FFSA GT Championship
The FFSA GT Championship (French: Championnat de France FFSA GT), also known as the French GT4 Cup in its current form, is a national grand touring car racing series organized and sanctioned by the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile (FFSA).[1] Launched in 1997, it serves as France's premier competition for GT-specification vehicles, emphasizing high-performance production-based cars in sprint and endurance formats across circuits nationwide.[2] Since 2017, the series has exclusively utilized GT4 technical regulations, promoting accessible "customer racing" with Balance of Performance (BoP) to equalize competition among diverse manufacturers.[3][4] The championship originated as a revival of French GT racing under FFSA oversight, initially contested with GTS-class cars in its debut season titled Série F.F.S.A. GT - BPR.[5] Promoted by SRO Motorsports Group starting in 1998, it evolved through various GT categories, incorporating international elements like races at tracks such as Spa-Francorchamps and Monza, and introducing endurance events like the 500 km races at Valencia (1999) and Magny-Cours (2000).[4][2] By the mid-2000s, the series had expanded to up to eight rounds per season, fostering talent development and attracting teams with vehicles from brands like Porsche, Ferrari, and Corvette. SRO's involvement ended in 2010, but the championship persisted until their return in 2017, when it fully transitioned to GT4 rules to align with global trends in cost-effective GT racing and boost participation, averaging over 40 cars per event in recent years.[4][6][7] Today, the FFSA GT Championship operates as a five-round calendar, typically held from April to October at iconic venues like Nogaro, Magny-Cours, Paul Ricard, and Spa-Francorchamps, with events often supporting the GT World Challenge Europe.[1] It features multiple classes—Pro-Am and Am—divided by driver experience to encourage broad involvement, culminating in overall and category titles for drivers, teams, and manufacturers.[7] The 2025 season marks its 29th iteration, underscoring its enduring role in European motorsport as a pathway to higher-level GT series.[8]History
Inception and early development (1997–2009)
The FFSA GT Championship, officially known as the Championnat de France FFSA GT, was founded in 1997 by the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile (FFSA) to revive and standardize national grand touring car racing in France. Established by promoter Patrick Peter as a domestic counterpart to the international BPR Global GT Series, it replaced fragmented earlier French GT efforts, such as regional series and one-off events, by providing a structured national platform for high-performance GT vehicles. The series initially emphasized sprint-style racing with cars adhering to GT regulations, attracting manufacturers including Porsche, Ferrari, and Chevrolet Corvette, which fielded models like the Porsche 911 GT2 and Ferrari F50 GT in its early years. This inception marked a significant step in consolidating French motorsport under FFSA oversight, fostering competition among professional teams while aligning with emerging global GT standards.[5] The inaugural 1997 season featured six double-header sprint race events across prominent French circuits, including Circuit Paul Armagnac in Nogaro, Dijon-Prenois, Le Vigeant, Paul Ricard (Le Castellet), Albi, and Magny-Cours, totaling 12 races that emphasized driver skill and car handling over endurance. Races were typically 45-60 minutes long, with grids comprising around 20-25 cars primarily in the GT2 category, as GT1 entries were limited to international prototypes. The season highlighted intense rivalries, with Porsche dominating through teams like Larbre Compétition. Patrice Goueslard secured the overall drivers' championship driving a Porsche 911 GT2 for Larbre Compétition, clinching the title with multiple victories, including at Dijon-Prenois, while the team also claimed the teams' honors. This debut year established the series' reputation for competitive, accessible GT racing, drawing crowds and setting the foundation for future growth.[9][10][11] In 1998, SRO Motorsports Group assumed promotional responsibilities, reorganizing the championship to mirror the FIA GT Championship's structure with distinct GT1 and GT2 classes, which enhanced technical parity and attracted broader manufacturer participation from Porsche, Ferrari, and Corvette. This partnership, lasting until 2010, professionalized event organization, improved safety standards, and integrated the series into SRO's European GT ecosystem, leading to increased media coverage and entry levels averaging 30 cars per event by the early 2000s. Around 2000, the introduction of pro-am categories allowed pairings of professional and gentleman drivers, expanding appeal to privateers and boosting grid diversity without diluting top-class competition. By the mid-2000s, the championship achieved peak popularity, with prominent teams like Oreca (fielding Chrysler Vipers and Saleen S7-Rs) and Luc Alphand Aventures (competing in Porsche 996 GT3-RSs and later Corvettes) contributing to fields often exceeding 40 entries, underscoring the series' role as France's premier GT platform.