2024 Super GT Series

The 2024 Autobacs Super GT Series was a motor racing championship based in Japan for grand touring cars. The series sanctioned by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) and run by the GT Association (GTA). It was the thirty-second season of the JAF Super GT Championship, which includes the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship era, and the twentieth season under the Super GT name. It is also the forty-second overall season of a national JAF sportscar championship dating back to the All Japan Endurance/Sports Prototype Championship.

TGR Team au TOM'S and driver Sho Tsuboi entered the season as the defending champions of the GT500 class. Saitama Green Brave, formerly known as Saitama Toyopet Green Brave, and driver Hiroki Yoshida entered as the defending GT300 class champions.

This was the final season for four-time GT500 champion, Ronnie Quintarelli, who announced his retirement at the end of the season.

TGR Team au TOM'S won the championship in the GT500 class for a consecutive year, with Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita won the Drivers' Championship. In the GT300 class, JLOC, Takashi Kogure and Yuya Motojima won the Teams' and Drivers' Championship which were their first maiden title in the series.

Calendar

A confirmed eight round provisional 2024 calendar was announced on 3 August 2023. On 3 October 2023, it was announced that the seventh round at Autopolis would be moved back two weeks to 19–20 October, in order to eliminate a clash of dates with the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix.

On 29 February 2024, distances for all rounds were confirmed. The Golden Week race at Fuji Speedway, the Spring race at Suzuka Circuit, and the penultimate race at Autopolis will be three-hour timed races, the first championship races to be run to a timed format. The Summer races at Fuji and Suzuka will be 350 kilometres long. On 28 August 2024, it was announced that the 2nd Suzuka round was postponed to 7–8 December due to the threat of Typhoon Shanshan, followed by an 21 October 2024 announcement the race will be reduced from 61 laps (350 km) to 52 laps (300 km)with an earlier (12.40) start featuring a time certain finish of 15.30 if the 52 laps cannot be completed by then.

Regulation changes

The GTA confirmed several changes for the 2024 Super GT season.

Aggregate qualifying format

Super GT introduced a new aggregate qualifying system on 9 February, replacing the knockout format which had been used since 2013.

* Under the new format, the grids in GT500 and GT300 will be determined by the combined Q1 and Q2 times of each team's two nominated drivers.
* Each team is only allowed to use one set of tyres throughout Q1 and Q2, and must start the race on the same set of tyres.
* Teams that don't participate in qualifying, fail to set a time in both qualifying sessions, or fail to meet the 107% minimum time after Q2 will have to start the race from the pits.
* Points will now be awarded to the top three qualifiers in each class. The pole-winning team and drivers now earn three points, while second place earns two points and third place earns one point.
* Pole position will be credited to both drivers on the pole-winning team that run in qualifying.

On 12 March, a follow-up bulletin would detail the changes made to GT300 qualifying:

* Similar to recent years, the GT300 field would be split into two groups for Q1 based on the most recent Teams' Championship standings, with odd number-ranked teams in Group A and even number-ranked teams in Group B. A pre-event lottery would determine which group goes first in Q1.
* After both Q1 groups have run, the cars would be regrouped for Q2. The top eight cars in each Q1 group will go into Q2 Group 1, and the cars that finished outside the top eight in each group would go into Q2 Group 2.
* Once Group 2 and Group 1 have run, the final grid order will be determined based on these final groupings:
** Positions 1-12: Top 12 combined times in Q2 Group 1.
** Positions 13-20: Combined times of the top four in Q2 Group 2 and bottom four in Q2 Group 1.
** Positions 21-27: Combined times of the remaining cars that finished fifth or lower in Q2 Group 2.
* In the event of rain, the GT300 grid will be determined from Q2 times only.

Other changes

Beginning in 2024, GT300 teams will use 50 percent renewable carbon-neutral synthetic fuel supplied by ETS Racing Fuels.

Teams will only be allocated four sets of dry tyres for 300 kilometre races, down from five sets in 2023. Five sets of dry tyres will be available for 350 km events, and six sets of tyres will be available in three-hour timed events.

GT300 success ballast has been reduced to a maximum of 100 kilogrammes to just 80 kg. GT300 teams will now receive two kilogrammes of Success Weight per drivers' championship point scored from rounds one through six. There is a limit of 50 points (100 kg).

To reduce cornering speeds, the GTA implemented new technical directives in both class. In GT500, the minimum ride height has been raised by 5 millimetres by increasing the thickness of the skid block. In GT300, all cars will carry a predetermined amount of additional ballast weight, between 33 and 52 kg. This additional weight is distinct from the weight assigned to each car as part of the balance of performance.

Teams and drivers

GT500

GT300

Vehicle changes

GT500

* Honda Racing Corporation introduced the new Civic Type R-GT in 2024, replacing the second-generation NSX-GT.
* Nissan Motorsports & Customizing introduced a new version of the Nissan Z GT500, the Nissan Z NISMO GT500, based on its road-going production variant.

