Assetto Corsa Competizione is the official game of the SRO GT Challenge, and therefore includes the cars and circuits raced in it. This past weekend, it was announced that Nordschleife will be part of the 2024 calendar, and many have let their imagination run wild, thinking about its potential presence in Kunos’ simulator.
One of the world’s toughest endurance races, the ADAC TotalEnergies 24h Nürburgring, will become an Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli round next season.
The German event, which takes place at the fearsome Nordschleife for the 52nd time on May 30 – June 2, joins an Intercontinental schedule also comprising the Bathurst 12 Hour (February 16-18), CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa (June 27-30) and Indianapolis 8 Hour Presented by AWS (October 4-6).
IGTC’s calendars have always featured one event per continent but that changes a little next season when SRO repositions its halo series to encompass the biggest endurance races where GT3 is the sole or leading category.
And the ADAC TotalEnergies 24h Nürburgring undoubtedly features somewhere near the top of that list. Spa’s twice-around-the-clock enduro might draw more GT3 entries but its counterpart just across the border attracts an even larger crowd and poses a different kind of challenge on a far longer and narrower circuit.
Australia’s International Enduro kicks off the campaign two weeks later than usual in mid-February before Europe’s two 24 hour races – which are located just 90 minutes apart – take place in June. IGTC’s joint event with Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS then closes out the season in October.
The Gulf 12 Hours will not feature on 2024’s Intercontinental calendar. But a fifth event could be added to the calendar following consultation with GT3 manufacturers.
Stephane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group Founder and CEO: “Intercontinental was originally established to unite far flung GT3 races with no common connection. Yes, over time we have introduced new continents, but the events themselves must be worthy of the IGTC name to entice manufacturer participation. And in terms of GT racing prestige, few events can match the ADAC TotalEnergies 24h Nürburgring. It is an incredible event and undoubtedly one of the very best across all disciplines in world motor sport.
“Its addition to the IGTC calendar also builds on SRO’s existing partnership with ADAC. The behind-the-scenes collaboration stetches back many years and I am also a huge admirer of their 24-hour race – in terms of its spectacle but also the organisation. With Spa, Bathurst and Nurburgring, IGTC’s calendar undoubtedly includes the world’s top three GT3 races.”
Walter Hornung, Race Director of the 24h Nürburgring: “The fans of the Nordschleife can look forward to even more top teams from the GT3 scene. The field will certainly become even more international and the competition even tougher in the future. In addition, it is part of securing the events on the Nordschleife for us when more and more globally committed teams also turn their focus to the Nürburgring.”
The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa hosts round three of 2023’s Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli campaign this weekend.
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