Win at America, go to Azerbaijan

Pirelli World Challenge had a huge rise in popularity in 2014, mostly given to the fact that the American sprint series started to accept GT3 spec cars on its races. But this can be seen as the start of a bigger thing, as the PWC is now starting to expand its plans. And the first step is cooperation with the SRO-promoted Blancpain Sprint Series.

PWC CEO and free-time racer Scott Bove declared to Sportscar365 that from 2015 onwards the best three GT class teams will be able to participate in the BSS season finale, the Baku World Challenge, held at the streets of the Azerbaijan capital.

There’s nothing new in the Baku World Challenge accepting entries from other GT3 based series, like the British GT, ADAC GT Masters, International GT Open and many others, as the race always invite the best teams from these series, which in fast really boosts the grid for the event.

Bove told the deal with SRO came as Pirelli is the common tire partner of the two series, and he sees the invite for Baku as an opportunity to expand the worldwide fan base of Pirelli World Challenge. PWC will cover the travel costs for the invited teams, but in fact the entrants will have to be set with the BSS rule of two drivers per car.

As part of Bove’s plans for the series, an overseas one-off race is expected to be held with the 2016 season best 20 GT class full-time drivers and teams. WC Vision started discussing with the PWC teams the best way to make the event, which is certain to keep the 50-minute double-header format, and venues to be considered include locations at Australia, Middle East and Europe.

OWNER NOTES:

Congratulations to PWC and Scott Bove for the vision towards the future. Most of the steps given in the 2014 season were correct, and the fans expect to be like this for the years to come.

About the overseas race, I have to agree with some fans that declared that South America deserved that one-off, especially Argentina. The people there loves auto racing, and there are good venues to receive a World Challenge event. My suggestion? Potrero de los Funes. Not because I'm at South America. It's because the circuit is the best for a one-off or an eventual season finale.

PHOTOS: Blancpain GT Series, Pirelli World Challenge