[4][12] A highlight of the era came in 2005, when four-time Formula 1 World Champion Alain Prost entered the series driving a Chrysler Viper GTS-R for Exagon Engineering, partnering with his son Nicolas Prost in select rounds, which drew significant attention and elevated the championship's profile among mainstream audiences. The duo achieved competitive results, including podium contention at venues like Dijon-Prenois, showcasing the Viper's prowess in GT1 against rivals like the Saleen S7-R and Corvette C6.R. However, by 2008, the global financial crisis impacted the series, resulting in reduced manufacturer support and smaller grids—dropping to around 25-30 cars per event from prior highs—prompting cost-control measures and a shift toward more sustainable formats ahead of the 2010 transition to GT4-focused regulations.[13][14]Expansion and transition to GT4 (2010–present)
In the early 2010s, the FFSA GT Championship underwent significant modernization by adopting FIA GT3 regulations exclusively starting in 2010, which broadened participation and aligned the series more closely with international GT racing standards promoted by the SRO Motorsports Group. This shift from previous GT1 and GT2 formats increased average grid sizes by approximately five cars per event, fostering greater competition among professional and gentleman drivers while emphasizing sprint-style races on French circuits. By 2016, the championship's final year under GT3 rules featured seven rounds, culminating in overall titles for drivers Soheil Ayari, Laurent Pasquali, and Nicolas Tardif, who dominated in a Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 for the Sport Garage team. Laurent Pasquali tragically died in a racing accident in 2019. The period also saw growing SRO involvement, including technical alignments with the Blancpain GT Series, which helped elevate the French series' profile through shared Balance of Performance (BoP) methodologies and tire specifications. The transition to GT4 regulations marked a pivotal rebranding in 2017, when the SRO Motorsports Group returned as promoter after a hiatus since 2010, renaming the series the Championnat de France FFSA GT - GT4 European Series Southern Cup to enhance accessibility and reduce costs for pro-am and amateur entrants. This move prioritized lower-powered GT4 cars to attract a wider field, blending French tracks with select southern European venues for a total of six events, including Nogaro, Pau, Dijon-Prenois, Barcelona, and Paul Ricard. The format emphasized affordability and inclusivity, allowing teams to compete without the high expenses of GT3 machinery, while maintaining FIA homologation for competitive balance. From 2018 onward, the series evolved into the fully national Championnat de France FFSA GT - GT4 France, entering its ninth season in 2025 as the 29th overall edition of the championship. Key developments included the addition of semi-endurance races to vary event formats and boost spectator appeal. The 2020 season was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the calendar to five rounds—Nogaro, Magny-Cours, Paul Ricard, Lédenon (shortened), and a replacement finale—while adhering to health protocols that limited international travel. Post-pandemic recovery was strong, with 2023 marking a record entry exceeding 30 cars at the season's start, led by Alpine's A110 GT4 Evo securing the manufacturers' title in a highly competitive field. Looking ahead, the 2025 season comprises six rounds on prominent circuits, including Nogaro, Dijon-Prenois, Spa-Francorchamps, Magny-Cours, Paul Ricard, and Lédenon, continuing the GT4 focus with enhanced pro-am classifications. A notable announcement for future integration came in October 2025, confirming the Alpine ELF Cup Series would join the FFSA GT grid from 2026 under dedicated Pro-Am and Am categories, expanding the field with A110 Cup cars and aligning calendars for two seasons to promote French motorsport synergy.[15]Format and regulations
Race structure and scoring
