30. Balance of Performance, Official Test Sessions and Private Testing

30.1. Balance of Performance (BOP)

Due to the nature of the cars and the choice of circuits, a specific Balance of Performance can be carried out for cars taking part in the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Series.

Balance of Performance testing sessions of the FIA GT3 models running in the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Series will be held before the start of the season. All cars competing in Endurance Competitions will have to be equipped with their endurance pack if it is available and has been homologated.

All Manufacturers whose cars will be competing in the 2022 season must enter at least one of their cars in these sessions for the purposes of Balance of Performance Testing. A penalty may be imposed by the SRO Technical Board on any Team which does not attend, except for force majeure accepted as such by the Board.

Additional performance tests may be carried out at any point during any Event and Teams will be required to allow their cars to take part in these tests if selected. At the request of the Technical Director, the official SRO Balance of Performance driver may be required to complete a number of laps in any cars entered in the Event during the Bronze Test, free practice or pre-qualifying session. Competitors must allow this to take place. The BOP Driver will be added to the authorised drivers for the cars in question via a Bulletin from the Stewards and will be subject to the same Scrutineering and Administrative Checks as all other drivers.

The SRO Technical Board is allowed to modify any parameter required to establish the SRO Balance of Performance.

The SRO Technical Board reserves the right to adjust the Balance of Performance until 120 minutes before the start of the Race for cases A, B and C, and for Case D, 120 minutes before the start of Race 1, and where Qualifying is held before each race, 120 minutes before teh start of race 2 . Teams will be notified of any such changes during the Event via a Bulletin from the Stewards.

If the Stewards are satisfied that any Competitor or Manufacturer has provided information which was misleading or has inappropriately influenced the BOP process or where a Competitor's or Manufacturer's subsequent performance is higher than the expected outcome of the process, they may impose sanctions or penalties before, during or after any Competition.

An extended version of the data logger, approved by SRO Technical Board, will be installed in all cars during the BOP.

Cars must comply at all times during each Competition with the information and instructions given in the Balance of Performance document for the Event (the current version of which will be validated by the Stewards for each Competition via a Bulletin) including the following notes in Articles 30.1.1 and 30.1.2, which may be expanded or replaced by information in the document for any individual Event.

30.1.1. BOP

These notes will always be superceded by any more recent notes given in the BOP document valid for each EVent. Other changes may feature in a Bulletin from the Stewards.

a) Additional weight must be installed in accordance with Article 257A of Appendix J to the International Sporting Code. Driver pairing weight must be installed in the ballast box. It should be identifiable and installed as a whole and is not part of the total weight of the car with BOP ballast. b) In accordance with Article 257A of Appendix J to the International Sporting Code, the fuel cell must be equipped with the mandatory foam supplied by and installed following the directives from the manufacturer of the fuel cell. c) Technical drawings of air restrictors for all FIA GT3 cars are registered with FIA and this per brand and model. Only restrictors in compliance with this registration are allowed. d) Use of the catalytic converter is compulsory e) The SRO Sporting Board is allowed to modify any parameter required to establish the Balance of Performance f) Engine reference data (iA, Lambda, Fuel inj, Cam In/Out, airbox pressure drop, etc) is that collected during BOP tests and will be used for checks. Lambda is fixed. Fuel saving maps are not allowed. g) Refuelling rigs, refuelling rig restrictors shape and refuelling couplers must comply with Article 257A of Appendix J to the International Sporting Code and the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sporting Regulations and any Sporting or Technical Notes h) if another Krontec coupler is used, the refueling restrictor size reduces by 2 mm. i) Staubli SAF 45 system (39/11VO) for F488 GT3, if ATL system is used refueling rig restrictor size is 31mm. j) Aero devices cannot be covered by tape or paint. k) Max rear camber static is -3.5° (subject to any change in accordance with Article 29.12.1) l) Power cycle during refuelling and driver change is not allowed m) Fuel coupler coupling times will be checked with the coupler sensor. It is the Competitor’s responsibility to ensure the sensor’s signal is correct and works during the race. n) For springs, see article 4.1 e)

30.1.2. Boost control :

These notes will always be superceded by any more recent notes given in the BOP document valid for each EVent. Other changes may feature in a Bulletin from the Stewards.

