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18-20 October date set for final FIA GT Series round

SRO Motorsports Group has announced today the venue of Baku in Azerbaijan as the 2013 FIA GT Series season finale. The race will take place on the weekend of 18-20 October and will be billed as the first-ever Baku World Challenge event. The penultimate round of the 2013 FIA GT Series at Navarra will now take place on 28-29 September.

A full grid of spectacular GT3 cars will line up on a newly designed 4-kilometre long street-circuit, which stretches along the Caspian Sea, creating a magnificent backdrop to the race.

Invitations by the Baku World Challenge will be strictly limited to 30 cars, selected as follows in priority of order:

- 2 guest cars at the discretion of the Event Promoter
- all cars taking part in the last three rounds of the FIA GT Series prior to the Baku round
- the winning team from the Gentlemen Trophy in the 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series*
- the winning team from the 2013 British GT Championship*
- the winning team from the Pro Am Class in the 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series*
- the winning team from the Pro Class in the 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series*

* Unless already selected

The teams racing in the first-ever Baku World Challenge weekend will be racing for a stunning prize fund of €175,000, that will distributed by the Host City of Baku as €100.000 for the overall winning team in the Main race, €50.000 for the 2nd placed team and €25.000 for 3rd placed team. All teams will also benefit from a €20.000 starting prize package in addition to air freight costs, plane tickets, hotel and catering costs.

The Baku World Challenge is set to be a dynamic, thrilling and totally unique event that will reward true racing excellence for the competitors while providing an unforgettable occasion for the residents of the vibrant city of Baku.

As well as the exciting final round of the 2013 FIA GT Series, the roar of F1 engines will also reverberate around the Baku streets, as a grid of F1 cars from the period from 1966 to 1985 will provide more spectacular action.

Quotes

Stephane Ratel, Founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group:

"Completing the first season of the FIA GT Series with such a spectacular event will be a well-deserved reward for our regular competitors. We are also pleased to offer winners from other SRO-promoted series the possibility to join our regular entrants at this new fixture. All the SRO team is enthusiastic to discover a fast-growing city like Baku.

"We are delighted to be working with our long-term associate from the Total Spa 24 Hours, Jean-Francois Chaumont, along with his team and partner for this special event."

Jean-François Chaumont and Renaud Jeanfils, Event Promoters Baku World Challenge:

"The circuit for the first Baku World Challenge race will be a high-speed street circuit that will have a very special appeal for the competitors. Part of the circuit will pass close to the famous Crystal Hall, which hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012. This distinctive building will also stage a concert on the Sunday evening with an international artist to be announced soon. Together with the FIA GT Series, we look forward to building up a truly global event on a long-term basis."