A new technical bulletin published by the Autobacs SUPER GT Series and promoter GT Association (GTA) sees the implementation of measures in both classes to control the speed of all cars in 2024.
The minimum ride height of all GT500 cars has been increased by five millimetres through use of a thicker skid block, which will reduce the amount of downforce and contain cornering speeds.
This change comes as a direct result of a pair of severe accidents during the 2023 season – namely, Tsugio Matsuda’s violent blowover crash at 130R Corner in the June race in Suzuka Circuit, and Naoki Yamamoto’s high-speed barrel roll at Sportsland Sugo which forced the two-time GT500 champion to miss the final two rounds with a neck injury.
As a countermeasure, GT300 vehicles have been slowed down by adding a prescribed amount of ballast weight to the cars, in addition to the BoP weight and Success Weight. The prescribed weights per vehicle have been listed on an official bulletin from the series, ranging from 33kg for the Toyota 86 MC (Dome MC86), to 52kg for the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 (the new Nissan Fairlady Z GT300 by Gainer is not yet listed).
This additional weight is calculated based on a fixed ratio based on the minimum weight of each car and the difference between naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines. It had been used previously in the 2022 season opener at Okayama International Circuit, but will now apply throughout the 2024 season.
The addition of this prescribed weight directly influences a change in the Success Weight for GT300 this year – which is now limited to a maximum of 80kg instead of 100kg, and paid out at 2kg per Drivers’ Championship point instead of 3kg per point.
During the most recent round of GT500 Manufacturer Tests at Suzuka on 29 February/1 March, Nirei Fukuzumi set the fastest lap of the test at 1:43.324 aboard the #14 Eneos X Prime Toyota GR Supra on the morning session of Day 2. That’s faster than the official course record, a 1:44.112 set by Yuji Kunimoto in 2022 – but slower than the jaw-dropping 1:42.630 set in last year’s pre-season manufacturer test by Toshiki Oyu.
The GR Supra GT500, which has been reworked for 2024, has been setting chart-topping times in manufacturer tests over the past month. Reigning two-time champion Sho Tsuboi went quickest across four days of track time in the 23-27 January test at Petronas Sepang International Circuit. His new TOM’S co-driver Kenta Yamashita went fastest once the three makes returned for a test at Okayama on 7/8 February.
GT Entrants Association (GTE) sanctioned tests for GT300 teams also took place in February, beginning on 8/9 February at Fuji Speedway, where the new #6 Team LeMans Ferrari 296 GT3 set an eye-catching top time of 1:35.171. The following week at Okayama on 14/15 February, it was the #61 Subaru BRZ R&D Sport that led the way with a 1:25.809.
Official pre-season testing begins on 16/17 March at Okayama and continues on 23/24 March at Fuji.
Images © GTA