GT300

* Team LeMans entered a new Ferrari 296 GT3, replacing its previous Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II which had raced for three seasons.
* GAINER developed a new version of the Nissan Fairlady Z built to the GTA-GT300 vehicle regulations, replacing the number 11 Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 that had raced since 2018. The car was revealed ahead of the opening round at Okayama and made its race debut at the Fuji 3 Hours.
* The former number 10 GAINER Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 was replaced by the number 45 Ferrari 296 GT3 entered by PONOS Racing. (see Entrant changes below).

Entrant changes

GT500

* Toyota announced its driver line-ups on 12 December 2023.
** Three-time GT500 champion Yuji Tachikawa retired from driving after the 2023 season and became the team director at Cerumo for the second time. Former Honda driver Toshiki Oyu moved to Cerumo. Car care company KeePer, which previously served as the main sponsor for the TOM'S number 37 car, replaced long time sponsor ZENT as the title sponsor of Team Cerumo.
** Reigning GT500 champion Ritomo Miyata left the series after the 2023 season to compete overseas in Formula 2 and the European Le Mans Series. 2019 GT500 champion Kenta Yamashita joined reigning champion team au TOM'S to fill the seat vacated by Miyata. TOM'S elected not to use the GT500 champion's number "1" in 2024. Two-time GT500 Champion Michael Krumm became the new team director of the number 37 Deloitte TOM'S GR Supra. Jun Yamada was promoted to the role of general manager overseeing both TOM'S cars.
** Nirei Fukuzumi also followed Oyu move to Toyota from Honda as he moved to Rookie Racing replacing au TOM'S-bound Kenta Yamashita.
* Honda announced its driver line-ups on 12 December 2023.
** To replace the Toyota-bound Fukuzumi and Oyu, both Nobuharu Matsushita and Ren Sato joined ARTA. Matsushita, who spent the last two seasons with Astemo Real Racing, partner up alongside Tomoki Nojiri in the number 8 car. Sato, who drove for ARTA's GT300 team in 2021, made his GT500 debut alongside Hiroki Otsu in the number 16 car.
** Kakunoshin Ohta replaced Matsushita at Real Racing, alongside Koudai Tsukakoshi who returns for his 16th full season with the team.
** Riki Okusa who raced with GAINER in GT300, made his GT500 debut with Nakajima Racing replacing Ohta.
** Team Kunimitsu saw its main sponsor Stanley take on a bigger role in the team as the title sponsor, with the team competing under the name "Stanley Team Kunimitsu".
* Nissan announced its driver line-ups on 18 January 2024.
** Both NISMO teams changed tyre suppliers to Bridgestone following Michelin's withdrawal from the GT500 class after the 2023 season. Tsugio Matsuda leaves the number 23 NISMO car. This marked the end of Matsuda and Quintarelli's partnership which lasted for 11 years. last year's runner-up Katsumasa Chiyo replaced Matsuda. While the number 3 car rebranded to "NISMO NDDP" entry, former Max Racing GT300 driver Atsushi Miyake replaced Chiyo.
** Kondo Racing have a new line up as Daiki Sasaki and Kohei Hirate were dropped from Nissan's GT500 line-ups, with Sasaki stayed with Kondo Racing and Hirate to the new entry of HELM Motorsports. Two-time GT500 champion Tsugio Matsuda and Teppei Natori promoted from the team's GT300 setup.