The FFSA GT Championship in 2025 consists of six rounds held at Nogaro, Dijon-Prenois, Spa-Francorchamps, Lédenon, Magny-Cours, and Paul Ricard, with each event weekend featuring a structured program to facilitate competitive racing.[16][17][8] The typical weekend begins with two one-hour free practice sessions, followed by two 20-minute qualifying sessions that determine the starting grids for the two 60-minute sprint races.[18] Each race requires a mandatory driver change during a designated 10-minute window, typically centered around the midpoint of the race, to ensure both team members contribute equally.[18][8] Races commence with rolling starts, where the field forms up behind a safety car before accelerating to the start line, promoting safe and orderly beginnings.[19] Pit stops are required solely for the driver swap, enforced through transponder technology that monitors compliance; no refueling is permitted during the race to maintain sprint-style dynamics and safety.[18] The driver change must occur within the specified window, with teams penalized for non-compliance, such as drive-through penalties or disqualification.[8] Points are awarded to the top 10 finishers in each race using the standard FIA scale of 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, and 1, applied separately to overall and class classifications including Pro-Am and Silver-Am subcategories.[18] Additional points are granted for pole position (1 point from qualifying) and the fastest lap (1 point, provided the car finishes in the top 10).[20] Championships for overall, Pro, Silver, and Am categories are determined by the best eight results across the 12 races (two per round), discarding the lowest four scores to account for potential mechanical issues or strategic choices.[8] Pro-Am scoring remains integrated into the main classifications but emphasizes amateur driver performance within mixed crews. Safety procedures adhere to FIA standards, with yellow flags for incidents, blue flags for lapping, and full-course yellow or safety car deployments as needed.[21] Red flags may be issued in severe conditions, such as heavy rain, halting the race and potentially restarting it with adjusted procedures to prioritize competitor safety.[18]Vehicle classes and technical rules
The FFSA GT Championship has featured exclusively GT4-class vehicles since 2017, marking a shift from prior inclusion of GT3 and GT2 categories to focus on more accessible grand touring machinery.[3] These cars are derived from production models but modified for racing, with homologation managed by the SRO Motorsports Group in collaboration with the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium (RACB). Eligibility requires a valid GT4 homologation file and SRO GT4 Certificate, ensuring all entrants meet standardized safety and performance criteria based on FIA Appendix J Article 256 for grand touring cars.[3][22] Representative GT4 models include the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, BMW M4 GT4 G82, and Audi R8 LMS GT4, which deliver power outputs typically between 400 and 500 horsepower while adhering to minimum weights of 1,200 to 1,400 kilograms per homologated specification. These parameters promote close competition by balancing naturally aspirated, turbocharged, and rear- or mid-engine layouts, with no allowance for supercharging or hybrid systems in the current regulations. Higher categories like GT3 have been excluded since 2017 to streamline the series toward customer racing.[23][24] Driver categories divide the field into Pro (fully professional lineups, often Gold/Platinum-rated), Pro-Am (requiring one professional and one Bronze- or Silver-rated amateur driver), Silver Cup (semi-professional Silver-rated drivers), and Am/Bronze Cup (amateur Bronze-rated drivers) to foster broader participation. These classifications run concurrently, with separate scoring to reward skill levels while all cars compete together on track.[25][26][27][28] Technical rules enforce FIA Appendix J compliance for chassis, engines, and safety features, augmented by FFSA-specific measures such as a maximum noise limit of 100 dB(A) measured at 0.5 meters from the exhaust, exclusive supply of Pirelli P Zero tires in designated dry and wet compounds, and restrictions on aerodynamic modifications to preserve original bodywork profiles. Titanium and magnesium components are limited in certain areas, telemetry is prohibited, and all vehicles must incorporate SRO-approved data logging systems.[29][30][22] Balance of Performance (BoP) adjustments, overseen by the SRO GT4 Bureau, equalize competitiveness through tweaks to minimum weights, intake restrictor diameters, ride heights, fuel capacities, and aero elements, with reviews conducted pre-season, mid-year, and post-event based on data analysis. Annual homologation updates incorporate evolving standards, such as the introduction of Pirelli's P Zero DHG slick tire for 2025 to enhance grip and durability.[31][32][33]Circuits
