TEC Round 4: Suzuka - Driver Briefing & General Discussion

Welcome to the fourth round of the 2018 Season of the TORA Endurance Championship! For this round, we return to a track that has not appeared on a TORA calendar for quite some time, Suzuka GP circuit. The circuit was conceptualized in the 1960's by Soichiro Honda (Yes, that Honda) because he realized how important racing would be to his company.  Though the layout of the circuit has stayed relatively the same, Suzuka has had several changes since Honda and renown designer John Hugenholtz finished the circuit in 1962.

Qualifying - This will be the typical 1-Hour Endurance Qualifying.  Drivers will have 45 minutes to set their fastest clean lap.  We will be adding the best qualifying results from each team, so remember that more than one driver has to take part in qualifying.  To sign up for qualifying, please use THE QUALIFYING THREAD.  Remember that drivers should be/appear online 15 minutes prior to qualifying start, and should keep in-lobby chat to a minimal.  Be sure to read the updated qualifying rules!

Race - This is a 8-hour Endurance race.  Drivers will be competing in 4 stints of two hours each.  However, drivers are reminded that the race actually only lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes. Drivers are reminded that they are to use THE STINT THREAD to assign stints to each of their drivers.  Drivers are expected to be familiar with the rules and regulations come race time, so please review them before September 8th.

Pit Stops - GT cars are required to make at least 2 pit stops each stint.  

Stint Starting Procedures - Stint 1 will start with a typical 80 mph 2x2 Rolling Start.  Stint 2 through 4 will be a single file start, starting as drivers pass the end of the kerbing out of the exit of First Corner. (See picture below for reference.)  



If anyone has further questions, please post them in this thread.  Good luck, and I will see you all on track.

This is gonna get interesting in the first sector with LMPs and GTs.

What is the procedure in case of invisible cars? It's been an issue that's been becoming more and more common lately.

Q2-4 will be run with Fuel and Tires damage due to a known curb damage bug.

Any driver that ran QS or Q1 may opt to withdraw their time and participate in Q2, Q3, or Q4 due to a recently discovered damage glitch affecting curb usage at Suzuka.

To clarify, if you re-qualify your original time is deleted, even if the new time is slower.

Update: Until we know whether or not the new kerb breaking bug is going to be fixed before the race on Saturday or not, we are planning on just running the race on Fuel & Tire damage.  I'd rather do that than make people re-learn new lines that avoid the kerb.  Hopefully T10 can get the bug fixed in a timely manor.