Pre-Season Test Dates Revealed

SUPER GT has announced the dates for its two official pre-season tests ahead of the 2024 season.

As per usual, the Japanese sportscar series will hold a pair of two-day tests in the run-up to the new campaign, slated to begin on April 13-14 at Okayama International Circuit.

The first of these takes place at Okayama on March 16-17, while the second will be held at Fuji Speedway on March 23-24.

Four hours of running will be held on each day of testing as per previous years.

Traditionally, SUPER GT has kept its two pre-season tests two weeks apart, but a desire to avoid a clash with the inaugural Tokyo E-Prix Formula E event on March 30 has led to the decision to hold the tests in consecutive weeks.

Additionally, organisers are constrained by the revival of the Sepang manufacturers’ test in late January, as participating GT500 cars must return to Japan from the Malaysian track via sea freight.

The Sepang test is set to take place across four days on January 23-24 and 26-27 (with a rest day on January 25) with Nissan, Toyota and Honda all expected to participate with a combined total of eight cars.

It will mark the first time since 2020 that the test, popular among teams for allowing testing in more representative warm weather, will be held.

GTA chairman Masaaki Bandoh has previously suggested that an alternative testing opportunity in Japan for the teams that do not travel to Sepang will be created in the interests of fairness.

For the fifth season in succession, all eight rounds of the SUPER GT season will be held on Japanese shores, with any hopes of a first overseas race since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic pushed back to 2025 at the earliest.