The Bathurst 12 Hour race will be the official kick off for not one, but two international race series in 2018.
The race will once again be the opening round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge which next year will include the new Suzuka 10 hour race in Japan in late August.
The 10 hour race will replace the Sepang 12 hour race in the series. 
Bathurst will also be the opening race in the new Asia-Pacific 36 series taking in Sepang and another 12 hour race at Hampton Downs in New Zealand.
Stephane Ratel announced the dates of the new series in his annual “state of GT racing” address at the Spa 24 hours.
In a move sure to add to the ACO’s annoyance following the decision of Porsche to leave the troubled LMP1 category, Mr Ratel announced that the French round of the Blancpain endurance series is to take place at Paul Ricard on the same weekend as the annual Le Mans test day.
Blancpain GT Series 2018
Test days – Paul Ricard – 13-14 March
Round 1 (Sprint) – Zolder – 7-8 April
Round 1 (Endurance) – Monza – 21-22 April
Round 2 (Sprint) – Brands Hatch – 5-6 May
Round 2 (Endurance) – Silverstone – 12-13 May
Round 3 (Endurance) – Paul Ricard – 2-3 June
Round 3 (Sprint) – Misano – 23-24 June
Spa 24 Hours Test Day – 3 July
Round 4 (Endurance) – Spa 24 Hours – 26-29 July
Round 4 (Sprint) – Hungary – date and venue TBC
Round 5 (Sprint) – Nurburgring – 15-16 September
Round 5 (Endurance) – Barcelona – 29-30 September
Blancpain GT Series Asia 2018
Round 1 – Sepang (Malaysia) – 14-15 April
Round 2 – Chang (Thailand) – 19-20 May
Round 3 – Japan – June/July, date and venue TBC
Round 4 – Suzuka (Japan) – 30-1 July
Round 5 – China – September, date and venue TBC
Round 6 – China – October, date and venue TBC
Intercontinental GT Challenge 2018
Round 1 – Bathurst 12h – 2-4 February
Round 2 – Spa 24h – 26-29 July
Round 3 – Suzuka 10h – 25-26 August
Round 4 – California 8h (Laguna Seca) – 21 October
