Why Subaru brought back an old face for Fuji SUPER GT test
The Japanese manufacturer caused a surprise by registering 52-year-old Sasaki as a third driver for the final test of the pre-season alongside its usual drivers Takuto Iguchi and Hideki Yamauchi in the works R&D Sport-run BRZ. Sasaki previously drove for Subaru between 2010 and ’14, his stint at the team coinciding with its switch from […]
Has Bridgestone closed in on Michelin in the wet?
The French tyre firm, which supplies just the two NISMO-run Nissan Zs in the 15-car GT500 field, revealed a new specification of wet tyre for the 2022 season designed to maximise performance in mixed conditions. That allowed Nissan to take a crushingly dominant 1-2 in the only wet race of the year at Sugo, where […]
New Yokohama wet tyre «very bad» in heavy rain
The minimalistic tread pattern of the new tyre appears to take inspiration from the design that rival tyre manufacturer Michelin used to dominate the only wet race of the 2022 season at Sugo. It features three relatively shallow longitudinal grooves complemented by a series of short lateral grooves on both shoulders. The below photo shows […]
Rain prevents Miki Koyama from passing rookie test
Toyota junior Koyama, the reigning Formula Regional Japanese champion, is registered as the third driver for the Arnage Racing-run #50 Lexus RC F GT3 this season alongside Igor Fraga and Yuga Furutani. Both Fraga and Furutani were able to complete the rookie test in the opening official pre-season test at Okayama earlier this month, with […]
Toyota monopolises top four as wet Fuji SUPER GT test ends
The #14 Rookie Racing Toyota concluded the final official test with the fastest time of 1m39.293s, set by the returning Kenta Yamashita during a phase of slightly lighter rain during the two-hour afternoon session. That was a little under three seconds slower than the best time recorded by the pace-setting NDDP Racing Nissan on Saturday […]
Tsuchiya team confident it won’t miss SUPER GT season opener
The #25 Hoppy-sponsored Toyota GR Supra GT was heavily damaged on Saturday morning when team newcomer Togo Suganami speared into the barriers exiting Turn 1 in the wet conditions. Suganami escaped from the accident unhurt, but the damage was enough to prevent the Tsuchiya squad from participating in the afternoon session or the second day […]
Toyota aero device sparks paddock intrigue at Fuji
Four of the six GR Supra teams took part in Saturday’s running with a pair of small wings attached to the bonnet underneath the cooling ducts, with the presumed aim of increasing downforce. The #36 and #37 TOM’S cars, the #14 Rookie Racing car and the #39 SARD car had the device equipped, while the […]
Nissan leads rain-soaked opening day of Fuji SUPER GT test
Mitsunori Takaboshi set the day’s benchmark time of 1m36.400s aboard the #3 NDDP Racing-branded Nissan Z he shares with Katsumasa Chiyo in the two-hour afternoon session, when conditions were at their best. Sena Sakaguchi was second-fastest aboard the Yokohama-shod Racing Project Bandoh Toyota GR Supra with a time 0.168s slower, while the #23 NISMO car […]
Taylor, Rast team up at Tower LMP2 team for Le Mans 24 Hours
Taylor and Rast will race as team-mates for the first time in the centenary edition of the French endurance classic this year, sharing an ORECA-Gibson 07 entered by the TDS Racing-run squad with Tower Motorsports owner John Farano. The Canadian 63-year-old earned his entry for winning the IMSA LMP2 title last year, having been partnered […]