How GT World Challenge qualifying works

Qualifying in GT World Challenge Europe is a team effort: in the Endurance Cup every driver of a car has to set a time, and the grid follows their average. Here is how the format works for each type of race under the 2026 Sporting Regulations.

How does qualifying work for a three-hour race?

There is one qualifying session of three periods, one for each driver (article 135.4.3). Each period is split in two groups of ten minutes:

Group A: Bronze Cup and Silver Cup cars.
Group B: Gold Cup and Pro cars.

Driver 1 drives Q1A or Q1B, Driver 2 drives Q2 and Driver 3 drives Q3. A time only counts if it is within 120% of the best time of that period. The car’s qualifying time is the average of its three drivers’ best laps, so a team is only as fast as its slowest driver.

What if a driver sets no time?

Cars with three times rank ahead of cars with two, which rank ahead of cars with one (article 135.4.3). A car with two times uses the average of those two, and a car with no time at all needs the Stewards’ permission to start. Every driver must complete at least one timed lap in qualifying to be allowed to race, unless the Stewards accept force majeure.

Which tyres do drivers use?

Each driver has one set of tyres for qualifying and must use the same set during their stint in the race: set S1 for Driver 1, S2 for Driver 2 and S3 for Driver 3 (article 123.1). A driver who pushes too hard on a qualifying run also wears the tyres for the race.

What is not allowed during qualifying?

From the start of Q1 to the end of Q3 no fuel may be added or removed, no computers or data sticks may be connected, and a car pushed into its garage loses all its times (article 135.4.3). Teams may only clean windscreens, change tyres and drivers, check pressures, top up fluids, clear the radiator and repair genuine accident damage with approval. After Q3 the cars go straight into parc fermé.

How does it work at the 24 Hours of Spa?

Spa has four periods and three groups: Bronze Cup and Pro-Am, Silver and Gold Cup, and Pro (article 235.4.5). Pro cars race with three drivers, who take periods Q2, Q3 and Q4. The top 20 cars on combined times go to a Superpole session that sets the front of the grid (article 235.4.6). All drivers must also complete at least two timed laps in Night Practice (article 235.4.3).

And in the Sprint Cup?

Each Sprint weekend has two qualifying periods of ten minutes: Driver 1 sets the grid for race 1 in Q1, Driver 2 the grid for race 2 in Q2 (article 435.4.4). The fastest single lap counts, not an average. When the grid is large, each period can be split into a Pro and Gold group and a Silver and Bronze group (article 435.4.6).