OULTON Park will once more host the opening round when the Avon Tyres British GT Championship season starts at Easter.

Series organisers have planned two, one-hour races at the Little Budworth circuit for the now traditional curtain-raiser, this year on Bank Holiday Monday, April 9.

“I can’t wait for race one,” said championship manager Benjamin Franassovici.

“We’re confident the 2012 season will be our best yet judging by the unprecedented levels of interest we have already had.”

Details of the race format for each round were released today, Thursday.

The UK’s premier sports car series will include one, three-hours race along with a mix of two-hours and twin one-hour double-header race weekends.

A trip to the Nurburgring, in Germany, is a new highlight on the calendar.

Franassovici added: “We’ve decided not to meddle with a formula that is proven to work.

“Instead we’re adding to the series on and off the track as well as making clearer the regulations.”

Northwich-based Speedworks Motorsport hope to run their Corvette Z06R, piloted last year by driver pair Piers and Ron Johnson, for a second season after a challenging debut in the series’ GT3 class last time out.

Neighbours Chevron Racing Cars, from Antrobus, also unveiled a GT3 version of their GTC-class winning GR8 at the annual Autosport International Racing Car Show earlier this month.

Neither team has confirmed yet their plans for this term.

To date reigning team champions Trackspeed have announced a three-cars assault on the 2012 title, while Barwell have switched to a BMW Z4 after running an Aston Martin GT4 machine last summer.

United Autosports confirmed before Christmas that they intend to return with a single Audi R8 LMS.

Deadline for entries is next month.

Avon Tyres British GT Championship
Calendar for 2012
March 21 Media Day, plus three-hours test, at Silverstone
April 07-09 Round One, at Oulton Park (Two, one-hour races)
May 17-19 Round Two, at Nurburgring (Two, one-hour races)
June 09-10 Round Three, at Rockingham (One, two-hours race)
June 23-24 Round Four, at Brands Hatch (One, two-hours race)
August 04-05 Round Five, at Snetterton 300 (Two, one-hour races)
September 08-09 Round Six, at Silverstone GP (One, three-hours race)
September 29-30 Round Seven, at Donington Park (One, two-hours race)