The Stephane Ratel Organisation has donated €50,000 (nearly $80,000) to the repair of Notre-Dame cathedral following a devastating fire which destroyed much of its roof.

The body which oversees GT racing globally, including blue riband events such as the Bathurst 12 Hour and Spa 24 Hours, the Stephane Ratel Organisation (SRO) has French origins.

Founder Stephane Ratel spent much of his youth in Paris, home of the Notre-Dame cathedral, while his organisation maintains an office in the French capital.

“Like so many others at SRO across the various continents where we operate, I was deeply affected by the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris,” said Ratel.

“In agreement with everyone in the company, I  wanted to do something to be a part of the reconstruction, which is why we have decided to make a donation through SRO Paris.

“While SRO is a global company with its main office located in London, France will always be our second home.

“Notre-Dame is a building of tremendous significance to Paris and indeed to the entire world. I hope that, through our contribution, we can be a part of a positive restoration.”

This weekend will see the opening round of the French GT Championship, and SRO run competition, at Nogaro in the south-west corner of the country.