2008 SUPER GT Round1
Preview
2008-03-11
Just how strong is the new GT-R?
Will anyone break the staggering course record marked last year?
Drivers' surprising move, uprising rookies, '08 season opener is full of lure.
SUPER GT's '08 season kicks off at "2008 AUTOBACS SUPER GT Round 1 SUZUKA GT300km" on March 15th and 16th at Suzuka Circuit in Mie. 2008 SUPER GT Series has already been providing eye-catching topics from the offseason including NISSAN GT-R's comeback and top SUPER GT drivers' switch to new teams in the GT500 class, and the entrance of up-and-coming rookies and debut of new model car in the GT300 class. This year's opening round has more reason to be longed for than any in recent years.
GT-R showed fantastic runs in preseason tests
No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R
The hottest topic of this season must be GT-R's comeback to SUPER GT after 5 years of absence. Competing from the inaugural season of the JGTC, GT-R had won 5 driver's title in a decade. GT-R's glorious heritage has been inherited by its descendant, NISSAN GT-R. As soon as the production model was launched to the market last fall, Nissan confirmed its decision to compete the 2008 SUPER GT Series with brand new NISSAN GT-R. For the pride of "GT-R" emblem and Nissan's flagship, the company is devoted to crown the title in the debut year. Driven by the devotion, Nissan put together a dream team by coupling their ace driver, Satoshi Motoyama, with the French Speedster Benoit Treluyer to drive the No.23 XANAVI NISMO GT-R. It just shows how serious they are to win the debut race and perhaps continue the momentum to dominate the series.
Moreover, the No.23 is not the only GT-R in contention. All GT-Rs in the series consistently posted good lap times in the official test held in Suzuka two weeks ago. Eyes should be kept on all GT-Rs in the season opener.
NSX and SC430 are making steady progress
Standing against enthusiastic Nissan, defending champion Honda NSX is nowhere near to settle back in the seat as a silent observer. Honda engineers must have been putting everything to build faster and stronger NSX to provide a quick machine to Honda teams. Among all, No.18 TAKATA Dome NSX with the duo, Takashi Kogure and Ryo Michigami, who scored five pole positions last season, draws the most attention. It will be exciting to see if the team will better the unbelievable Suzuka Circuit course record of 1 min 49.842 sec that was recorded last year and give a win at Suzuka to NSX that hasn't happened in 6 years.
Shifting to Toyota, highlights of SC430 are not only with the machine itself, but the drivers' side also takes some pieces of the pie. Defending champion Daisuke Ito who captured the title on a NSX last season has moved to No.6 ENEOS SC430. A proven driver Ito, along with Yuji Tachikawa (No.38 ZENT CERUMO SC430), holds the all-time SUPER GT record of the most wins with 9 wins each. So the head-to-head battle is not only in between manufacturers, but it will be as intense in between three Toyota drivers, including one of the Toyota's ace drivers Juichi Wakisaka (No.36 PETRONAS TOM'S SC430), and in between three Toyota teams.
No.1 ARTA NSX
No.6 ENEOS SC430
Shiden, Z, and Murcielago provided a good outlook at preseason test
Defending GT300 champions, Kazuya Oshima and Hiroaki Ishiura, have changed their field to overseas and the GT500 class, respectively, which may give some complexities to the GT300 class title race. The champion machine MR-S has changed its color design to imitate a popular animation character and become No.95 Lightning McQueen apr MR-S, and will be left in the hands of super young rookies, Kohei Hirate and Keisuke Kunimoto. Youthful and enthusiastic actions are expected to be seen more than the results from the duo.
No.2 Privée KENZO Asset Shiden (Kazuho Takahashi/Hiroki Katoh), No.81 DAISHIN ADVAN Z (Takayuki Aoki/Tomonobu Fujii), and No.66 DGRQ MURCIE RG-1 (Koji Yamanishi/Atsushi Yogo; ran No.87 in the test) posted good lap times during the GTA Official Test in Suzuka. No.43 ARTA Garaiya (Morio Nitta/Shinichi Takagi) was only at shakedown phase at the Suzuka test, but it has a good potential to be one of the top contenders for the GT300 class title along with the above three teams.
No.2 Privée KENZO Asset Shiden
No.95 Lightning McQueen apr MR-S
No.81 DAISHIN ADVAN Z
No.66 DGRQ MURCIE RG-1
Considering that no car will start with handicap weights and it will be the first genuine contention, the 2008 AUTOBACS SUPER GT Round 1 SUZUKA GT300km will be a true battle of drivers, machines, and teams. For the fans, the race is an important key factor to forecast the whole season. It's just too good to be missed!