For next weekend's fourth round of the season at Fuji, the pit window will open at the end of the fifth lap, meaning that a car cannot complete either of its two mandatory refuelling stops before this time.
This appears to be a reaction to the two most recent races at Fuji and Suzuka, in which some cars in the GT300 class were able to gain an advantage by pitting on the first or second lap of the race and then circulating in clean air before pitting again around the halfway stage.
Toyota squads Saitama Toyopet and Inging in particular have made good use of this tactic, helped by the longevity of their Bridgestone tyres. BMW Team Studie was also able to win at Suzuka using a similar strategy.
It is likely that some teams will aim to pit as early as the fifth lap even with the new rules, but the advantage of doing so will be lesser with fewer laps in clean air - benefitting those running on a more conventional strategy.
The ruling is unlikely to affect the GT500 class as the fuel economy does not allow cars to pit at such an early juncture. The earliest any car came in for its first stop in May's second round of the season at Fuji was lap 22 of 100.
As was the case for Round 2 at Fuji, third drivers will have to complete 50km, or 11 laps, to be eligible to score points.
Honda squad ARTA has registered Iori Kimura as a third driver in its #8 car for the event, but it's unlikely Kimura will compete unless regular driver Toshiki Oyu is ruled out of action due to his injuries.
Yokohama will no longer benefit from having an additional set of dry tyres at Fuji following its victory last time out at Suzuka, limiting its teams to six sets of slicks (in addition to seven sets of wets).
Dunlop is now the only tyre maker in the GT500 class that will be granted the additional set, which is only given to teams using a tyre brand that has yet to win a race in the current season.
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