Primary venues
The FFSA GT Championship has primarily utilized a rotating selection of French circuits in its recent seasons from 2020 to 2025, with occasional international venues like Spa-Francorchamps, emphasizing a mix of high-speed, technical, and endurance-challenging layouts suited to GT4 machinery. These venues host the series' semi-endurance races, typically spanning one to three hours, and showcase the diverse demands of French motorsport terrain, from Provençal elevation to Burgundian sweeps. The core circuits include Circuit Paul Ricard, Nevers Magny-Cours, Dijon-Prenois, Nogaro's Circuit Paul Armagnac, and Lédenon, each appearing multiple times across this period to balance logistical efficiency with competitive variety. Occasional French circuits such as Circuit d'Albi (2020–2022) and Circuit du Val de Vienne (2023) have also been used. Spa-Francorchamps has been a recurring international venue in 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025.[34][35][36][37][38][15] Circuit Paul Ricard, located in Le Castellet, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, serves as the championship's traditional season finale, hosting the SRO Racing Festival in October. This 5.842 km track features 15 turns, including the iconic 1.8 km Mistral straight that allows GT4 cars to exceed 250 km/h, followed by heavy braking into Chicane Nord. Its elevation changes and mix of high-speed sections demand precise setup for aerodynamics and cooling, placing particular stress on braking systems in GT4 classes due to repeated high-velocity decelerations. The circuit's technical layout rewards balanced cars, often deciding titles in close battles during the two-race weekend format.[39][40][41] Nevers Magny-Cours, in central France's Nièvre department, typically anchors mid-season rounds, such as in May or August, contributing to the series' endurance focus. The 4.411 km circuit comprises 17 flowing corners, with long straights like the 1 km back section promoting overtaking and testing tire degradation over longer stints. Its smooth, technical design emphasizes consistent pace and fuel strategy in semi-endurance events, where GT4 teams must manage wear on compounds suited to the track's medium-to-high grip levels. The venue's role highlights driver skill in linked corners like the Adelaide hairpin sequence, fostering competitive racing without excessive risk.[42][37] Dijon-Prenois, situated near Dijon in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, opens early-season events, often in May, providing a swift test of car handling post-winter. This 3.801 km layout includes 12 turns, dominated by the uphill "esses" – a series of fast, blind crests that challenge visibility and require committed entries for optimal lap times. Fast sections like the 800 m straight into the tight hairpin demand strong overtaking opportunities, though narrow widths limit passing, intensifying strategic battles in GT4 sprint formats. The circuit's undulating profile suits agile GT4 setups, emphasizing traction out of slow corners amid variable spring weather.[43][38] Nogaro's Circuit Paul Armagnac, in southwestern France's Gers region, frequently kicks off the championship during Easter weekend in April, setting the tone for setup adaptations. Measuring 3.636 km with 14 turns, the track is tight and technical, featuring short straights interspersed with chicanes and hairpins that test low-speed traction and mechanical grip. Its flat layout and variable southwestern weather often introduce wet conditions, compelling teams to fine-tune suspension and electronics for reliability. As an opener, it rewards versatile cars capable of quick adjustments, with the parabolique sweeper providing key passing zones in close GT4 fields.[44][45][15] Lédenon, nestled in the mountainous Gard department near Nîmes, closes late-season rounds in September or May, delivering high-stakes action on its compact 3.151 km anti-clockwise loop with 13 turns. The narrow, twisty path through a natural bowl generates significant elevation shifts – the steepest in France – amplifying risks in blind crests and off-camber corners like the demanding "S" de la Gare. This mountain circuit heightens close-quarters racing for GT4 cars, where minor errors can lead to incidents, prioritizing bold yet precise driving in shorter, intense races. Its role underscores the championship's emphasis on adaptability to confined, high-commitment environments.[46][47][38]Historical circuits
The Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, with its 4.18 km layout emphasizing long straights and high-speed sections, hosted rounds of the FFSA GT Championship from 1998–1999, 2001–2006, and 2012–2015, serving as a key venue for early-season testing of GT cars' endurance capabilities outside the 24 Hours of Le Mans event.[48][49] This circuit's configuration, including the iconic Mulsanne Straight replica, allowed teams to evaluate straight-line stability and braking performance under race conditions, contributing to the series' development in its formative GTS regulation era.[50] Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, a demanding 7.004 km track with 19 turns and significant elevation changes, featured in the FFSA GT Championship during the southern cup phase from 2017 to 2019, with recurring use in 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025, introducing international variety to the calendar while challenging drivers with its high-speed corners like Eau Rouge.[51][52] The venue's inclusion highlights the series' expansion beyond France in select years.[53] The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain, spanning 4.657 km with 14 turns and a mix of technical sectors, hosted southern rounds of the FFSA GT Championship in 2017 and 2018, where its layout tested GT cars' high-speed stability and cornering balance on straights leading into chicanes.[54][55] This period underscored the championship's exploratory international outreach before primarily reverting to a French schedule.[56] Circuit du Val de Vienne, a 3.33 km circuit with 14 turns and notable elevation shifts, was a recurring venue for the FFSA GT Championship throughout the 2000s and 2010s, including 2023, offering a technical challenge that emphasized precise handling and overtaking opportunities in its flowing layout.[57][58] The track underwent multiple safety upgrades during this time, including barrier improvements and runoff area expansions, to accommodate evolving GT car speeds and enhance driver safety.[59]Participants
Teams and manufacturers
The FFSA GT Championship in 2025 features a diverse field of manufacturers competing under GT4 regulations, with Porsche maintaining a strong presence through its 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport model, often fielding the highest number of entries across the season's rounds.[60] Porsche's customer racing program supports multiple French-based teams, contributing to grids where the brand accounts for approximately 30-40% of the cars in typical events, such as the four entries at the season-opening Nogaro round.[60] BMW follows with its M4 GT4 Evo, particularly competitive in the Pro-Am category, where it has secured consistent top finishes through Balance of Performance (BoP) adjustments that promote parity among brands.[61] Audi's R8 LMS GT4 has delivered reliable podium results, bolstered by factory-supported efforts, while Mercedes-AMG enters as a newer contender with the GT4 model, emphasizing privateer operations in its debut full season.[62] Aston Martin fields the Vantage AMR GT4 Evo through Mirage Racing, contributing to the grid's diversity. Ginetta competes with the G56 GT4 Evo via CMR, focusing on Pro-Am and Am classes. Toyota participates with the GR Supra GT4 Evo for Circuit Toys. Leading teams in the 2025 season include Mirage Racing, which fields a multi-car effort with Porsche and Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 Evo machinery, achieving strong overall contention through strategic driver pairings.[60] Team Speedcar has been a standout with its Audi R8 LMS GT4, securing multiple victories, highlighting the team's expertise in wet and variable conditions.[63] CMR operates a versatile lineup featuring Ginetta G56 GT4 Evo and Alpine A110 GT4 Evo cars, focusing on Pro-Am and Am classes with consistent points hauls. W&D Racing, a San Marino-based outfit with a French operational emphasis, campaigns BMW M4 GT4 Evo entries and has notched podiums in Pro-Am, adding an international dimension to the grid. The team landscape blends factory-backed programs, such as Porsche's customer racing initiatives that provide technical support and parts to aligned squads, with independent privateers like Vic'Team and JSB Compétition running Mercedes-AMG and Porsche machinery on tighter budgets.[64] FFSA regulations prioritize French-registered teams, resulting in a predominantly domestic roster, with over 80% of entries from French entities like Saintéloc Racing and Code Racing Development. The 2025 grid typically comprised around 15-23 cars per event, fostering close racing across Pro, Pro-Am, and Am categories.[65] Manufacturer involvement is enhanced by SRO's BoP system, which has leveled performance to encourage broader participation, allowing brands like Alpine—with four A110 GT4 Evo entries at Nogaro—to challenge leaders despite smaller fleets.[60] An announcement in October 2025 outlined Alpine's deeper integration into the series from 2026 via the Alpine ELF Cup Series, previewing potential hybrid technology explorations in GT4-compatible formats to align with broader electrification trends in French motorsport.[26]| Manufacturer | Key Models | Notable Teams (2025) | Entries (Example: Nogaro Round) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porsche | 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport | Mirage Racing, JSB Compétition, GPA Racing | 4 |
