Nissan has made one thing of a behavior of profitable the SUPER GT title with new GT500 fashions of their first yr of service. Its works NISMO crew did so with the R34 variant of the GT-R in 1999, then once more 4 years later with the 350Z. In 2008, the then-new R35 GT-R additionally took the title on the first time of asking.
And now, within the first yr of competitors for the all-conquering new Z, Nissan is in an excellent place to finish a protracted, painful title drought stretching again to 2015, with two of its crews occupying the highest two spots within the standings forward of this weekend’s Motegi finale.
However to lastly declare the prize that has eluded it for seven years, Nissan should overcome Honda at its dwelling circuit, the place the NSX-GT has been victorious within the final 4 races.
The final time Honda didn’t win within the GT500 class at Motegi was again in 2019, by the way when the final time the observe served because the venue for the title-decider. It’s important to return to 2017 to search out Nissan’s final win on the observe, though Impul got here very shut final yr.
That mentioned, the Z has arguably taken over from the NSX-GT because the king of the ‘technical’ tracks this yr with two wins at Suzuka and one other within the moist at Sugo. The 2 title-contending Nissans had been each laden with gas move restrictors final trip at Autopolis, and but the Impul automotive was nonetheless in a position to come by means of for sixth, however very practically got here fourth.
At Motegi, there aren’t any extra gas restrictors or success ballast slowing down the highest automobiles within the title chase, the #3 NDDP Racing (Katsumasa Chiyo/Mitsunori Takaboshi) and #12 Impul (Bertrand Baguette/Kazuki Hiramine) Nissans, each of which banked beneficial additional mileage in final month’s Bridgestone/Michelin tyre check at Motegi.
Nonetheless, having made an actual step in efficiency from Sugo onwards with the introduction of the Spec 2 engine, Honda actually can’t be counted out. Victory at Autopolis for Actual Racing pair Nobuharu Matsushita and Koudai Tsukakoshi means the #17 crew have momentum on their aspect, and are shut sufficient within the factors to nonetheless have their future of their arms.
To recap: the #3, #12 and #17 crews will all be champions in the event that they win the race, no matter who will get the bonus level for pole. Three extra crews are nonetheless in theoretical competition, Honda squad Staff Kunimitsu (Naoki Yamamoto/Tadasuke Makino), and Toyota outfits TOM’S (Sacha Fenestraz/Ritomo Miyata) and Rookie Racing (Kenta Yamashita/Kazuya Oshima), however their chances are high so distant we gained’t think about them right here.
Who finally ends up sporting the crown on the finish of the weekend is more likely to boil down to 2 issues: qualifying efficiency, as passing is notoriously powerful at Motegi, and gas financial system, as after the beginning the pitstop window will present the clearest likelihood to realize positions.
Motegi is the hardest circuit on the calendar for gas financial system, and whereas Toyota and Nissan have made progress on this entrance, Honda has historically been the strongest. Final yr the earliest pitstops got here on lap 23 of 63, two laps after the one-third minimal cut-off, but when any crew can discover a option to pit on lap 21 this weekend, they may acquire a significant benefit.
Impul’s Baguette is aware of how sturdy Actual Racing is at Motegi, having gained driving alongside Tsukakoshi within the #17 automotive on the Tochigi venue in 2020, however can be bullish that Nissan gained’t have any points matching the gas financial system of the NSX-GT.
“For the reason that begin of the yr we’ve had actually good gas consumption,” he mentioned. “Honda has all the time been sturdy on this level however Nissan has caught up with them, we are sometimes doing the identical numbers. It’s not a lot of a priority for us, however it all the time performs an enormous half.”
One factor Baguette admits is extra of a priority for he and Hiramine’s hopes is qualifying, because the pair haven’t managed to qualify larger than P7 all season – in addition to the likelihood that Michelin occurs upon a tyre alternative that places the #3 Nissan out of attain.
“Sadly that has been our weak level this yr,” the Belgian admitted. ”Now we have been super-strong within the race however not in qualifying. Will probably be necessary to be in Q2, if we will’t qualify within the prime 5 it is going to make our jobs a lot more durable. I gained’t quit even when we qualify in direction of the again, however for certain it might be onerous from this place.
“I do know Honda might be quick, there is no such thing as a doubt, they’re on the identical tyres as us. However Michelin we don’t know, we’ll solely know after FP1 in the event that they introduced good tyres or not. It’s potential they introduced one thing that can make them unbeatable, it’s onerous to evaluate.”
Whereas Michelin’s tempo stays the foremost unknown, one benefit the #3 Nissan may have, particularly in qualifying, is engine mileage, because the NDDP took an additional unit penalty-free following Takaboshi’s big crash earlier within the yr at Fuji.
Chiyo is reluctant to say whether or not this could possibly be the distinction, however is aware of that qualifying within the first two rows of the grid might be pivotal.
“I’m fairly assured, I really feel relaxed,” mentioned Chiyo. “NISMO’s assist has been actually huge they usually ready every little thing properly. Michelin has additionally introduced what we predict is your best option of tyre. The primary secret’s to be as excessive up as potential in qualifying.
“On peak grip all 4 tyre producers are very shut, so one mistake might imply you drop out of Q1. What’s necessary shouldn’t be making any errors, however that is our job.”
Matsushita is equally optimistic for he and Tsukakoshi’s possibilities to attain what can be a first-ever GT500 title for Actual Racing following the #17 automotive’s efficiency towards the 2 title-contending Nissans in final month’s check.
“We did the check and we appeared fairly aggressive, so I actually hope it will likely be the identical right here once more,” he mentioned. “In fact we have to enhance a little bit bit extra, however this weekend we’ve introduced a brand new set-up so we hope that’s going to work.
“The temperature might be just like testing, which makes it predictable. I feel it’s good for the Bridgestones, which additionally means it’s good for Impul. However I’m unsure about Michelin. I feel the important thing might be to remain calm, no errors, however we now have the potential for certain.”
Michelin has traditionally struggled in colder situations, but when the French agency has hit the candy spot this weekend, then Chiyo and Takaboshi can be in a powerful place to lastly finish Nissan’s barren run of titles.
However, regardless of being the A-driver for the main NISMO automotive within the factors, Chiyo is set to not enable the stress of the event to get the most effective of him.
“If I feel an excessive amount of, it’s not needed and typically it might have a unfavorable impact,” mentioned Chiyo. “I need to neglect every little thing about that when I’m behind the wheel.
“We’re sustaining our mindset as ‘challengers’ as a result of all of the mechanics and engineers on the #3 automotive are new. It’s a really new crew. I labored with a few of them prior to now with the MOLA crew, or in Europe or in Australia. It’s a type of mixture of crew members.
“It’s higher to think about ourselves as ‘challengers’ than ‘defenders’, in order that we preserve pushing like all the time. That’s what we now have to do, and it’s all we will do.”
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