If you’re reading this, you’ve likely heard talk about SRO. However, you may still be asking yourself, what exactly is it and why is it everywhere?
We’ll start with the basics. For one, SRO stands for the Stéphane Ratel Organization and makes up the largest global motorsports group in the world. Established in 1995 by the visionary himself, Stéphane Ratel saw a future with all forms of GT racing existing on an elevated plane to drive motorsports into the future.
After bringing this idea to the global stage, it only kept growing bigger and bigger from there, now consisting of sixteen international series. The SRO banner now spans across four continents, visiting top-tier locations in America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. Now that you get the big picture, it’s time to dive into the details.
Across all these series, elite manufacturers compete against each other in global championships. FIA homologated GT3 and SRO homologated GT4 cars go head-to-head, vying for the top spot in their respective standings. Points are scored from each round across all continents and combined to determine global rankings, and bragging rights.
Here in the good ol' U.S. of A., five different series are featured, with Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS leading the charge, joined by Pirelli GT4 America, GT America Powered by AWS, TC America Powered by Skip Barber Racing School, and Toyota GR Cup. The series run in tandem with each other across seven different race weekend events over the course of a season.
Now we’ll admit that we may be a little biased, but the American calendar is a true delight. The action kicks off on the West Coast at Sonoma Raceway, then goes to Sebring International Raceway, Circuit of The Americas, VIRginia International Raceway, Road America, and Barber Motorsports Park, before finishing off with the season finale at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Oh, and did we mention that the GT America Powered by AWS championship also makes an additional star-studded stop at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
In 2016, SRO launched the Intercontinental GT Challenge. This global road trip connects classic long-distance international races including the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour, the Nürburgring 24 Hours, the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, and the Indianapolis 8 Hour, forming a multi-faceted global Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS unified by standardized rules and regulations.
IGTC targets manufacturers, allowing them to nominate and support local teams in selected events to earn points in lieu of competing with their own cars directly. Evidently, the manufacturer with the highest points total gets the championship crown and all the glory.
But wait, there’s more! SRO’s global presence is also prominently displayed in the FIA Motorsports games, the racing world’s version of the Olympics, but with a lot more horsepower. The four-day extravaganza features 26 racing categories, including our beloved GT racing and touring cars. Launched in 2019, the games have seen impressive growth as they continue to expand into new disciplines.
So now that you’re up to speed on all things SRO, buckle up and enjoy the ride.