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

Josh Wakefield Confirmed as Driver for Advent Motorsport.

London. (21st Jan, 2010). The Trofeo Abarth 500 GB topped off a successful Autosport International Show in Birmingham last week with confirmation of a new driver in the series. 17 year old Josh Wakefield will run a new Abarth 500 Assetto Corse with Advent Motorsport.

The team already has commitments to run TV personality Vicki Butler Henderson who will be supported by Glyn Hopkins of Romford, Essex and James Blyth of The Brundall Motor Company, Norwich. A fourth car and driver will be announced shortly.

Andrew Crighton of Advent Motorsport says:

“Advent Motorsport are delighted to welcome Josh Wakefield as a team-mate to Vicky Butler-Henderson and James Blyth. We feel that Josh’s youth and enthusiasm will compliment the experience Vicky has from racing and her promotional and marketing expertise. Josh will also benefit from Jame Blyth’s race-craft, derived from two seasons in the Mini Challenge.”

“We believe the combination of drivers will provide a competitive package in 2010.”

Wakefield, from Essex was awarded the Saxmax Challenge Rookie of the Year in 2009 and has been tutored by BRDC member Chris Hodgetts. Josh tested the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse at the Trofeo series launch in October and has worked hard behind the scenes to get onto the grid in 2010.

Josh said:

“I am very happy and privileged to have the opportunity to be driving in the new championship. I am excited to be working with Andrew Crighton of Advent Motorsport and Chris Hodgetts, BRDC. I am also very pleased to have Vicky Butler-Henderson and James Blyth as team mates and am looking forward to some close racing this season.”

The Trofeo Abarth 500 GB is now gaining real momentum, with last week’s announcement of Zing Digital Media as a title sponsor of the series and former Clio Cup Champion Ben Winrow joining up to race in the event.

Championship Organiser Paolo Callea said:

It’s really great that Advent Motorsport can announce a four car line-up in the championship. It shows that there are drivers out there who have the budget to go racing in this series. Andrew Crighton has been very pro-active with the Trofeo Abarth 500 GB launch and test events and Advent are reaping the rewards of that commitment.

With four cars now confirmed, Advent Motorsport is convinced that the inaugural season will be good for the team. Andrew Crighton added:

“Having spent several years in the Mini Challenge paddock we are very excited by the breath of fresh air that the Abarth 500 Trofeo GB is bringing to the UK in 2010.

The announcement of premier venues, high quality race meetings and an excellent prize fund incentive for the drivers and teams has left us in no doubt that we have to be a part of the new series.

Vicki Butler Henderson has already been a huge asset to the promotion of the series and with her fantastically professional approach to every aspect of her racing we are very privileged to have her on board.

James Blyth is a highly talented and determined racer; he showed great promise in the Mini Challenge and the rise to the feature events on the Trofeo calendar is an excellent way to showcase his abilities. In addition it provides team continuity that we believe will enable our drivers to gather knowledge and experience from one another during the season.”

AutoSport International Show. (January. 15, 2010) – The Trofeo Abarth 500 GB is proud to announce Zing Digital Media as the Title Sponsor of the 2010 series. The UK based digital signage and real-time information company signed the sponsorship agreement at the Autosport Show in Birmingham earlier today. The signing was attended by Colin Herridge of Zing Digital Media; David Lewis of SCH Distribution, Peter Robinson of Abarth UK and Championship organiser Paolo Callea.

The agreement is a significant event for the new series. It confirms that the platform developed around the Abarth 500 Asetto Corse is attractive to all stakeholders including teams, drivers and sponsors. It is also significant that the title sponsor, Zing, is a non-motoring company.

Zing Managing Director, Colin Herridge said;

“This is a very exciting time for us. We have a new brand and, the business is growing so being involved in a highly competitive and performance based series such as the Trofeo Abarth 500 GB fits well with our business. We. and our partner, SCH Distribution, are all about delivering performance products and services and motorsport is a perfect marketing platform to demonstrate this… we are proud to be partnered with such a powerful brand and we look forward to a safe and successful season.”