| BMW | M4 GT4 Evo | Chazel Technologie Course, W&D Racing | 0 |
| Audi | R8 LMS GT4 | Team Speedcar, Saintéloc Racing | 1 |
| Mercedes-AMG | GT4 | Vic'Team | 1 |
| Alpine | A110 GT4 Evo | Code Racing Development, CMR, Chazel Technologie Course | 4 |
| Aston Martin | Vantage AMR GT4 Evo | Mirage Racing | 2 |
| Ginetta | G56 GT4 Evo | CMR | 2 |
| Toyota | GR Supra GT4 Evo | Circuit Toys | 1 |
Notable drivers
The FFSA GT Championship has attracted a diverse array of prominent drivers, including veteran professionals who have achieved significant success across its GT and GT4 eras. Fabien Barthez, the former French international footballer and 1998 World Cup winner, transitioned to motorsport and claimed the 2013 overall championship alongside Morgan Moullin-Traffort in a Ferrari 458 Italia for the PRO GT by Almeras team.[66] Eric Debard, a long-time competitor since the early 2000s, secured the FFSA GT1 title in 2009 driving a Chevrolet Corvette C6.R for DKR Engineering and finished as runner-up in 2012 with Olivier Panis in a Ferrari 458 Italia, establishing himself as a versatile specialist across multiple GT platforms.[11][67] Anthony Beltoise, carrying the racing legacy of his father Jean-Pierre—a 1972 Formula One Grand Prix winner—co-captured the 2012 FFSA GT title with Henry Hassid in a Porsche 997 GT3-R for PRO GT by Almeras, marking his second consecutive championship in the series.[68] In the GT4 era, drivers like Ander Vilariño have brought international flair, particularly Spanish influence, through consistent high-level performances; the Basque racer competed prominently in 2017 for TFT Racing in a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR, contributing to the series' competitive depth during its transition to GT4 regulations.[69] Cyril David has emerged as a reliable Pro-Am contender, delivering steady results in amateur-professional pairings over multiple seasons, exemplifying the category's role in nurturing balanced lineups. Emerging talents from the FFSA's junior pathways, such as 2025 rookie Jodie Sloss, have integrated seamlessly; Sloss, progressing from karting and single-seaters, secured double class podiums in the AM category at Paul Ricard during her debut year with CMR in a Ginetta G56 GT4 Evo.[70] High-profile crossovers have occasionally elevated the championship's visibility, including Alain Prost's 2005 guest appearance in a Dodge Viper GTS-R for Oreca, where the four-time Formula One champion partnered with his son Nicolas to secure race victories and a podium at Magny-Cours, celebrating Prost's 50th birthday while showcasing the series' appeal to legends from other disciplines.[71][72] Such participations have bolstered the pro-am format, enabling amateurs to share the grid with professionals and fostering skill development. In 2025, the driver field reflects a balanced demographic of roughly 50% professionals and 50% amateurs across Pro and Pro-Am classes, with the FFSA talent pathway facilitating transitions from single-seater series like French F4 to GT racing for young prospects.[60][28]Champions
Overall winners
The FFSA GT Championship, launched in 1997, has crowned a range of drivers and teams as overall winners across its history, reflecting the series' evolution from GT2 and GT3 regulations to the GT4 format introduced in 2017. Early seasons featured intense competition among Porsche and Viper teams, with Larbre Competition emerging as a dominant force. The mid-2000s saw American muscle cars like the Corvette and Saleen S7-R challenge European marques, while the GT4 era emphasized Pro-Am pairings in more accessible machinery, leading to record entry numbers in some years, such as 2018's 40-car grids at select events. In the GT4 era, the overall title is awarded to the top Pro-Am crew, as the pure Pro class has been phased out. Season highlights often include format changes like the addition of Am classes in 2010 and the full GT4 transition in 2017.[11][2]| Year | Drivers | Team | Car | Season Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Jean-Pierre Jarier / Philippe Alliot | Larbre Competition | Porsche 911 GT2 | Inaugural season with BPR-influenced GT2 rules; 8 rounds across French circuits, marking the series' revival after earlier GT efforts.[9] |
