Yesterday at Autódromo do Estoril, the key highlights for the 2024 Iberian Supercars season were unveiled, emphasizing a commitment to continuity with a notable addition – the introduction of Supercars España.
In 2023, each event boasted an average of twenty-five participants, delivering fiercely competitive and exhilarating races. The pinnacle of the season unfolded at the Estoril Season Finale by NAPA, showcasing a starting grid of thirty-four cars and all championship titles still within reach.
As the saying goes, you don't change a winning team, and so the technical regulations will remain unchanged. However, there is always room for improvement, and with this goal in mind, Race Ready introduced small enhancements and a major innovation.
CALENDAR
The calendar will now consist of six events divided into three distinct competitions – Iberian Supercars, Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade, and Supercars España.
The Iberian competition will have four events, starting in April or May in the Algarve, followed by Jarama, Estoril, and concluding with a debut in Valencia at the end of September.
The Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade will also have four rounds, starting at the Portimão circuit, moving to Estoril and Jerez de la Frontera during its annual visit to Spain, and returning to Portugal's oldest permanent circuit to finish the season in early December.
Supercars España will begin in Jarama in June, accompanying Iberian Supercars, then heading to Estoril, where all competitions will be present on the same weekend. In Valencia, it will join the Iberian series, closing the season in Jerez on the same weekend as the Spanish round of the Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade, whose date is yet to be confirmed.
WEEKEND FORMAT
In general terms, the format for each weekend will remain the same, with a slight modification that free practice sessions will always be on Saturdays to allow teams and drivers who only want to participate in the official event to do so in just two days.
Fridays will be reserved for optional private tests for those who wish. A minimum of two one-hour sessions will be held, allowing drivers and teams to maximize cost savings in season preparation.
CATEGORIES
Categories and divisions will also undergo slight changes, as demonstrated throughout the current season that they are well-structured, with Pirelli supplying the tires.
However, a new division of the GT4 category - to be called GT4 Am - will be created for novice drivers wishing to participate in GT4 homologated cars.
This creates greater fairness in the GTX division, which will become exclusive to GT4 cars that have lost homologation.
In the Touring category, the M2 division will disappear, and a new division, TC4, will be introduced based on a new class introduced by the FIA for Rally 4 cars equipped with a track kit. This way, Race Ready follows international trends in its championships.
The TC division, reserved for one-make series cars, will now admit the KIA Ceed ex-Cup, allowing entry into the most important competitions in the Iberian Peninsula in the Touring Car category with affordable budgets.
For Diogo Ferrão, the CEO of Race Ready, "I think everyone will agree with me that 2023 was a success for both the Iberian Supercars and the Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade. We want to continue working the way that brought us here and help drivers and teams participate in our competitions so they can benefit from competitive and exciting races, also offering fans a great show.
“We are introducing a Spanish series, Supercars España, in response to the increasing interest from Spanish drivers and teams. We maintain the option for competitors to participate in a season with only four races, aligning with the number of events in either of the championships. However, for those seeking a more extensive season with six events, they will be involved in three distinct series. I believe that, with the calendars and the organization of categories and divisions, everyone can find a program that suits their preferences."
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