• Values are boost pressure ratio and need to be multiplicated by the ambient pressure to get the Pboost Limit.
• Competitors must adjust the boost pressure relative to ambient pressure at each Event
• Pboost limits linear interpolation approach

The control of Pboost strategy takes place via Series Datalogger and pressure sensors: If the Throttle is greater than 25 % open and the RPM is greater than 3000 and the Longitudinal Acceleration is increasing or constant or greater than zero and the overboost greater than “Pboost Limit + 10 mbar” is recorded for more than 50ms, then this will be flagged and reported to the Stewards

30.2. Official Test Sessions

One or more Official testing sessions and media days may be organised by the Promoter before the first Event of the season. All full-season Competitors in the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Series, the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup and Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup are obliged to be present in the first Official testing session with at least one of the cars they intend to enter in the season.

Failure to attend will be reported to the Stewards, and, except for cases of force majeure accepted as such by the Stewards, will result in a financial penalty. For Competitors eligible for the prize fund, they will forfeit the sum at the first Event they would have claimed prize money. For other Competitors, this will be a fine of a minimum of the cost of the Testing Session.

Tyres must be purchased from Pirelli in accordance with Article 29.1, either at the Event or purchased from Pirelli during 2024. A limit on the number of new tyres available for the test may be set.

Any additional official testing sessions before the start of the season will be non-mandatory.

30.3. Pre-Event Paid Test Sessions

Additional paid test sessions may be authorised by the Promoter before certain Events. Any such paid test sessions will be open to all Competitors but will not be mandatory. These sessions will not be considered as part of the Event. Please see Appendix 4 for the provisional schedule. Please see Article 29.14 concerning limitations on tyres for these paid private test sessions.

Note that test sessions organised by Curbstone do not constitute Official or pre-Event test sessions as detailed above, and they will be subject to the same testing deadlines as other private tests.

30.4. Spa Official Test Session

An Official test session will be organised by the Promoter before the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. This session, to be known as the Spa Prologue, will be mandatory for all Competitors, will be mandatory for all Competitors, except for Teams receiving a derogation in writing from the Promoter. There will be no limitations on the tyres for this official test session, but they must be in conformity with the principles laid down in Article 29.1, namely new tyres or used tyres from previous Events of the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS. A maximum of two sets of dry-weather tyres bought for the Official Test Session may be marked for use during the Competition as part of the 30 sets as referred to in Article 29.8.

30.5.

Official and pre-Event test sessions (mandatory or non-mandatory) will not be regarded as being part of any Event or Competition, and drivers and cars which are not registered for the Series may be permitted to take part at the sole discretion of the Promoter.

30.6. Bronze Tests

Test sessions reserved for drivers who have been categorised as Bronze or Bronze* may be organised as part of a Series Event by the Promoter.

The number of new tyres for these test sessions will be limited to one set per Bronze driver entered for the one-hour session. Used tyres registered at a previous Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Competition may also be used. For the first Bronze Test of the season (Monza), used tyres purchased for the official test day may be used. Dry-weather tyres purchased for the Bronze Test cannot be used in any other session during that Event and cannot be registered as carryover tyres for subsequent Events.

Requests to take part in the Bronze Test must be registered by the deadline given at each Event. The cost per car for a one-hour Bronze Test during the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup Competitions (except for Spa) is €1200. The full-season cost per car (5 Events) is €7300 excl VAT (all prices provisional).

Exceptionally, drivers categorised as Silver and who are racing in the Gold Cup, Silver Cup, Bronze Cup or the Pro-Am Category, may take part in these Bronze sessions if they have never driven on the track in question, in any car whatsoever, either in race conditions or in a private or official test session, in a track configuration including the majority of the corners used for the Competition. Permission will be given on a case-by-case basis by the SRO Sporting Board. Note that in the context of this article, 'private or official test sessions' does not include any paid test sessions held immediately before the Event for which permission is being requested.

