The 2009 FIA GT Championship season was the thirteenth season of the FIA GT Championship for grand tourer cars competing in the GT1 and GT2 categories. The season began 3 May, and ended 25 October after eight races. This was also the final season of a combined GT1 and GT2 championship before the launch of the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2010.
Vitaphone Racing Team Maserati drivers Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini successfully defended their GT1 Championships, pulling clear of the rivals in the final two events of the season after a close battle with the Pekaracing Chevrolet team of Anthony Kumpen and Mike Hezemans. Bartels and Bertolini won races at Adria International Raceway and Hungaroring in the way to the title, a third championship each for the pair. With the assistance of Miguel Ramos and Alex Müller in the teams second Maserati MC12 GT1, Vitaphone Racing Team also secured the Teams Championship.
In the lower specification GT2 category, former Porsche Supercup champion Richard Westbrook won the GT2 championship, driving a Prospeed Competition Porsche. Westbrook won the title by just two points over AF Corse Ferrari pairing of Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander. Controversially Westbrook was split from his season long partner Emmanuel Collard at the final round, swapping cars with Brixia Racing driver Marco Holzer in a successful attempt to maximise Porsche's chances of defeating the Ferrari pairing. AF Corse, with the help of the teams second car of Álvaro Barba and Niki Cadei, did defeat Prospeed in the teams championship. CRS Racing driver Chris Niarchos was awarded the Citation Cup for amateur drivers.
Read more about 2009 FIA GT Championship Season: Schedule, Entry List, Season Results, Championships
Famous quotes containing the word season:
“The LORD will open for you his rich storehouse, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all your undertakings.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Deuteronomy 28:12.