London. (5th Feb, 2010). The Zing Trofeo Abarth 500 GB has announced the confirmation of its inaugural calendar. The series will consist of six races in the UK and one in the iconic home of Italian motorsport; Monza.

Organisers have worked hard to create a calendar that is innovative and delivers real value for teams, drivers, partners and sponsors. The Trofeo Abarth 500 GB is breaking the mould by ‘cherry-picking’ events that will showcase the series to a large, diverse audience, running with premium events including DTM and British Superbikes.

Championship Organiser Paolo Callea said today:

“This is a great racing calendar for our first season. We are running alongside some of the most recognisable racing series in the world and at the same time we are trying some new things. We are really excited that we can offer our teams and drivers the opportunity to drive on six fantastic, different race tracks and be part of some of the UK’s biggest racing weekends.”

“The calendar is well spaced, and by racing with events like British Superbikes and the Silverstone Classic, we expose the series to a wide variety of motorsport fans.”

The first round will be contested during the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend from the 3rd – 5th of April at Oulton Park. Running alongside British F3 and British GT, the event signals the traditional start to the motorsport season in the UK.

Round 2 will see the Zing Trofeo Abarth 500 GB visit Silverstone on the 17th – 18th of April racing alongside FIA Formula Two. Competing drivers will get to push the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse to the limit on the new Silverstone GP layout, before the circuit is used for the F1 British Grand Prix.

For round 3, the series is excited to be invited to Cadwell Park from 22nd – 23rd May, to support the MCE British Superbikes. This event is one of the largest Superbike races of the season. Organisers of the Zing Trofeo Abarth 500 GB are looking forward to presenting the series to a large new audience and adding another unique track for drivers.

In June, from the 26th – 27th, the series will join the GT Cup Championship and Formula Palmer Audi at Snetterton. Drivers who have tested the Abarth 500 AC at Snetterton have enjoyed the way the car performs and the track promises to provide close, exciting racing for the 4th round of the season.

The 5th round of the Trofeo GB promises to be a memorable event. The series will run at the Silverstone Classic from the 24th – 25th July. The weekend will celebrate the long history that Abarth has in racing and pay tribute to the heritage of the iconic Italian brand.

From the 4th – 5th September, the 6th round of the Zing Trofeo Abarth 500 GB will join DTM at Brands Hatch. Organisers hope to create two championships in one by bringing together the championship with it’s European counterpart. The combined event will increase the number of cars on the grid and deliver a bigger prize fund.

For the finale of the 2010 season, the Zing Trofeo Abarth 500 GB will visit the iconic Italian motorsport venue of Monza. On October 23rd – 24th, fans will be treated to a ‘World Cup Final’ featuring drivers and teams from Europe, Italy and Great Britain. With a combined prize fund from three championships, the weekend promises to be a memorable finish to 2010.

Callea concluded:

“It’s great to be able to combine with the European and Italian championships and create a great spectacle for fans. Being able to race the new Abarth 500 Assetto Corse at Monza is a great tribute to the long racing heritage that runs through the ethos of what we are trying to create with the Trofeo GB.”

“With the calendar confirmed, we are looking forward to putting on a great show in 2010.”

The Confirmed Trofeo Abarth 500 GB Calendar – 2010

• 3/5 April Oulton Park (British F3/ British GT)
• 17/18 April Silverstone GP (FIA Formula Two)
• 22/23 May Cadwell Park (British Superbikes)
• 26/27 June Snetterton (GT Cup Championship & Formula Palmer Audi)
• 24/25 July Silverstone GP (Silverstone Classic)
• 4/5 September Brands Hatch Indy (DTM / Trofeo Europe*)
• 23/24 October Monza, Italy (Trofeo Europe / Italy / GB)

* Trofeo Europe TBC