The series used extensive performance balancing and handicap weights to make cars more equal.

The FIA GT3 European Championship was launched in 2006[1] as a way to expand manufacturer involvement in motorsports as well as to help amateur drivers across Europe.

In the future, the FIA and SRO plan to not only expand the overall European championship, but also to help in the development of multiple one-make series across Europe, similar to the Ferrari Challenge and Porsche Supercup.

Following in the established name usage from FIA GT, the FIA's Group GT3 differs from its GT1 and GT2 counterparts by using more low-cost engineering and design elements in the development of the road cars to their racing counterparts, as well as attempting to make all cars equal by pre- and in-season performance balancing adjustments.

Unlike FIA GT1's GT1, the GT3 class cars are not allowed to be developed by their manufacturers over the course of a racing season.

Manufacturers simply provide a ready-to-race car to a customer and the teams are limited in what they can alter from production specs.

The Alpina B6 and Chevrolet Corvette Z06R were also dropped by the 2011 season, while the Ferrari 430 GT3 Scuderia was replaced with the 458 Italia GT3.

Each race requires one pit stop, where the team must switch between the two drivers, as well as change all four tires.

In 2007 the SRO and FIA have launched a similar championship, known as the GT4 European Cup, which features the same concept of using serial production sports cars, but with smaller engine sizes, minimum modifications and restrictions on the professionalism of participating drivers.