2018 Japanese Super GT

[AkioAsakura95]

Here is a new thread to discuss about the next Super GT season.

Lexus Team Keeper Tom's used number 1 for the next season but its is the first time to used 37 TOM'S car to used champion number . For GT300 champion, Goodsmile Racing used number 0 car again for AMG GT3 .

As the calendar for the SUPER GT is slightly changed due to the replacement of Suzuka 1000km race to Fuji 500 mile race . But it doesn't look too bad for me.
And here is the timetable for the 2018 season of SUPER GT.

[rjoconnell]

Off-season just means FESTIVAL SEASON!!!

NISMO Festival 2017: 26 Nov @ Fuji
Honda Racing Thanks Day 2017: 3 Dec @ Motegi
Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival: 10 Dec @ Fuji

Also, I'm very keen to see how silly season unfolds in 2017. The Button factor, the possibility of Dome coming back to GT500, other questions about drivers like Motoyama, Tachikawa, and Caldarelli...and maybe some news from my own personal end yet to be disclosed. :O

[Japanese Samurai]

Team Studie BOB Suzuki seems to think there is a cause of the Team's slump in the tire.
They might switch the tire brand next season.
https://lineblog.me/studiebob/archives/9307586.html

Title: Fracture
2017 Super GT season has ended.
I would like to express my gratitude to you from the bottom of my heart for your support.
It is 10 seasons since we had participated in Super GT.
And it is seventh season this year since we became an entrant team.
We ranked 13th as team ranking higher than 1 position than last year.
13th in 30 teams.
We cleared the minimum goal as A seeded keeping, but we are not the team we made for such a purpose.
We left away from team GSR since 2014.
When I started up this team with BMW Japan, I gathered drivers, engineers, mechanics, tire manufacturers and other staff to create a team involved in the championship constantly.
However, for the past two years we were forced to fight hard and painful race.
Speaking for this year, we were even impossible to climb the podium.
Even if we challenge next year with the same structure, I don't know whether there is a bright future there.
I can't honestly imagine what I am doing to improve results unless the certain causes change. (He seems to say the tire problem.)
However, countermeasures against the cause of the main cause can not be seen.
Of course, there are problems on the machine side as well as for us dealing with it.
However, in the current Super GT, we can not expect good results unless this problem (=tire) can not be cleared.
The final race yesterday was exactly the race that it was exposed.
In a sense, it was a race that symbolized this season.
After Thailand's race I was able to imagine the image for next year, but now I can not do it at all.
I'm still not in a mental status that I can write blogs, but I'd like to say this to you.
Anyway, I really appreciate your support.
I could not deliver sensation to you, I'm really sorry.

[Japanese Samurai]

A rabbit had run at Motegi racing course in 1st lap.
https://twitter.com/3kurage8/status/929575304904900609

[Japanese Samurai]

Kazuya Oshima (#6) had a bad luck yesterday.
A bicycle of ignoring a red signale crashed into his car (Lexus RX).
https://twitter.com/oshima_kazuya/st...31884352049152

[Japanese Samurai]

Judging from Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival's car line-up, #36 and #19 will be sended to Malaysia for annual Christmas Sepang test.
http://toyotagazooracing.com/jp/tgrf/2017/cars-run/

[TF110]

What tire do you think the Studie team will switch to? Bridgestone?

[hvr777]

Originally Posted by TF110

What tire do you think the Studie team will switch to? Bridgestone?

Based on overall results by Bridgestone customers at this season, I think switching to Bridgestone will be makes sense. But I don't know if Studie will try with another brand outside the existing one in Super GT (example : Pirelli)

The comparation between identical cars with different tyres (M6 GT3, RC F GT3 & AMG GT3) were quite clear. But in this case, #4 GSR Hatsune Miku is the exception.

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by TF110

What tire do you think the Studie team will switch to? Bridgestone?

Originally Posted by hvr777

Based on overall results by Bridgestone customers at this season, I think switching to Bridgestone will be makes sense. But I don't know if Studie will try with another brand outside the existing one (example : Pirelli)

The comparation between identical cars with different tyres (M6 GT3, RC F GT3 & AMG GT3) were quite clear. But in this case, #4 GSR Hatsune Miku is the exception.

@hvr777
But I don't think they will switch Bridgestone as ARTA is using Bridgestone with M6 GT3 , unless they changed to NSX GT3.

