The GT Association (GTA) announced changes to the series’ new-for-2024 Qualifying format across both classes, and concessions to select tyre manufacturers in the GT500 class. These changes will take effect beginning at the upcoming Suzuka GT 350km Race on 31 August/1 September.
Components of SUPER GT’s new aggregate qualifying system, introduced as part of the series’ greater carbon neutrality plans, have been criticised by competitors and spectators alike since being implemented at the start of 2024.
The starting grid in both GT500 and GT300 classes will still be set based on the aggregate times in both Q1 and Q2. However, teams will no longer be required to use one set of tyres for both Q1 and Q2 plus the start of the race. They will instead receive one set of tyres to be used in each session.
A post-qualifying lottery draw will determine which set of tyres will be used at the start of the race, as was the case prior to 2024.
There have also been significant changes specific to GT300 qualifying. Q1 will no longer comprise of two ten-minute group sessions, instead all 27 cars will take part in a single 20-minute Q1 session.
This is in response to criticism that the second Q1 group would carry an inherent advantage into Q2 based on track evolution.
Q2 will still be divided into two groups based on Q1 results. The top 14 cars in Q1 will progress to the “Upper 14” group in Q2 and battle for positions 1-14 on the grid, while the remaining cars will battle for positions 15-27 in the “Lower 15” group.
The “special place switching rule”, that shuffled the top four qualifiers from the lower group and the slowest four from the upper group, has been abolished after it was heavily criticised as being hard to understand for novice and intermediate-level audiences.
Another change that will go into effect at Suzuka will be tyre manufacturer concessions in GT500.
Officially, the applicable bulletin from the GTA states that “in order to promote tyre development, any tyre manufacturer whose teams have not won a race through the first three rounds will be able to bring two additional sets of dry tyres per weekend.”
This rule is practically aimed at Dunlop and Yokohama, in an attempt to help Modulo Nakajima Racing (Dunlop), Kondo Racing, and TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh (Yokohama) close the gap to the other 12 teams using Bridgestone tyres.
Each of the three teams receiving concessions has finished no better than ninth this season – though on very light Success Weight compared to the rest of the GT500 field, Modulo Nakajima Racing qualified third for today’s Fuji GT 350km Race.
This does not impact the GT300 class, where three different tyre manufacturers have won the first three races so far.
Images © GTA
