2016 Japanese Super GT

[AkioAsakura95]

Here is a new thread to discuss about the next Super GT season. As the calendar has the same circuits in order, it doesn't look too bad for me.

As the GT500 champion Nismo will continue to use number 1 , but they will resuffle the driver lineup , and for GT300 Team Gainer will use number 0 for Nissan GT-R GT3.

[TF110]

Anything new from the Toyota festival?

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by TF110

Anything new from the Toyota festival?

Not yet come for the prediction of the 2016 SUPER GT Team and Driver

But I have some prediction for Lambroghini GT3 team :

JLOC
(#88) Orido, Masami Kageyama?, Hiramine , Kimiya Sato?
(#87) Aoki , Kimiya Sato? , K.Yamanishi? , ??????

Direction Racing
(#77) Yokomizo, Mineo?, Taiyo Iida?
?(#32) Takagi?, Kobayashi? (if ARTA ceased participation GT300 or they does not find the suitable racing machine)

[hvr777]

Originally Posted by TF110

Anything new from the Toyota festival?

For the TGRF Festival, Toyota Gazoo Racing put all reports on http://tgrf.jp/report/. So many unique racing cars especially from the past.

[TF110]

I wonder if Ito will be replaced at Petronas?

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by TF110

I wonder if Ito will be replaced at Petronas?

I think so , Ito will be replaced by Kazuki Nakajima .

As Yuichi Nakayama (apr driver) , I hope he will stepped up in GT500 by replacing Kohei Hirate in Team Sard (predict only)

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by AkioAsakura95

I think so , Ito will be replaced by Kazuki Nakajima .

That would be out of the blue seeing Nakajima left Super GT to concentrate on Super Formula & WEC. I haven't heard anything about him giving up either of those so I doubt he'll be back in SGT next season.

Ryo Hirawaka seems like to good shout to replace Ito though (who is almost certainly on his way out).

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by J Jay

That would be out of the blue seeing Nakajima left Super GT to concentrate on Super Formula & WEC. I haven't heard anything about him giving up either of those so I doubt he'll be back in SGT next season.

Ryo Hirawaka seems like to good shout to replace Ito though (who is almost certainly on his way out).

@J Jay

Fine , I changed the Team and Driver prediction for all Lexus team

(#6） Oshima, Kunimoto, Hirate?
(#19) Wakisaka , Sekiguchi
(#36） Hirakawa, Kazuki Nakajima?, Rossiter
(#37) Caldarelli , Hirakawa, Yuichi Nakayama?
(#38) Tachikawa, Ishiura
(#39) Hirate , Oshima?, Kovalainen

[Japanese Samurai]

Dr. Takamori (DIJON #48) says the rumour that new team participation and multi car participation would be restricted in GT300 next season.
GTA would like to restrict the participation of unexperienced team in GT300 class.
http://ameblo.jp/s-tai/entry-12099013229.html

[hvr777]

Originally Posted by TF110

I wonder if Ito will be replaced at Petronas?

In my opinion, yes and no.

Yes : He's quite old now and seems some young drivers are looking for a Lexus GT500 seat.

No : I think he is still has the pace & still being competitive to compete at GT500. His #36 car ranked behind the #37 sister car, but I think it must be from #36's bad luck at Sugo (have to start from pit) and Motegi (mechanical failure)

[TheNo1F1Fan]

I'm mostly thinking that Kazuki Nakajima will stay in WEC full-time until he decides to return back to racing in Japan.

And another question, is any driver going to retire after 2015? Satoshi Motoyama and Yuji Tachikawa can retire if they want to, but I'll think they'll stay for another year so they'll have a total of 20 years in Super GT.

[Japanese Samurai]

Originally Posted by TheNo1F1Fan

And another question, is any driver going to retire after 2015? Satoshi Motoyama and Yuji Tachikawa can retire if they want to, but I'll think they'll stay for another year so they'll have a total of 20 years in Super GT.

There is a rumor that Motoyama/Yanagida pair will be splitted by this year.
Motoyama says that it's himself to leave from Team MOLA (#46) in that case.
Perhaps he might launch new team.

[cg7aa]

I finished catching up with the whole 2015 season last weekend, what a fantastic series. Thanks to Nismo TV and RLM for the English commentary. I don't think I saw a dull race, even when there a bit of a lull in the action, it would always pick up towards the end of the race and there was always action aplenty when the 500s came up to lap the 300s.

I'm very much looking forward to 2016, the only other thing is, I would prefer it if GT3-spec machinery did not become too prevalent in GT300. I like seeing the exotic machinery in that class and there are enough GT3 racing series in the world as is. No offence!

[hvr777]

Originally Posted by cg7aa

I finished catching up with the whole 2015 season last weekend, what a fantastic series. Thanks to Nismo TV and RLM for the English commentary. I don't think I saw a dull race, even when there a bit of a lull in the action, it would always pick up towards the end of the race and there was always action aplenty when the 500s came up to lap the 300s.