| 2005 | Soheil Ayari / Éric Hélary | Luc Alphand Aventures | Chevrolet Corvette C6.R | Viper and Saleen dominance challenged by Corvette; season featured 7 races, with Oreca's Saleen also strong contenders.[11] |
| 2009 | Eric Debard | DKR Engineering | Porsche 997 GT3-RSR | Return to GT3 specs boosted entries to over 30 cars; Debard's solo effort highlighted amid Corvette and Porsche rivalry.[11] |
| 2012 | Anthony Beltoise / Henry Hassid | Almeras Pro GT | Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 | Ferrari's breakthrough year; 7 rounds with increased international entries, including GT3 class standardization.[11] |
| 2016 | Patrick Bornhauser / Laurent Groppi | Saintéloc Racing | Audi R8 LMS | Final GT3 season before GT4 shift; record 35+ car fields, with Audi's endurance prowess key in mixed sprint/endurance format.[73] |
| 2018 | Valentin Vanthournout / Simon Tirman | AKKA ASP | McLaren 570S GT4 | GT4 debut year with Pro-Am focus; 40-car grids at Paul Ricard finale, emphasizing gentleman driver pairings.[67] |
| 2024 | Gaël Castelli / Rodolphe Wallgren | CSA Racing | Audi R8 LMS GT4 Evo | GT4 era with 5 events; CSA Racing's consistency in Pro-Am class amid high entries. |
| 2025 | Stanislav Safronov / Aleksandr Vaintrub | Mirage Racing | Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 Evo | Pro-Am (overall) title secured at Paul Ricard in October; 28 laps per race format, duo's consistency in 45-car finale.[1] |
Class-specific champions
The FFSA GT Championship establishes distinct titles for its classes to accommodate varying driver expertise levels, as defined by the SRO's global homologation system, which categorizes racers from Platinum (top professionals) to Bronze (gentlemen drivers). This structure fosters equitable competition across mixed-skill lineups, with championships awarded separately for drivers and teams in each category at the season's end based on accumulated points from sprint races.[74] The Pro-Am class pairs one higher-rated driver (Platinum, Gold, or Silver) with a Bronze-rated amateur, emphasizing teamwork between experts and enthusiasts while adhering to Balance of Performance regulations for GT4-homologated vehicles. Representative champions in this category include Éric Trémoulet and Olivier Jouffret, who clinched the 2023 title with Vic'Team in a Mercedes-AMG GT4 after a hard-fought battle that saw them overcome early setbacks with multiple victories, including at key rounds like Lédenon.[75] Similarly, in 2022, Julien Piguet and Alban Varutti secured the Pro-Am drivers' crown for AV Racing in a Porsche 911 GT4 RSR, demonstrating the class's competitive depth through consistent top-three finishes across seven events.[76] The Am class is reserved for pairings of two Bronze-rated drivers, highlighting gentleman racing and providing a platform for dedicated amateurs to compete without professional counterparts. In 2023, Laurent Hurgon and Alain Ferté emerged as Am champions with the Alpine A110 GT4 Evo, securing the title through strong performances and multiple wins in a competitive field.[77] The 2024 Am title went to Matteo Salomone and Rudy Servol with AV Racing's Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, repeating their success through reliable strategies and avoiding mechanical issues in a field of over 20 entries. Introduced in later GT4 eras to nurture emerging talent, the Silver Cup features two Silver-rated drivers or young prospects, focusing on semi-professionals transitioning to higher levels. Enzo Joulié and Étienne Cheli won the 2023 Silver drivers' championship after a decisive double victory at Paul Ricard, driving for Matmut Evolution in a Toyota GR Supra GT4 Evo and capitalizing on rivals' penalties to seal the title.[78] In 2022, Roee Meyuhas and Erwan Bastard took the Silver Cup in a Lamborghini Huracán GT4 for a customer team, marking a breakthrough season with podiums at circuits like Magny-Cours.[76] The Silver class was discontinued after 2024, streamlining the series to Pro-Am and Am for 2025. For an overview of recent class-specific drivers' champions:| Year | Pro-Am Champions | Am Champions | Silver Champions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Gaël Castelli & Rodolphe Wallgren (Audi R8 LMS GT4 Evo) | Matteo Salomone & Rudy Servol (Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport) | Mateo Villagómez & Victor Weyrich (Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4) |
| 2023 | Éric Trémoulet & Olivier Jouffret (Mercedes-AMG GT4) | Laurent Hurgon & Alain Ferté (Alpine A110 GT4 Evo) | Étienne Cheli & Enzo Joulié (Toyota GR Supra GT4 Evo) |
| 2022 | Julien Piguet & Alban Varutti (Porsche 911 GT4 RSR) | Michael Blanchemain & X (Ginetta G56 GT4) | Roee Meyuhas & Erwan Bastard (Lamborghini Huracán GT4) |