GT300

* D'station Racing returned to the series for the first time since 2020, fielding the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with Dunlop tyres. 2012 GT300 championship runner-up Tomonobu Fujii returned to Super GT for the first time since 2020, and Aston Martin factory driver Marco Sørensen made his series debut.
* Gaming company Ponos which previously sponsored GAINER's no. 10 car, made their series debut under the PONOS Racing guise. GAINER would continue to run the team. Entering the new Ferrari 296 GT3 with Michelin tyres. Le Mans Cup GT3 runner up Kei Cozzolino returned to the series for the first time since 2022, while Ferrari GT factory driver Lilou Wadoux made her series debut after finished 8th in FIA WEC LMGTE class with Richard Mille AF Corse.
* Super Taikyu championship-winning team HELM Motorsports made its Super GT debut in 2024, entering a Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 with Yokohama tyres. Two-time GT500 champion Kohei Hirate joined the team alongside HELM co-founders Yuya Hiraki and Reiji Hiraki, the latter of whom serves as the team's third driver. Two-time GT300 champion Hideo Fukuyama was appointed as the team director.
* Saitama Toyopet Green Brave changed its official name to "Saitama Green Brave". Reigning GT300 champion Kohta Kawaai left the series and was replaced by TGR-DC driver Seita Nonaka, who spent the last two seasons with Tsuchiya Engineering and was Green Brave's third driver last year at Autopolis. Saitama Green Brave elected not to use the GT300 champion's number "0" in 2024.
* INGING Motorsport team director Hiroki Katoh continued his part as the team's third driver for this season, but did not make a single appearance for this season.
* SHADE Racing changed tyre suppliers from Dunlop to Michelin.
* Tsuchiya Engineering and its Toyota GR Supra GT300 returned to the series after missing the last four rounds of the 2023 season following a fire in the fourth round at Fuji Speedway. Seita Nonaka left the team for Saitama Green Brave. 2016 GT300 champion Takamitsu Matsui returned to the team after racing for Team Mach in 2023 replacing Nonaka. Kimiya Sato, who spent the last three years with Max Racing, returned to the team as its third driver.
* Max Racing ceased operations following a vehicle fire in the fourth round of the 2023 season at Fuji Speedway. Their drivers Atsushi Miyake and Kimiya Sato moved to NISMO NDDP and Tsuchiya respectively.
* 2023 FIA F4 Japanese Champion Rikuto Kobayashi and runner-up Jin Nakamura made their full-time series debuts with apr. Kobayashi drives the number 30 Toyota GR86 alongside Hiroaki Nagai, while two-time GT300 champion Manabu Orido remained with the team as its third driver. Nakamura drives the number 31 Lexus LC 500h alongside Kazuto Kotaka, replacing Koki Saga who focus on Super Taikyu ST-X class program with apr.
* Kondo Racing replaced Teppei Natori with its former GT500 driver Daiki Sasaki. Sasaki reunited with two-time GT300 champion João Paulo de Oliveira for the first time since 2017.
* Ryuichiro Tomita and Keishi Ishikawa drove the new number 11 GAINER Nissan Fairlady Z. 2008 GT300 champion Hironobu Yasuda left the team in the off-season after six years and also left Nissan after 17 years as a factory driver, while Riki Okusa stepped up to GT500 with Nakajima Racing.
* Tomei Sports promoted Takuya Otaki, who had been a spot starter since 2020, to a full-time seat in 2024. As Tomei Sports owner Atsushi Tanaka has the role of third driver with rookie Rin Arakawa, the 2021 FIA F4 Japanese Championship runner-up.
* Gymkhana and time attack specialist Yusaku Shibata transferred to NILZZ Racing as a full-time driver, replacing Yuki Tanaka who will race in Ligier European Series with Pegasus Racing. Takumi Sanada continue his role as the team's third driver.
* Yogibo Racing withdrew its entry for the 2024 season, citing a change in corporate strategy from the Yogibo brand. Reimei Ito move to Porsche Carrera Cup Japan with Bingo Racing with Showa Auto, and Yugo Iwasawa race in Super Taikyu ST-Z with Porsche Team EBI .
* Liang Jiatong left Pacific Racing Team and the series as he moved to GT World Challenge Asia with Harmony Racing. Yusuke Tomibayashi transferred from Team Mach to Pacific Racing Team. F4 graduate Yuta Fujiwara made his series debut as the Team's third driver.
* Miki Koyama transferred from Arnage Racing to R'Qs Motor Sports as the fourth driver for the team, joining Hisashi Wada, Masaki Jyonai, and Masaki Kano. The team will have different line up on each race, with Jyonai raced all rounds, while Jyonai & Kano each had four rounds, and Koyama had three.
* 2023 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup Gold champion Niklas Krütten made his Super GT debut at Team Studie as Seiji Ara's new full-season teammate. BMW M works driver Bruno Spengler stays with the team as the third driver for selected rounds, with Masataka Yanagida leaves the team after one season to take role of team manager at Team ZeroOne in Super Taikyu ST-Z.
* 2022 FIA F4 Japan runner-up Yusuke Mitsui made his series debut as the third driver at Team UpGarage.
* Team Mach have a new line up as Takamitsu Matsui and Yusuke Tomibayashi move to Tsuchiya Engineering and Pacific Racing respectively. Two-time GT300 champion Kiyoto Fujinami who previously drove for Team Mach from 2017 to 2018, returns to the series after missing the 2023 season. and former GAINER third driver Yusuke Shiotsu joined the team.

Mid-season changes

GT300

* 2023 International GT Open champion Charlie Fagg, who drove for D'station Racing in WEC and the Asian Le Mans Series, rejoined the team as the third driver. He replaced Marco Sørensen at the Fuji 3 Hours, and Suzuka 3 Hours. Fagg has been promoted as the second driver of the team as Sørensen focus on his WEC commitent.
* Reigning Super Taikyu Series ST-3 Class champion driver Takashi Ito picked as the fourth driver for NILZZ Racing, and replaces Yusaku Shibata for the fourth round at Fuji, and last round of Suzuka. Shibata returns to the team for round 5 at SUGO.
* JLOC car number 87 replaced their previous GT3 EVO model car with the new Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 for the fourth round at Fuji Speedway.
* Togo Suganami miss the SUGO round due to illness, Tsuchiya Engineering's third driver Kimiya Sato replace him for the round.
* Manabu Orido, and Rin Arakawa replaces Hiroaki Nagai, and Takuya Otaki respectively for the Motegi round.
* Former Yogibo Racing driver Reimei Ito joins LM corsa as the third driver for the last round at Suzuka. While GAINER recruited Super Taikyu ST-Z driver Kazuki Oki as their third driver for that round.
* Takuya Otaki returns for the final round, with Takayuki Aoki replaced by Tomei's owner Atsushi Tanaka.

Results

Championship standings

Drivers' championships

; Race points

; Qualifying points

GT500

GT300

Teams' championships

; Race points

GT500

GT300

Notes

References

External links

Super GT Official Website

{{Super GT seasons

Super GT seasons
Super GT Series
Super GT