2018.01.12

Button joins TEAM KUNIMITSU! Honda announced 2018 plan. ARTA and new GT300 team are in.

January 12th was a special preview day of Tokyo Auto Salon opened mainly for media, and Honda, AUTOBACS, and Saitama Toyopet that compete in SUPER GT announced their plan for the 2018-season in their respective press conference. K-tune Racing Team, a new team established by Okayama Toyopet, also held a press meet to announce their entry into the series. SUBARU publically revealed their continued commitment to the series this season in the GT300 class with BRZ during a press conference. However, the detail of their team structure will not be given until a later date, according to the company.
It was also announced that Drago, who competed with a NSX CONCEPT-GT until 2016, will partner with Honda Access and enter in the GT300 class with a Honda NSX GT3.

 

 

Honda announced 5-team structure! Button to compete full time with Yamamoto.

 

 

Honda continued the tradition from last year to announce their program for SUPER GT during the Tokyo Auto Salon again this year. Five Honda cars will be fielded by the same five teams as last year: No.8 AUTOBACS RACING TEAM AGURI (ARTA), No.16 TEAM MUGEN, No.17 KEIHIIN REAL RACING, No.64 Epson Nakajima Racing, and No.100 TEAM KUNIMITSU.
Looking into the driver-lineups, No.16 car will have Hideki Mutoh / Daisuke Nakajima with Team manager Nagataka Tezuka, No.17 car with Koudai Tsukakoshi / Takashi Kogure led by Team manager Katsutomo Kaneishi, and No.64 car will be driven by Bertrand Baguette / Kosuke Matsuura duo under the leadership of General team manager Satoru Nakajima, and these three teams will maintain the same structure from last year.
Former F1 driver Jenson Button, who revealed himself that he was going to compete full time in GT500 at Honda Thanks Day held in December last year, will team up with Naoki Yamamoto to drive No.100 car. Kunimitsu Takahashi will continue to lead the team as General team manager.
Takuya Izawa is returning to ARTA after his departure from the team in 2009 to form a new combination with Tomoki Nojiri under Team manager Aguri Suzuki and aim for the title.
Tire supplier of each race car will stay the same as last year, and No.8, No.17, and No.100 cars will be fitted with Bridgestone tires, No.16 car with Yokohama, and No.64 car will be wearing tires provided by Dunlop.

 

 

Honda will start providing NSX GT3 to the GT300 class in upcoming season, and the car was put up on display at the company's booth. It was announced through a news release that Drago, who competed in GT500 until 2016, will partner with Honda Access and enter in the GT300 class by using this very NSX GT3. Ryo Michigami, who is also the team representative, will form a new teammate combination with rookie Hiroki Otsu, who is stepping up from F3.

 

 

ARTA reunites with Izawa. Competing with same team structure in GT300.

 

 

AUTOBACS RACING TEAM AGURI held their announcement event at AUTOBACS' exhibition booth. The team celebrated 20th anniversary since establishment last season with enormous achievement of completing a pole-to-win in both classes at Round 5 Fuji. They will be taking on their 21st season this year with brand new team logo and branding.
As announced by Honda, Izawa is returning to ARTA after he left the team in 2009 to team up with Nojiri. There will be no change in GT300 program from last year with ARTA BMW M6 GT3 and the Shinichi Takagi / Sean Walkinshaw duo remaining this year.

 

 

Okayama Toyopet competing in the series with K-tune Racing Team! Saitama Toyopet announced continuation.

 

 

After scoring two wins in the GT300 class last year, No.51 car has gone a complete transition in its team structure this year. It is now a new team wearing Car No.96 in a collaboration with K-tune Racing Team, established by Okayama Toyopet. However, the team will continue to field LEXUS RC F GT3, and Yuichi Nakayama will also stay to drive for the team. The team is bringing in Morio Nitta, a veteran driver with most wins in GT300, as Nakayama's partner to aim for their first win as well as title along with Team manager Masahiko Kageyama.

 

 

Saitama Toyopet-based GreenBrave also announced to compete in the GT300 class by continuing the Taku Bamba / Shigekazu Wakisaka duo and Mark X MC from last year. Livery on the car is totally changed to mild, matte-finished coloring.

 

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