Rule Changes Aim To Encourage More Crossover With FFSA GT4

The GT4 European Series boasts a full-season entry list of 50 cars for the 2022 season with a record 49 cars set to line up for the season opener at Imola in Italy this weekend (April 1-3), (beating the championship’s last record grid, which featured 46 entries at Monza last year). The 2021 championship averaged 42 cars per event.

The championship sees some key changes this year to the regulations that aim to help streamline the GT4 European Series with the FFSA French GT Championship.

Last year many teams from the FFSA French GT Championship opted to contest both series, so for 2022 the sporting regulations will be moved closer in-line between the two series to encourage this to continue, while also making it easier for GT4 European Series teams to cross over into the French championship.

Pit stop times
The mandatory pit stop times have been adjusted to match those used in the French championship, reducing the time allotted for driver change to a minimum of 50 seconds, plus the pit lane delta from pit-in to pit-out (at 50kph). Pit stops including a tyre change due to weather conditions will be a fixed time of three minutes, independent of the pit lane length.

Tyre changes
Tyre rules have been altered to allow four new sets of Pirelli P Zero slick tyres per car at the opening round in Imola, two sets for free practice and two for qualifying and the races. For the subsequent events, three new sets can be purchased, one for free practice and two for qualifying and the race, plus one carryover to be used in free practice only. Tyres for paid test sessions are unlimited but cannot be registered for any events

Pro-Am Class changes
The professional driver of each Pro-Am entry will now be required to take part in the first element of qualifying for this year, and by default will be the starting driver for the first of the two races. This will better allow them to set-up the car for their amateur team-mates.

The championship will continue to feature three different classes: Silver Cup for semi-professional driver teams, Pro-Am for a single professional driver sharing with a gentleman driver, and the Am Cup for gentlemen drivers only.

This season the successful twin sprint race format will remain at the heart of the GT4 European Series, with each of the six race weekends featuring two one-hour races.

These will be backed up by two one-hour practice sessions per weekend, and two 20-minute qualifying sessions, ensuring ample track time for all drivers.

The opening round of the GT4 European Series gets underway at Imola on April 1-3, before taking in a variety of Europe’s finest racing circuits.