Permission may be given by the Promoter for cars competing in Support Series taking part in the Event, including the Lamborghini Super Trofeo or GT2 European Series, to take part in the Bronze Test sessions, on condition that they have been through safety checks for the Event and that they are driven by a driver categorised as Bronze and that the Test takes place before the start of their on-track activities. Any such permission will be given in the Appendix 1 to the Event. Additionally, exceptional permission may be given by the Promoter for drivers not otherwise competing in the Competition to take part, as long as the car is entered for the Competition, and the driver is categorised Bronze by the FIA.

30.7. Case B Bronze Test

A specific Bronze Test will be organised for the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. This session will be open to all Bronze drivers as well as any Silver drivers competing in the Silver Cup, Gold Cup, Pro-Am or Bronze Cup categories who have no prior experience of the track in any car whatsoever. Permission will be given on a case-by-case basis by the SRO Sporting Board. The SRO Sporting Board may insist on the participation of specific drivers in this test for safety reasons.

Tyres will be limited to one set of tyres per driver per hour.

The price will be €2750 per car excl VAT. The Test may include a briefing and may include training sessions or track walks.

30.8. Hardship Laps

In exceptional circumstances, Teams may request a hardship lap in order to check a car after significant repairs or other issues. Any such requests must be made to the Stewards. If authorised, any such laps will be scheduled, when possible, at the end of a track session and will consist of a single lap from pit out to pit in without crossing the timing line. Hardship laps will not be allowed at the start or end of paid test sessions. A sporting penalty may be given for a hardship lap.

30.9. Private Testing

a) Definition and Limitations

Private testing on any circuit which will host a Series Competition is forbidden as from 8 days before the start of the Endurance Cup and the Sprint Cup seasons and until the date scheduled for that Event (see appendix 4).

However, in cases of force majeure, such as late delivery of equipment, permission may be given by the Promoter for exemptions to the Testing ban on safety grounds, up to the start of the season.

Private testing means any testing carried out by any Team entered in the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS and any driver(s) entered for any Event, with GT3 cars homologated by the FIA.

This applies to all full-season Competitors in the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS as well as full-season Competitors in the Endurance Cup and/or Sprint Cup.

For race-by-race Competitors, the rules on private testing apply as from the deadline of entries before the first round they take part in during the season.

Note: Private testing at a circuit on the calendar may be authorised if the circuit configuration used is significantly different from that being used for the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Event. 'Significantly', in this instance, would normally mean using fewer than half the same corners.

b) Participation in other series

Participation in Competitions counting towards other Championships or Series is not considered as private testing. This includes any official test sessions and all official practice sessions. However, participation in any additional (optional) sessions during these Competitions is not authorised

Exception: participation with a GT3 car in any Series taking place at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit within the two-week period before the start of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is excluded from this authorisation, with the exception of Teams and drivers taking part in any such Series on a full-season basis, or with special derogation from the SRO Sporting Board.

Drivers competing on a full-season basis in another GT3 series are allowed to test for that series in accordance with its rules for private testing, but must inform the SRO Sporting Board and may face restrictions on official testing or other penalties before the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Events. Any intention to take part in any such testing must be notified in advance to the SRO Sporting Board.

c) Development test sessions

Development test sessions organized by the official tyre supplier, Pirelli, are not considered as private testing. Permission will be granted for Teams and drivers, nominated by the Car Manufacturer of reference, to take part in any such tests when requested by Pirelli to the SRO Sporting Board.

d) Coaches / Instructors

Drivers working as coaches must request permission from the SRO Sporting Board for any activity with GT3 cars at circuits on the 2022 calendar and may be given restrictions on their track time.

e) Permission and Breaches

Written permission for any testing during the season must be obtained from the SRO Sporting Board.

Any breaches of these rules will be reported to the Stewards at the relevant Competition of the Series. Penalties may go as far as disqualification from that Competition.