I'm very much looking forward to 2016, the only other thing is, I would prefer it if GT3-spec machinery did not become too prevalent in GT300. I like seeing the exotic machinery in that class and there are enough GT3 racing series in the world as is. No offence!

By absence of Prius and CR-Z at next year, I think the JAF-GT's shoulder now is in Mother Chassis cars (hopefully more customer teams next year and of course with much better performance) and BRZ.

Not sure if both of Prius and CR-Z will have their own successor at next year.

So far, Subaru BRZ is the only current JAF-GT car (outside MC cars) which meet with new GT300 regulations.

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by hvr777

By absence of Prius and CR-Z at next year, I think the JAF-GT's shoulder now is in Mother Chassis cars (hopefully more customer teams next year and of course with much better performance) and BRZ.

Not sure if both of Prius and CR-Z will have their own successor at next year.

So far, Subaru BRZ is the only current JAF-GT car (outside MC cars) which meet with new GT300 regulations.

About the JAF-GT300

JAF-GT is factory supported team while
MC car is not factory supported team.
So I think ARTA will ceased participation of GT300 if Honda does not have the suitable car to replace CRZ-GT but I don't know about the apr racing team, for the replacement of Prius

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by TheNo1F1Fan

And another question, is any driver going to retire after 2015? Satoshi Motoyama and Yuji Tachikawa can retire if they want to, but I'll think they'll stay for another year so they'll have a total of 20 years in Super GT.

Neither should be thinking of retirement when they continue to show top form. They haven't fallen off the way Ito and especially Krumm have.

[hvr777]

Originally Posted by Beryl

Neither should be thinking of retirement when they continue to show top form. They haven't fallen off the way Ito and especially Krumm have.

Both of Motoyama and Krumm are still competitive, I guess.
Their potentials are limited by car performance.

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by hvr777

Both of Motoyama and Krumm are still competitive, I guess.
Their potentials are limited by car performance.

@hvr777
Thanks for your information

Then I predict the Nissan GT500 driver lineup

#1 J.P. Oliveria？？ , D.Sasaki?? , Yasuda?
#12 Motoyama？ , Quintarelli？，Ordonez??? , D.Sasaki??
#24 Krumm, Takaboshi？？
#46 T.Matsuda？ , H.Yasuda？ , Yanigada
(?) Motoyama Team : Motoyama, Quintarelli, Ordonez??? (if Motoyama creates new team)

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by hvr777

Both of Motoyama and Krumm are still competitive, I guess.
Their potentials are limited by car performance.

I agree with you on Motoyama.

Krumm was thoroughly outperformed by Daiki Sasaki this season. Unless you rate Sasaki as a revelation, Mr Kimiko Date has been substandard.

[TF110]

DTM/SGT race could still happen even with mismatch engines according to this http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/121967

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by TF110

DTM/SGT race could still happen even with mismatch engines according to this http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/121967

@TF110

I hoped that one of the DTM manufacturer ( especially BMW ) participate GT500 as the preparation of the next generation of DTM machine .

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by TF110

DTM/SGT race could still happen even with mismatch engines according to this http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/121967

I could win the lottery as well...

Nevermind the engines, they're (relatively) easy to balance compared to those black round things on the wheels. At the moment the only feasible solution I can see is to put all the cars on the Speckooks because the performance difference with the custom SGT tyres is huge and possibly too large to be sorted by a combination of power/aero/etc. without spiralling knock-on effects. That won't go down well with the GT500 teams though.

At least the tyre issue is being openly acknowledged now, it's been the elephant in the room for too long.

[Japanese Samurai]

A rumor that Nelson Piquet Jr is interested in Super GT was told by Naoki Hattori (GTA) in the Niconico live cast.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by J Jay

I could win the lottery as well...

Nevermind the engines, they're (relatively) easy to balance compared to those black round things on the wheels. At the moment the only feasible solution I can see is to put all the cars on the Speckooks because the performance difference with the custom SGT tyres is huge and possibly too large to be sorted by a combination of power/aero/etc. without spiralling knock-on effects. That won't go down well with the GT500 teams though.

At least the tyre issue is being openly acknowledged now, it's been the elephant in the room for too long.

I think the article confirms theres still enthusiasm for a joint race even though dtm are trying to be cheap.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by TF110

I think the article confirms theres still enthusiasm for a joint race even though dtm are trying to be cheap.

So they should be, but you've highlighted the sticking point right there. ITR want to have their (minimised expenditure) cake and eat it (not being embarrassed by the GT500s).

Originally Posted by rich07

Super GT don't need DTM. Super GT should just go their own way. SGT have everything DTM don't have at the moment, exciting racing big grids full of variety and a good mix of factory and privateers. Don't fix what ain't broke.

If DTM aren't ready then Super GT shouldn't suffer because the Germans have dropped the ball.

The adoption of DTM regs hasn't saved all that much money - complications from the tub designs I think? - but JAF have made them work so you're right that DTM isn't necessary for SGT. However, JAF wants to take GT500 outside Japan (e.g. their polite enquiries about entering LM) and the teams are eager to race internationally as well. In this situation the Japanese will probably concede more than the Germans to make sure these joint races go ahead.