A significantly enhanced prize structure will see Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS entrants competing for €2.5m during the upcoming season, an increase of more than €500,000 compared with last year.

The fund for the 2021 campaign includes a number of new initiatives that will provide even greater incentive to the teams and drivers chasing glory in the continent's most competitive GT championship. The recent addition of Fanatec as title sponsor has played an important role in this expansion, while also supporting the groundbreaking new esports series that will launch this term.

To be eligible for the maximum prize money, teams must enter the full Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS season by competing in both the Endurance Cup and Sprint Cup. Should they meet this criteria, the overall race winners at Endurance events will claim €20,000 in prize money. The same amount will be awarded to the Silver Cup and Pro-Am class victors, while the Am Cup winners will take home €15,000.

What's more, prize money for full-season overall and Silver Cup contenders now extends to sixth place at Endurance events, doubling the number of crews that can score. As in previous years, the top-three Pro-Am and Am Cup finishers will continue to earn prize money.

A new development for 2021 will see teams contesting the full Endurance Cup schedule, either for overall or Silver Cup honours, become eligible for prize money for the first time. This will be available if they finish in the top three, with a maximum of €10,000 for a win.

In the Sprint Cup, prize money will once again be available to entrants contesting the full Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS schedule and will be awarded to those finishing on the overall podium, as well as the top-three in the Silver Cup, Pro-Am and Am Cup categories.

Another fresh initiative for the 2021 campaign will see prize money on offer for teams competing in the pioneering new esports races that will take place alongside Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS Endurance Cup rounds. Featuring one entrant from each Pro and Silver Cup team, the top-three finishers overall and among the Silver contenders will earn €6,000, €4,000 and €2,500 respectively, while also scoring points towards their Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS teams’ championship.

In addition to prize money, full-season Silver Cup entrants will once again be able to earn free sets of Pirelli tyres this term. The allocation depends on the event, with a maximum of 14 sets awarded to the winners of the Total 24 Hours of Spa. What’s more, the Sean Edwards Trophy, presented to a GT4 driver under the age of 21 who has shown outstanding attributes, will receive 20 sets of Pirelli tyres to support their progression to Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS.

This adds a further €430,000 to the prize fund, bringing the grand total for 2021 to more than €2.5m. Preparations for the new season will officially begin at the traditional Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS test days at Circuit Paul Ricard. The championship will be staged over 10 rounds split equally between the Sprint Cup and Endurance Cup, with the latter featuring the iconic Total 24 Hours of Spa as its centrepiece event.