2012 Japanese Super GT

[TF110]

I love the livery of the Raybrig cars- the HSV is beautiful. Can't wait to see the developments to the 2012 cars. Any news on that front, Samurai? Regs, hp/weight/aero mods?

[Japanese Samurai]

Joint tire test will be carried out at Sepang this week (or next week).
Honda will participate in this test for the first time in several years.
We will get new information by this test.

[BBSB]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

Team Kunimitsu (#100) annnounced http://www.teamkunimitsu.net/news_71_contents.html

No english version
I hope we see this press release on SuperGT english site. There's usually usefull info in these.
Also, no pics of the car?! I would like to see if their livery changed.

[TF110]

Well, one week or two weeks isn't far off to see what the new cars look like and what changes there are to them. The technical side is what I'm wondering though.

[BBSB]

Yeah, I'm not sure why the technical regulations haven't been made public yet, surely the teams must have known them for a long time otherwise how could they develop the cars?

[TF110]

Well, the engines could just be left with bigger restrictors since they all use 3.4ltr V8's. I'm sure they weigh around 1000kg or less already without added ballast, so the ballast could be lessened if minimum weight is to be 1050kg. The only thing is the aerodynamics- that must have been made available to Toyota Honda and Nissan.

[Japanese Samurai]

AUTOSPORT web reports UK AUTOSPORT's article about DTM/SGT regulation unification.
http://as-web.jp/news/info.php?c_id=6&no=38590

AUTOSPORT web says that,
DMSB and JAF have already agreed on the regulation unification in 2014.
Manufacturers of Super GT and the engineer of the team visited Germany, and inspected the DTM machine.
Finally, GTA determines the conclusion of whether to introduce new regulation of Super GT.

Is this UK AUTOSPORT's article?
I do not know whether this part is quotation.

[TF110]

Sounds like they came to an agreement to combine the two series. Unless this is the same story that's old and been printed before.

[tbz]

Guys, any update regarding the 2012 calendar?

[Japanese Samurai]

No announcement/follow-up report yet.

[Japanese Samurai]

GT300 prius photo.
Windshield, A-pillar, roof, and rear hood are genuine parts(!).

[rich07]

Interesting pic JS, thanks for posting that up, where did you find it?

[Japanese Samurai]

It was on the blog of the president of icode which is subcontracting company of apr.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

It was on the blog of the president of icode which is subcontracting company of apr.

Thanks. Its not always you see a SGT racer in build.

[tbz]

auto123.com reported:

Mercedes, Audi, Porsche and Corvette are all said to have interests in joining the Super GT championship, which also includes a GT500 category

[ss_collins]

Reading the GT300 Tech regs - lots of changes - these cars are gonna be much faster

[rich07]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

Reading the GT300 Tech regs - lots of changes - these cars are gonna be much faster

Can you please share some of the big changes with us ?

[steve nielsen]

there's more here:

http://www.autosport.nl/news/24243/s...300_prius.html



and here

http://www.groen7.nl/dit-is-de-toyota-prius-gt300/

[ss_collins]

Not sure I can share much yet as I'm not sure I'm meant to have them! but front aero in GT300 is going to be an issue and the cars will be much faster in that class

[Japanese Samurai]

2012 GT300 regulations (AUTOSPORT print edition version)

2012 JAF-GT300 <Category A, B>:
-Front overhang: max 950mm
-Canard wing are allowed.
-Height expansion between front under panel and flat bottom(40mm to 130mm)
-Expansion of the width of tire(12inches to 14inches, same size as GT500)
-TCS/ABS, Paddle shift are allowed.
-Minimum ground clearance(50mm to 45mm)
-Reduction of flat bottom area/Expansion of diffuser area(Rear wheel axle +350mm to RWA+0mm)
-Rear wing endplate size(400mm*150mm)
-Expansion of restrictor size(4-5 rank up)

2011 JAF-GT300 <Category C, D/2012 only>:
-2011 regulations are applied except expansion of restrictor size.

FIA-GT3 <Category F>:
-BOP of FIA is applied.

[TF110]

GT300 will be almost as fast as old GT500 with these regs. That means GT500 will be as fast as lmp2's? Crazy quick these cars will be. The interest from manufacturers for SGT might be from the upcoming merger of DTM? If so this is the GT championship to be in.

[radiocheck]

Originally Posted by TF110

GT300 will be almost as fast as old GT500 with these regs. That means GT500 will be as fast as lmp2's? Crazy quick these cars will be. The interest from manufacturers for SGT might be from the upcoming merger of DTM? If so this is the GT championship to be in.

GT300 will be quite a bit quicker than last year but I doubt they'll come anywhere close to last year's GT500 times. I mean a GT3 spec car would'nt be nearly as quick as a GT500.

But GTA will still make sure that the 500 also go quicker to keep a clear distinction. GT500 is going to be pretty quick!

[TF110]

GT300's have a lot of downforce, and they'll be adding more next year, plus more power. They'll be within a few seconds of the OLD GT500's from before the regular ruleset, not last year's. They're already faster than GT3 cars at a lot of tracks, the GT3's got a lot of power, but they weigh more. GT300's are lighter and have less power, now that'll be changed. The main reason to make them faster was because of the lack of power compared to the GT3's.

[radiocheck]

Hmmm, where have GT300 been faster than GT3 (the ones under FIA GT3 BOP)? For example, at Sepang a GT3 can do around 2.05's whereas last year's GT300 pole by the BMW Z4 was 2.08.4. And 500 pole was 1.55.9 (still almost 10 secs quicker than a GT3 with FIA BOP). The new regs for GT300 will bring the times around 2.05's if you ask me, maybe slightly quicker...

[TF110]

GT300's might not have been setting fastest laps, but they did win races. Therefor they are just as fast, and faster at some tracks. Maybe not most. They lacked the straight line speed the GT3's have. With more HP this will change. I agree they will be a few seconds faster, but i think that's a few seconds faster than the GT3's times. So closer to 5-7 seconds off the GT500 times from 2011. Like i said, they're lighter than GT3's, correct? Produce more d/f so with more power they should be more than a match for the GT3's.