Motorsport: Halliday chasing world glory

Matt Halliday (No 8) is excited to get this opportunity with a Porsche team. Photo / Supplied

New Zealand racing driver Matt Halliday has signed to drive in the FIA GT1 world championship for the Exim Bank Team China Porsche outfit.

The two-car team will contest the championship in the new 2012 Porsche GT3 Cup R against the world's top manufacturers and drivers in the high profile sports car category.

Other manufacturers to have signed up to the series include Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini, Audi, BMW, Aston Martin, Ford and Mercedes to make it one of the high-quality tin-top classes in the world.

The series was instigated by Stephane Ratel (SRO Motorsports Group founder) and joins Formula One, the World Rally Championship and the World Touring Car Championship as an official FIA world title challenge.

It was the opportunity to chase a world title that attracted Halliday to the series, on top of being able to travel to, and compete on, some of the most spectacular and interesting race circuits in the world.

"Sometimes people wonder what I've been doing up in this part of the world (America) but I keep busy trying to find quality drives," Halliday told Driven as he prepared to leave for Europe.

"This is a championship I really, really wanted to be in and you have to be where the manufacturers are. The GT1 championship is now in its third year and there are more manufacturers involved than ever.

"To compete in an International FIA world championship that also features professional drivers and teams indicates this is a series that will become huge in years to come.

"To get this opportunity with a Porsche team and remain with a manufacturer I know well is extremely exciting."

Over the years, Halliday has been one of New Zealand's more successful international race car drivers having raced to great success in A1GP, was rookie of the year in the Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup, New Zealand Porsche GT3 and also raced V8 Supercars.

Added to this, he also raced in Indy Lights, Formula V6 Euroseries and Champcar to name but a few more. He has pedigree and that was something not lost on FIA GT1 World Championship principal Ratel.

"We are very excited to have someone like Matt join the FIA GT1 world championship as he has a background in the sport that has seen him in so many different cars and championships worldwide," said Ratel. "We therefore look forward to him showing what he can do in our series for the Exim Bank Team China Porsche team."

Halliday would have been happy to drive any one of the manufacturers' cars but is pleased he's going to be piloting a car he's very familiar with.