Then Michelin is the good choice for Team Studie , that because team Studie is one of the official BMW team. And there only nine official bmw teams in the world . Therefore, most of the official bmw team use Michelin tires. And Michelin tires have significant improved for the last time , as MOTUL GT-R proved that it's strong , and Michelin will not hesitate to supply GT300 team . The last seen in GT300 using Michelin since 2014 for Subaru BR-Z GT300.

For Dunlop it doesn't make sense , that because Dunlop tires are Same tires competitiveness as Yokohama.

Speaking about the other tires brand outside Super GT . I think it's unlikely to use all of the other brand of the tires , except Pirelli. But Pirelli tires it's only supplies the race as the sole tires supplier only but not multi tires supplier. As Pirelli oppose to participate as the tires supplier as one the multi tires supplier just like F1 and Blancpain gt series.

[Japanese Samurai]

Kazuho Takahashi says to jp.motorsport.com that Team Cars Tokai (#2) will introduce brand new chassis next season.
https://jp.motorsport.com/supergt/ne...%81%9F-978509/

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

Kazuho Takahashi says to jp.motorsport.com that Team Cars Tokai (#2) will introduce brand new chassis next season.
https://jp.motorsport.com/supergt/ne...%81%9F-978509/

@Japanese Samurai

It means that Cars Tokai will use NSX GT3 for the next season right?

[TF110]

M6 evo kit will probably be their choice imo!

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by TF110

M6 evo kit will probably be their choice imo!

@TF110

I agree to you!!! M6 evo kit is very strong update kit for M6 GT3. It modified the suspension, differential and brake system, and also made aerodynamic adjustments.

By they way, how come the evo package is available in two variants one?
I think it should be only one evo package instead of two variants
(priced at 24,900 and 31,900 Euros)

http://www.bmwblog.com/2017/11/10/bm...ustomer-teams/

[rich07]

Originally Posted by AkioAsakura95

@TF110

I agree to you!!! M6 evo kit is very strong update kit for M6 GT3. It modified the suspension, differential and brake system, and also made aerodynamic adjustments.

By they way, how come the evo package is available in two variants one?
I think it should be only one evo package instead of two variants
(priced at 24,900 and 31,900 Euros)

http://www.bmwblog.com/2017/11/10/bm...ustomer-teams/

Maybe one kit is for sprint and one for endurance with several differences hence the different pricing.

[Japanese Samurai]

According to Hideharu Tatsumi director's column,
Subaru BRZ (#61) had suffered an accident after retiring Thailand race.
An official's winch broke, and hanged chassis fell from 50 cm height.
Although It is unclear whether this was the cause, they had a brake trouble in Motegi.
Front brake didn't work, so rear tire had locked.
They had a trouble caused by trans-axle drive train through this season.
https://www.subaru-msm.com/2017/sgt/column/tatsumi/rd8

[Japanese Samurai]

Team RQ's (#22) is selling its SLS GT3 at Yahoo! auction.
https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/j460093146

[rjoconnell]

Another strong potential entry into GT300 next year - remember it was CarGuy Racing who showed up the Blancpain GT Asia regulars at Fuji with a win on debut!

[Japanese Samurai]

Yokohama tires advertisement in Today's Nikkei Shimbun (newspaper).
"2017 SUPER GT GT300 class series champion acquired.
This is the victory which becomes a trigger of the following 100 years (of Yokohama.)"

[AoB Special Stage]

They sure love their hyperbole at Yokohama.

[Japanese Samurai]

This year is 100th anniversary of Yokohama tire establishment.
However, Yokohama had a tough season because they couldn't even get on podium in GT500.
So GT300 car had to be a trigger of following 100 years.

[TF110]

Was there a postseason test going on or is that yet to come?

[Japanese Samurai]

Nissan GT500 audition test had might be done on the previous day of NISMO festival at Fuji.
And there will be annual Sepang test in December and January.

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

Nissan GT500 audition test had might be done on the previous day of NISMO festival at Fuji.
And there will be annual Sepang test in December and January.

Then when the lineup of gt500 and gt300 lineup announced? Including the silly season report and the driver lineup rumors

Sent from my Lenovo A6000 using Tapatalk

[Japanese Samurai]

Rumor is here!

Autosport magazine preview.
http://www.as-books.jp/books/preview.php?no=5261

Lexus
*Kamui Kobayashi and Kenta Yamashita might participate in GT500 as full time driver.
Honda
*Jenson Button and one European driver might participate in GT500.
Nissan
*There will be new GT500 team replacing Team MOLA (#46).
*Takaboshi will step up to GT500?

[MagVanisher]

Could it be that Team MOLA will compete in GT300 or it'll get merged by a new team?