2024.08.04

【2024Regulation Revision】 From Round 5 the Qualifying Format is Revised: The tires now come in two sets that can be combined freely. For GT300 Q1 the divided groups and the Special Place Switching Rule are eliminated.

　GTA has announced a revision of the Official Qualifying format in an official bulletin released on August 4th. This revision will be adopted from Round 5 of the series at Suzuka. The main changes in the format are stated below.

 

*Please also see below:
【2024 SUPER GT Regulation Revisions】
【2024 SUPER GT New Regulations】 Qualifying Session Time Lengths and Reserve Driver System Revisions Announced
【2024 SUPER GT Regulation Revisions】 Revisions in the minimum qualifying lap time, etc., 」
 

 

 

　Both the GT500 and GT300 classes will be run on a Combined Time Format. Different drivers will drive in Q1 and Q2.
　　* No change is adopted here.

 

 

 

 

　The number of tire sets (1 set = 4 tires) that can be brought in for use during each race week is specified in terms of sets of dry-use and wet-use tires.
　* The limitation to one set for the entire qualifying has been eliminated.

 

 

 

 

　The tire used to start the race will be chosen by lottery after the qualifying from among the marked tires for the qualifying.
　　*The existing rule of “Starting the race with the one set of tires used in the qualifying” has been revised.

 

 

 

 

　The dividing of GT300 contestants into two groups for Q1 has been eliminated. The dividing into groups for Q2 will be continued with division into two groups, the Upper 14 and the Lower 15.
　　*The existing rule of dividing contestants for Q1 into two groups based on team standing will be eliminated. The dividing of contestants for Q2 into Upper 16 and Lower 17 groups has been revised.

 

 

 

 

　The lengths for each session are as shown below.

GT500 Class	Q1: 10 minutes
	Q2: 10 minutes
GT300 Class	Q1: 20 minutes
	Q2：10 minutes for each group

　* Only the length of the GT300 Q1 is changed

 

 

 

 

　The Qualifying Time Standard for Q1 and Q2 is to be 107% of the average of the times of the top three cars.Cars unable to clear the Time Standard will start the race from the end of the grid order.

 

 

 

　The Special Place Switching Rule for the GT300 class has been eliminated.

 

 

 

 

　Series points will be given to the top three qualifiers (1st: 3 pts.; 2nd: 2 pts.; 3rd: 1 pt.)
　The points for the top qualifiers and for the number of pole positions will be given to both drivers of the awarded teams.
　　* No changes are adopted here.

 

 

 

 

　Cars that didn’t run in the qualifying sessions must return to the pit after one formation lap and start the race from the pit lane (pit start).
　Cars that record times for either Q1 or Q2 will start the race from the end of the grid order.
　　* No changes are adopted here.

 

 

 

 

　Beginning from Round 5, the Qualifying will be conducted according to the following procedure.
　Note that this operating procedure is based on 15 contestants in GT500 class and 27 in the GT300 class.
○Qualifying Day
1) Prior to the Qualifying, the teams will submit applications for their Q1 and Q2 qualifying attack drivers at the race event’s office.

2） A Marking: Maximum of two front tires, maximum of two rear tires
　　　B Marking: Maximum of two front tires, maximum of two rear tires
　　　Qualifying use tire markings will be made for Q1 and Q2 use.

　Example 1) When running with four new tire each for Q1 and Q2:
　　　　　　A Marking: Two front and two rear tires
　　　　　　B Marking: Two front and two rear tires

　Example 2) When running with one set of tires in both Q1 and Q2:
　　　　　　Marking both A and B on two front and two rear tires
　Example 3) When running with the same front tires in both Q1 and Q2, and running with new rear tires in both Q1 and Q2:
　　　　　　Two front tires: Marking with both A and B
　　　　　　 Two rear tires (for Q1): Marking with A, two rear tires (for Q2) Marking with B

　*Using two sets of tires at the same time in one session is prohibited (Example: Two new sets cannot be used in Q1)
 

3) The procedure for Q1 is as stated below.The Qualifying Time Standard for Q1 is 107% of the average of the times of the top three cars.
GT300 (all cars running / driver A drives): 20 minutes
- Record the times of all cars
- The top 14 cars participate in the “Q2 Upper 14 (U 14)
- The bottom 13 cars participate in the “Q2 Lower 15 (L 15)
- The interval between sessions is 8 minutes
GT500 (15 cars run / driver A drives: 10 minutes
- The times of all cars are recorded

4） The interval is 10 minutes

5） The procedure for Q2 is as stated below. The Qualifying Time Standard for Q2 is 107% of the average of the times of the top three cars.
GT300 Lower 15 (the bottom13 carsfrom Q1 running / driver B drives): 10 minutes
- The qualifying order from 15th to 27th is decided by the Combined Times from Q1 and Q2
- The interval between sessions is 8 minutes
- GT300 Upper 14 (the top 14 cars from Q1 running / driver B drives): 10 minutes
- The qualifying order from 1st to 14th is decided by the Combined Times from Q1 and Q2
- The interval between sessions is 8 minutes
GT500 (all 15 cars run together / driver B drives): 10 minutes
- The qualifying order is decided by the Combined Times from Q1 and Q2

6） Car scrutineering after qualifying sessions
　Conducted after the finish of Q1 and Q2

7） Qualifying results issued (result table)
　The overall finishing results for all of the qualifying sessions and the Q1 and Q2 Combined Time results are issued.

8） Tires to be used for the start of the race
　The tires to be used for the start of the race are decided by lottery from the Q1 (A) and Q2 (B) tires

 

 

 

 

○GT300 class: As with times when dry-use tires are used, the teams are divided into Q2 Upper 14 and Lower 15.Combined Times from Q1 and Q2 are not used and the Q2 times alone are used to determine the qualifying order.
○GT500 class: As with times when dry-use tires are used, Combined Times from Q1 and Q2 are used to determine the qualifying order.

 

 

 

 

　When there are cars that do not run in Q1 or Q2, their grid order for the race is decided as shown below.

【Grid Front】	Cars that run in Q1 / Q2 （Cars that don’t clear the Qualifying Time Standard in Q1 or Q2）*In the case of multiple cars, the Combined Time order is used
	↓
	Cars that run in Q1 / don’t run in Q2 *In the case of multiple cars, the best time from Q1 is used
	↓
	Cars that don’t run in Q1 / but run in Q2（clear Time Standard） *In the case of multiple cars, the best time from Q2 is used to determine the grid order
	↓
【Grid rear】	Cars that don’t run in Q1 / but run in Q2（clear Time Standard） *In the case of multiple cars, the best time from Q2 is used to determine the grid order
	↓
【Grid end】	Cars that don’t run in Q1 or Q2*In the case of multiple cars, the best time from the Official practice is used to determine the grid order

 

 

 

 

　Even when tires become damaged in the Official Qualifying (Q1 or Q2) those tires cannot be changed during the Official Qualifying. After Q2 is finished the rule for tire changes for the race is applied (One tire can be changed, but if two or more tires must be changed the car must make a pit start).
　When the use of wet-use tires is permitted, there is no limit on the number of sets of wet-use tires that can be used during the qualifying. For the start of the race, “Marking tire that are marked for Qualifying use” are used.
*A revision is made to allow use of different tire sets for Q1 and Q2. wet-use tires are subject to the existing rules.

 

 

 

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