Super Taikyu Scraps Most Driver Categorisations Beginning In 2023

The FIA Driver Categorisation system, used in most sports car racing series around the world to define their class structures (particularly in amateur-fronted sports car racing series), will be overhauled next year – in an effort to give drivers a grade which more accurately reflects their skill level.

One series whose teams and driver lineups are not structured around the FIA system has been the Super Taikyu Series, which has instead used an in-house, three-tier driver categorisation system putting drivers into “Gentleman”, “Platinum”, and “Expert” tiers based on age and experience.

That’s set to change next year, as Super Taikyu plans to scrap their bespoke categorisation system completely, in favour of simple age and experience parameters for the first driver registered to each team, known as the “A” driver.

The “A” driver must meet any one of the following criteria, the first two of which were the same qualifying criteria as the Gentleman rating:

1. Any amateur driver 40 years of age or older as of 31 December of the previous calendar year
2. Any driver 60 years of age or older
3. Any driver specially approved by the Super Taikyu Organisation (STO) and Super Taikyu Entrant League (STEL) who does not meet either of the first two criteria

Drivers who fall under the third criteria may be subject to a conditional handicap from the STO and STEL which will not give an advantage to the driver or team.

In 2022, all teams in the ST-X (GT3), ST-Z (GT4), and ST-TCR classes had to register an “A” driver that met any of these criteria. This requirement now extends to teams in all classes, with the exception of the ST-Q class.

Previously, teams could only register one “A” driver for the season – though, changes could be made upon request with little resistance from the STO/STEL. Going forward, teams will now be allowed to register multiple “A” drivers throughout the season as needed.

These changes should allow for more amateur drivers to participate in the series, while also allowing for a better balance between their racing schedules and their often-busy work commitments away from motorsport.

The Platinum and Expert ratings have been scrapped completely, as well as the 40 percent maximum drive time for Platinum drivers (who were defined as any driver with a requisite amount of high-level racing experience in domestic and international leagues). The 20 percent minimum drive time for the “A” driver still applies.

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Feature image © STO