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Please take note of the changes below - these are the changes we feel are most important, or that we wanted to explain in more detail, but do not cover all changes. Items that might affect your team may not be listed below - it is important that you read the 2024 rulebook in its entirety.
APPENDIX C - Flagtronics system installation and use: This entire section is new and covers installation and implementation of the flagtronics system. This Appendix may change during the 2024 season as we work with the system and identify areas of opportunity
C.4.d Driver Id: Flagtronics Driver ID devices will be required by 4/1/2024, driver's will be able to purchase helmet "pucks" that will identify the driver to the system. These will be available soon and will be announced as soon as they're available. Drivers will be resoponsible to maintain these devices and ensure charge condition and readiness for the weekend.
D.2.j Driving Stints: Maximum stint length has been decreased to 3 hours from 4 hours. This is influenced by many factors including our updated 8+7 event formats and should add an element of strategic challenge in some cases.
D.2.n Track Damage: All open damage invoices must be paid within 15 days of receipt or will be subject to a 25% late fee. This fee will be waived if the customer reaches out to WRL within that time period and makes agreeable payment arrangements. Track damages are the responsibilty of the competitors because WRL aims to offer the lowest entry fees possible and "covered" track damages would have a not-insignificant effect on those entry fees.
D.3.d Fueling/pit lane: Crew members involved in fueling (handing fuel jugs across the wall) must now wear the same fire gear as the fuel and fire bottle attendant. This individual is in a very precarious position and observations made across the 2023 season have influenced this change. Crew members not involved in fueling should create distance between themselves and the fueling process until fueling is complete for the same safety reasons. Safety is always our priority and given the proximity of the crew member handing the fuel to the fueling process we feel this change is necessary.
D.4.d Tire Changes: As time progresses cars with centerlock wheels are becoming viable options for GTO and the cost of converting those cars can be astronomical. With this in mind and to mitigate any advantages of the centerlock wheels, cars with centerlock wheels may only have a total of 4 tires over the wall during a tire change. This means the tire must come off the car and go over the wall before a new tire can cross back into the hot pits. Wheel allowances are also addressed in Appx A - B.1.i. Clarification is made that GP class cars may not have centerlock wheels.
D.4.e Air Jacks: Clarification that GP cars may have air jacks installed but that they may not be used during the race.
D.7 Penalty Schedule: Clarification that Contact Unavoidable is interchangable with the term "racing incident" for our purposes and that multiple unavoidables or a pattern across multiple races will result in additional scrutiny and escalation.
D.9.e Driver Probation and Suspension: Drivers on probation may not start the race - as we'll be moving towards a requirement that the driver who qualified the car starts the race, in the event that a probation driver sets fast lap, the next fastest driver's time will be recognized as the qualifying time and that driver should start the race or we can move to the qualifiying time of the next fastest driver after that.
D.10.d Impound: Clarification that only impound cars (P1-4) are eligible for protest. If you see an issue with a car not in impound please notify an official and WRL will investigate, though this investigation will not be an official protest as the car is not held in a controlled enviroment post-race or eligible for podium.
Appx A - 1: Car Eligibility: Added a note that BMW M2535/M240ir are eligible for GP competition. At this time the BMW M2 is NOT eligible. This short list is just a few examples of popular requests we receive - If you have a GP car that you'd like to petition for inclusion this is a reminder that the correct process for that is to email race@racewrl.com. We are currently working on an age-based program to allow certain factory cars into the GP classes in a predictable fashion.
Appx A - A.3.f Window Net: Clarification that Window nets must completely cover the window opening such that the driver's hands or arms cannot extend outside of the window opening when belted. In most cases this is going to be a square, rectangular or rectangular with triangular extension shaped net.
Appx A - A.4.a Chassis: Clarification that bumpers should resemble the factory shape and that bumper cuts are allowed but may not extend above the lowest point of the factory crash bar.
Appx A - A.4.b Glass: Definition of front quarter window coverings. We have left this open in the past but a few examples we saw in 2023 prompted this definition. These front lexan quarter windows may not extend rearward more than 12" from the frontmost part of the factory window opening (typically the window seal on the mirror "triangle"). Any kickout or gurney will be included in that measurement as measured from the lexan outward.
Appx A - E.2.b GTU: PWR has been changed to 9.0:1 and is no longer subject to non-production modifier.
Appx A - A.4.f Fuel Capacity: General production minimum fuel has been changed to a formula based approach. This is the first step in an effort to move towards a formula based fuel strategy across the board in WRL which is one of the most frequent feedback items we receive. Teams can either utilize the original "factory + 15%" OR the minimum fuel formulas for the respective classes to determine fuel capacity. We expect that this change will lead to much more close racing in 2024 and will be tracked closely throughout the season. GTO/GTU fuel formulas remain unchanged but are highlighted to reflect the significant document reformatting of these sections.
