIA GT Championship. Archived from the original on 5 May 2006. Retrieved 21 January 2024.

External links edit