FIA unveils new ‘time attack’ racing format for World GT cup

The FIA GT World Cup, set to take place in Macau this November, will introduce a new qualifying format, which was unveiled at the latest World Motor Sport Council meeting.

The “Super Pole” session will serve as a second qualifying round, featuring the top 10 fastest drivers from the initial session. A key change is that in the Super Pole, racers will have two individual flying laps on a fresh set of tires, allowing them to push for their best lap around the Guia Circuit without interference from other drivers or yellow flags.

The concept of this “Time Attack” session is not new, having been suggested multiple times in the past. GT3 cars often struggle to fully exploit their performance on the narrow Guia track, making the revised format a welcome change.

The FIA GT Commission stated: “Following an in-depth revision incorporating competitors’ feedback, the qualifying format of the FIA GT World Cup has been revised. In addition to the 30-minute qualifying session known from previous editions (Q1), a second segment (Q2), reserved for the top ten drivers from the first session, has been added.”

The rest of the event schedule remains unchanged, featuring a 12-lap qualifying race on Saturday, followed by the 16-lap FIA GT World Cup-deciding main race on Sunday.

Two-time FIA GT World Cup winner and reigning champion Maro Engel praised the update, saying, “It’s a great idea to introduce the Super Pole session in Macau. This will be one of the most spectacular and exciting sessions of the season, and it should also ensure sporting fairness. The fans have a lot to look forward to.”

Similarly, last year’s qualifying race winner and two-time main race winner (2019 and 2023), Raffaele Marciello, added, “In Macau, it was always tricky to have a clean lap. With this new format, you won’t hear the excuse of traffic or a red flag. Having only two laps will be very challenging, but now the fastest guy will probably be on pole!”

The eighth edition of the FIA GT World Cup, held as part of the Macau Grand Prix, will take place on November 13-16 on the streets of Macau.