An unchanged lineup of seven elite car brands that will compete for the 2022 Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS title.
The current campaign represents the fourth year of competition for the global concept and sees Ferrari and Mercedes-AMG as ever-present participants. Audi and Lamborghini will each embark on a third attack on the title after their debut in 2020, while BMW, McLaren and Porsche have committed to a second season.
The rivalry will reignite in a unique sports competition that rewards manufacturers for the success of their racing teams for customers in the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe. In each continental series, the best performing GT3 car by brand will earn points ranging from 25 in sprint races to 100 in TotalEnergies’ Spa 24 Hours. The scores are multiplied by the number of cars competing in each class to produce the final number.
The 2022 season will feature 29 global events, all of which are free to watch on the series’ websites, social media platforms and the GT World YouTube channel. The schedule consists of 10 rounds in Europe, seven in the Americas, six for the returning Asian series and another six in Australia. Participating manufacturers do not need to be represented on all four continents, but this will increase their chances of winning the grand prize.
That has certainly been the case for Mercedes-AMG, which will once again be the brand to beat as it looks set to take a fourth consecutive global crown. The German brand can count on a strong customer base in every series, which allows it to achieve consistent points around the world. However, it has not been easy at the top. Lamborghini proved to be a particularly strong competitor last season and the Italian brand will aim to do even better in 2022.
Audi Sport leads the early standings this year after winning appearances at Phillip Island (March 18-20) and Imola (April 1-3), which opened the Australian and European seasons respectively. Ferrari has had a slower start in 2022 but can rack up a huge number of points when the Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS season kicks off this weekend at Sonoma Raceway (April 15-17). The same goes for Porsche, which often did well in the Pro-Am class of the American series.
After finishing sixth last year, McLaren could be the big mover of 2022. The British marque is in third place after the opening rounds, helped by a significantly higher number of cars in Europe. BMW will start 2022 with a new model, the M4 GT3, and hopes to climb up in the standings. His effort will kick up a gear at the American opener, with a trio of cars confirmed for the trip to California.
This weekend’s Sonoma event kicks off a busy period for Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS, with Brands Hatch hosting the second leg of the European season on April 30/1 May. This will be followed by a trip to Magny-Cours on May 13-15, while Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS races on the iconic Mount Panorama on the same weekend. The Asian series makes its highly anticipated return with an event in Sepang on May 20-22, the same date that Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS makes its first appearance at the Ozarks International Raceway.
Stephane Ratel, Founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group: “I am very proud to confirm that seven of the world’s most prestigious automakers will continue to compete in Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS this season. The continued support of such talented brands, each with their own racing heritage, speaks to the unique appeal of this global competition. It also demonstrates the enduring power of GT3 racing for customers, a platform that remains extremely important to SRO. From a sporting point of view there is much to look forward to on every continent and I am sure we will see a fantastic battle for the worldwide Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS title.”