2024.03.12

【2024 SUPER GT Regulation Revisions】 Details of the new official qualifying “Combined time format” announced

　Please note that this Bulletin has been edited by the SUPERGT.net editorial staff for the general public. For accurate official explanations, please refer to the Bulletin No.07-S and the 2024 Sporting Regulations.
*The photographs shown here are merely images for illustrating the article and are not directly related to the actual contents.

　Both the GT500 and GT300 classes will adopt the Combined time format. As with the qualifying until now two different drivers will drive in Q1 and Q2.
　Note that if two cars finish with the same Combined time, the car with the faster time in Q2 will be ranked higher. If the time in Q2 is the same for both cars, the car that first recorded the time in question will be ranked higher.

　Only one set of tires can be used through Q1 and Q2, and this one set cannot be changed during the qualifying sessions. This tire set used through the qualifying will also be the set that each team starts the race with.
*One set consists of four previously marked tires.
*In a case where some form of trouble makes a tire unusable, one tire only can be changed before the final race. If two or more tires are unusable, the car will make a pit start after changing the damaged tires in front of the team pit after the start of the race for the class involved has been signaled.

○ Dividing the groups: The GT300 class is divided into two groups, Group A and Group B.
　Based on the team standings up until the previous round, the team with an odd numbered standing went to Group A and the teams with even numbered standings to Group B, and the order the in which the groups would run was decided by lottery. As for the first round of the season the decisions were made by GTA based on things like the previous season’s series rankings. This was how things were done in the past.
　In the GT500 class, all cars ran in Q1, as it was long done in the past.

○ Running time: First, the first group of the GT300 class runs for 10 minutes. After an interval of eight minutes, the second group also runs for 10 minutes.
　After the running of the GT300 class Q1, there was a six-minute interval before the GT500 class’s 10-minute session.

○ Dividing the groups: The GT300 Q2 is run by two groups divided based on the results of Q1.
　Q2 Group 1 (Upper 16): The top 8 cars each from Groups A and B, totaling 16 cars.
　Q2 Group 2 (Lower 17): All cars finishing from 9th downward from Groups A and B
　In the GT500 class all cars run in Q2.

○ Running time: The GT300 class Q2 Group 1 runs for eight minutes. After an interval of eight minutes, the Q2 Group 2 also runs for eight minutes.
　After the GT300 class Q2 runs, there is an interval of six minutes before the GT500 class runs for eight minutes.

　 The car(s) cited as the cause of a Red Flag stoppage cannot run after the session in question has been restarted. Also, the car’s best time in the session in question will be disqualified and its second-best time will be used.
*Formerly, all of the times from the session in question were disqualified.

　In the GT300 class “Q1/Q2 Combined time” format, the top 12 cars in Q2 of Group 1 and the cars from 5th-place down in Group 2 are placed from 21st place downward in the order.
　The “Q1/Q2 Combined time” of the top four cars in Group 1 and the top four cars in Group 2 are compared and based on their order of Combined time speed their qualifying order position is interchanged with the cars in (13th - 20th) position.
　

　The top three times in the two Groups is averaged and the cars that can’t clear 107% of that average and cars that weren’t able to run in the qualifying sessions are dropped to the bottom of the qualifying order. However, this rule doesn’t apply in wet track conditions.
　Note that at the start of the final race they take positions on the starting grid, but they must return to the pit after one lap and then wait until the start is signaled before entering the track.
　When there are a number of cars in this position, they will be allotted a grid position based on the following factors.
1) Cars that can’t clear the standard time: If there are a number of cars in this condition, they are allotted grid positions based on the Q1/Q2 Combined time.
2) Cars that ran in Q1 but not Q2: If there are a number of cars in this condition, they are allotted grid positions in the order of their best time in Q1.
3) Cars that didn’t run in Q1 but ran in Q2: If there are a number of cars in this condition, they are allotted grid positions in the order of their best time in Q2.
4) Cars that didn’t run in either Q1 or Q2: If there are a number of cars in this condition, they are allotted grid positions in the order of their best time in the qualifying.

　If Wet conditions are declared (wet track from rain, etc., or condition where wet-use tires are allowed) before or during the qualifying sessions, the following will apply.
　For the GT300 class, as with Dry conditions, the participants in Group 1 and Group 2 will be selected based on the times in Q1. However, the Q1/Q2 Combined times will not be used, and the qualifying order will be decided based on the times from Q2 only. Note that the “Special order switching rule” will not be applied.
　In the GT500 class, as with Dry conditions, the qualifying order will be decided based on the Q1/Q2 Combine times.

　Series points are given to both drivers of the teams finishing in the top three. The points allotted are 1st-place: 3 pts., 2nd-place: 2 pts., 3rd-place: 1 pt.
　Even in for the official record, pole position points will count for the two drivers that drove in Q1 and Q2.
　*Until now, the official record for pole position has gone only to the one driver who recorded the top time in Q2.