Appx A - 4.m Tires: EFFECTIVE 4/1/2024 - General Production categories are now a "SPEC TIRE" class! We had a TON of conversation with teams about this in 2023 and had an overwhelmingly positive response on the team feedback survey (over 90% positive from GP teams). While we understand "some" doesn't mean "all", we're confident that controlling this variable will not only lead to great cost savings in many cases, but will also assist us in identifying future rules improvements that may have been masked by tire inequalities. Continental will have support, sales and free mounting and balancing for all tires and they can be bought from your favorite supplier (no restrictions on who you purchase from). Further Continental is committed to endurance racing and this inclusion means you'll have direct influence on future iterations of this tire built exclusively for the job we're asking it to do - endurance racing!
Appx A - B.1.i Wheels: As mentioned above this is clarification that centerlock wheels are permitted but must adhere to tire-changing restrictions outlined in D.4.d
Appx A - C POWER definition: Power will now be defined as peak dyno horsepower or torque x .88 - this change comes along with better definitions of dyno testing parameters.
Appx A - D.1c-f Dyno Guidelines: Clearly define conditions for operation of cars on the dyno including radiator airflow, engine temperature, tire pressure, gear ratio and RPM the run/plot should begin at (now 2500 rpm) - beginning earlier is okay, but no dyno runs should begin after 2500 rpm. WP8 / CSV exports should also be exported in 50 rpm increments instead of 100 previously.
Appx A - D.2.a-e Flat Horsepower Curves: Better define the gaps between modifier levels vs. previous rounding method that was confusing to most. Cars now take a .1 for the first two 250rpm increments and .1 from there. Net change on a car with a 2000 rpm flat curve is .1 less with the updated definition.
Appx A - F GTO PWR Modifiers:
- Positive modifiers are defined in the description. These are modifiers that work in the opposite direction of negative modifiers per the formula found in Appx A - E.1.
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Negative Modifier - Sequential transmissions: Through significant data collection in the 2023 season motorsport sequential transmissions have advantages over even the latest OEM DSG and Automatic transmissions in a variety of areas ranging from mechanical loss, shift time, gear ratio spacing, fuel economy (product of mechanical drag) etc. This change is small but indicates that this will continue to be tracked.
- Positive Modifier - Naturally aspirated engines under 3999cc: Again, through significant data collection and exhaustive review of data naturally aspirated engines over 3999cc hold a distinct advantage (mostly torque) vs. larger displacement NA engines and this modifier is placed to make a small this change is small but indicates we will continue to track this condition.
Appx A - G GTO Award Modifiers: You asked and we listened - one of the most significant requests was a new approach to managing GTO performance via a performance balancing method that takes into account real on-track performance. After reviewing many popular current and former rulesets outside the WRL universe we believe that an award modifier system will be the best method of balancing performance based on finishing results as we continue to learn about the performance of the many new cars finding their way into WRL. While we expect this method to have a a nuanced and incremental effect on performance throughout the season it will (perhaps more importantly) give WRL the opportunity to review the effect of modifier-based performance balancing based on performance in what is effectively a completely transparent and predictable BOP (balance of performance) method driven directly by on track performance without any of the "smoke and mirrors" typically associated with a moving BOP. The changes influenced by these modifiers will affect all cars with that chassis/engine/transmission combination race-to-race and modifiers can be dropped throughout the year based on that chassis' performance. After more than 20 performance balancing models this "award" approach is time-tested and we feel that it will not only help to level the playing field in 2023, it will also assist WRL in making critical decisions in 2025 and beyond regarding classing splits, balancing approaches and more that pertain to the GTO class and/or the need for a split of the class. ONE-OFF ENTRIES AT CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS WILL BE ADDRESSED IN A FORTHCOMING POINTS RULES UPDATE.
Appx A - H GP PWR Modifiers:
- multi-master systems / adjustable pedal boxes - this modifier has been reduced as we feel that an adjustable pedal box and fixed-mounted seat offers safety benefits that we don't want to discourage via modifier. OE braking systems and parts interchangability / availability has greatly improved no-modifier braking systems since this modifier was introduced.
- non-oe calipers with >4 pistons; ABS reprogram - reduced to .3 to account for the widespread use and relative value of both of these modifications as well as the improvements to OE systems and interchangability mentioned above since this modifier was introduced.
- Turbocharged engines over 2199cc (2.2L) - subtle modifier for turbocharged engines in GP classes, we will continue to track these cars as more data is collected.
- OE/OEM transmissions with aftermarket or redesigned components - this modifier stays the same but gains it's own row in the table.
- OE/OEM PDK, DCT, SMG and automatic transmssions with 6+ forward gears - improvements to automatic transmission swaps and general data collected from more cars influenced a .1 increase of this modifier to -0.3 based on on-track performance.
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GP Positive Modifiers: These modifiers ADD performance - Front wheel drive gains a +0.2 positive modifier based on collected data.
Appx C - Flagtronics installation and use: This entire section is new - this may change with time as we learn more about the system.
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