FOUR RACES PER GT CUP EVENT
The GT Cup will run four races per weekend next season after a survey of drivers and teams found that many wanted more track time.
This year the GT Cup has run practice, qualifying and two sprint races on a Saturday and then a warm-up, qualifying and a 50-minute pitstop race on the Sunday of its two-day meetings.
But for next year, there will be shorter practice and qualifying sessions, a 25-minute sprint race and a 50-minute pitstop race on each day. This means drivers will now get three-anda-half hours of track action each weekend.
“We had a huge response to our survey and people phoned us too,” explained championship director Hannah Wilson. “We listened and took on board everything that everybody said and one of the main things the survey suggested was people wanted more track time.
“They said, over the weekend, Saturday was really good and busy but Sunday fell flat a little bit. They didn’t want so much practice but we have offered more track time.
“[The changes mean] Pros can now race on a Saturday but still won’t be able to go out in the sprint races. We’re also looking to book some dedicated testing on Friday.”
The provisional 2019 calendar features seven two-day meetings, visiting Donington Park, Snetterton, Silverstone and Brands Hatch GP.
No calendar has yet been revealed for the GT Cup’s sister series the LMP3 Cup. Organisers had to wait for the European Le Mans Series calendar to be released to make sure dates didn’t clash. Wilson says that there is a contract with the ACO for the series to run again next year – despite its small entries this term – and that she is hopeful of more Radicals and CN cars joining the series after the regulations were opened up earlier this year.