With the very successful inaugural edition of the 24H CIRCUIT PAUL RICARD already in the books, it is time for a well-deserved summer holiday now. However, after the summer the racing continues with the fifth round of the 24H SERIES powered by Hankook, the 24H BARCELONA on 4-5-6 September 2015 followed by the Hankook 12H EPILOG BRNO on 9-10 October. With more than a month to go until the 24H BARCELONA and already over 65 teams on the provisional entry list, the prospects for this year’s edition are looking good.
Teams can still submit their entries for the 24H BARCELONA. This is your chance to race at a challenging but beautiful circuit, also used for the Formula One Grand Prix, and at the same time visit one of Europe’s most popular destinations for city trips. Given the success of the 24H BARCELONA in 2014 with almost 70 cars on the startgrid, many teams are expected for Barcelona this year as well, so teams that want to participate are recommended not to wait too long. The order of entries accepted will be based on first pay first served principle. Last year’s race had a very strong entry with good competition in the various classes and the same is expected for this year’s edition.
MAKE YOUR PRE-REGISTRATION FOR THE 24H BARCELONA 2015
History of the 24H BARCELONA
The foundation stone of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was laid on 24th February 1989, thanks to the efforts of the Consortium made-up by the Catalan Government, the Reial Automòbil Club de Catalunya (RACC) and the Montmeló Town Council.
Five days after the official inauguration, on 10th September 1991, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hosted the first official race, the Spanish Touring Car Championship, with the victory of former F1 driver Lluís Pérez Sala. On 29th September 1991 the 35th Spanish F1 Grand Prix was held after seventeen years of absence in Catalonia.
Furthermore, 24 hour races are not unfamiliar to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Since the creation of the 24H BARCELONA in 1998, this spectacular race has been a mayor highlight ever since. The 16th edition of the 24H BARCELONA last year had a double entry in the history books. On the one hand, because it’s been the first time for Ferrari to win the race since its creation. And on the other, because for the first time, a team made-up of only two drivers was able to finish a 24-hour race in Spain.
Today, the Circuit has set itself up as one of the most modern sports facilities, serving as the venue for the most important motor sports events of the world such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Catalan MotoGP Grand Prix.
Closing the season with the Hankook 12H EPILOG BRNO
Although Barcelona is the next highlight on the agenda, preparations for the Hankook 12H EPILOG BRNO are already if full swing. For the first time, the 24H SERIES powered by Hankook will head to the Czech Republic to stage a race at the Automotodrom Brno. With already over 55 international teams on the provisional entry list, the anticipation for the inaugural edition of the Hankook 12H EPILOG BRNO (9-10 October, 2015) is high as well. The Hankook 12H EPILOG BRNO serves as the final round of this year’s series, in which teams have the last opportunity to obtain championship points for this season. Also, it is the continuation of the Epilog end-of-season endurance racing event, that has a long tradition as well.
For more than ten years the Epilogue on the Brno Circuit has been the final event in the endurance race calendar not only in the Czech Republic, but also in neighbouring countries. A six-hour endurance event, after the first two hours of which the last points in the Czech endurance championship are given out, it is a prestigious affair for the teams and it offers spectators the unique possibility of following automobile races to dusk.
The Epilogue in its concept refers to the tradition of endurance automobile events in Brno stretching back to 1950 on the old Masaryk Circuit. Endurance events returned to the Brno track in 1962 and after free international six-hour events in 1966 – 67 the old Masaryk Circuit was promoted to the calendar of the European FIA Cup for touring cars. The series soon received the status of European Championship, even so the endurance character has remained and will continue to do so. For motor sportfans in the Czech Republic, it is great to see the Epilog event continue, and now with a duration of twelve hours instead of the previous six-hour format.
MAKE YOUR PRE-REGISTRATION FOR THE HANKOOK 12H EPILOG BRNO 2015