Denis Baddeley, head of Marketing and Sponsorship for the Trofeo said;

“This is clearly a very important development for the Trofeo Abarth and we are delighted that Zing Digital Media has joined us. This is the first time Zing Digital Media has been involved in motorsport and shows that the Trofeo Abarth 500 Gb is presenting a compelling package for brands that want to be associated with the Abarth brand. With a fresh approach, great events and the motor racing history of this iconic brand combines to offer something new to UK motorsport.”

Paolo Callea, Series Organiser added;

“This is fantastic. We welcome Zing to our Championship and thank them for their support. This is a big step forward for us and shows we are creating something special. Being able to announce a title sponsorship deal before the start of our first season will give teams and drivers increased confidence in the series. With new teams drivers and sponsors being announced, we are looking forward to a great racinng season in 2010.”

Teams and drivers signed up for the 2010 Trofeo Abarth 500 GB will compete for a total prize fund valued at £40,000.

London. (Dec. 04, 2009) – Organisers of the Trofeo Abarth 500 GB are offering a prize fund for the inaugural season valued at over £40,000. The prize fund will be a combination of cash, equipment, trophies and an Abarth 500 car.

The championship winning driver will receive an Abarth 500 road car worth £15,000 while the winning team will win a race engine and gearbox valued at £10,000.

The series will also offer race by race prize money totalling £12,600. First place will receive £400 per race. Second place will be awarded £300 and third place will win £200. Winning teams will be awarded trophies on the podium after each race.

Many of the cars on the grid for the 2010 Trofeo Abarth 500 GB will be associated with Abarth dealers. The series will create a Dealer Trophy that will be awarded to the winning dealer.

Paolo Callea, Championship organiser said:

“We understand that the prize fund, along with the calendar, is one of the most important considerations for drivers and teams entering the series. We believe that this prize fund is competitive and will provide real incentive for competitors. The prizes that we are announcing today will be the minimum available. We plan to announce additional prizes as we confirm more details about the 2010 season.”

The Trofeo Abarth 500 GB will consist of 7 events, running alongside some of the biggest races in UK motorsport.

London. (Nov. 27, 2009) – The Trofeo Abarth 500 GB is excited to announce the highly anticipated 2010 calendar. The inaugural series will comprise 6 events in the UK and one European race weekend.

Interest in the new championship has been high since the official launch at Silverstone in October, and the announcement of the schedule will be followed soon by an attractive prize package.

Organisers have been working hard to create a calendar that delivers the best platform for all the stakeholders. To achieve this, the Trofeo Abarth 500 GB will align itself with MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR) and visit well known tracks including Oulton Park, Snetterton and Brands Hatch.

Many events on the calendar will have historical significance. The opening round at Oulton Park is one of the most attended events of the season and by being on the calendar we will be part of the official start to the UK Motorsport season.

The following race at Silverstone will be on the opening rounds of the FIA Formula Two Championship. Snetterton will be unique in the fact that it will be supporting the British Superbike Championship.

In July the Championship will be featuring alongside the FIA World Touring Car and Formula Two Championships on the Brands Hatch GP circuit. The Trofeo Abarth 500 GB will join the Trofeo EU for a combined grid that will offer a great spectacle.

Paolo Callea, organiser of the Trofeo Abarth 500 GB said:

Running our races with MSVR offers us events that suit the championship ethos. With this agreement we get to race at iconic British race tracks alongside well established national and international race series including World Touring Cars (WTCC), British GT and Formula Two. This calendar and the support of MSVR provides a great platform on which build the Trofeo Abarth 500 GB in its first season.

MSVR Chief Executive, Jonathan Palmer said:

“I’m very pleased that MSVR has continued its rapid expansion by adding the Trofeo Abarth 500 GB to its list of registered championships. Paolo Callea has already done a great job getting the Abarth championship off the ground, and with backing from Abarth, a strong calendar and expertise and support from MSVR I’m sure we will see strong grids and great racing in 2010.”

The provisional 2010 calendar is:

• 3&5 April Oulton Park (supporting F3/GT)
• 17/18 April Silverstone GP (supporting FIA Formula Two)
• TBC Snetterton (supporting BSB)
• 17/18 July Brands Hatch GP (supporting FIA Formula Two and WTCC)
• 24/25 July Silverstone GP (supporting Silverstone Classic, TBC).
• 4/5 September Brands Hatch Indy (event TBC)
• TBC Spa