Following Lucas Ordoñez’s successful Super GT test last month two more Nismo Athletes are to partake in a Super GT test at Fuji.
Academy wunderkind Jann Mardenborough and program lynchpin Alex Buncombe will be heading to Fuji for a GT300 test of the NDDP S-Road Nissan GT-R on August 6th and 7th, ahead of the non-championship round Fuji Sprint Cup race on November 23rd. With Lucas already testing the same car at Suzuka – setting the day’s fifth fastest time – there’s some pressure on Jann and Alex to perform.
After the Fuji test, the NDDP car will be taken to Suzuka for the Pokka 1000km, where it’ll be driven by Lucas and his Japanese teammates Kazuki Hoshino and Daiki Sasaki on August 18th
Meanwhile, in the USA, Lucas and Steve “Dan Mitchell” Doherty entered their first races in the GTS class of the Pirelli World Challenge.
Though the results were ultimately on the disappointing side – not helped by a midpack start and the usual shenangians – Steve did at least collect the Sunoco “Hard Charger” award for managing to make up 9 places during the race over his original grid slot.
See more articles on Alex Buncombe, Jann Mardenborough, Lucas Ordonez, Steve Doherty, and Super GT.
I know that this is off topic but does anyone know if Nissan has been developing a v6 engine just like Honda for F1 next year?
All I think they’ve been willing to invest into F1 is with engine management. Carlos seems to be satisfied with the Renault name being recognized in conjunction with F1.
I’m actually liking GT Academy more and more everytime I hear good news about it. I want the custom parts that 370Z has in GT6. *.*
Go GT ACADEMY!! :D
How long before an academy champ gets a F1 seat? Probably not before a Nissan F1 engine or team. Keep looking forward… ;)
Whats that gotta do with this story? At this point I think Nissans keeping the GTAcademy guys busy and some are actually finding their own way into racing. I mean come on Nissan didn’t do anything wrong giving these guys a shot with GTAcademy. Yeah politics are always involved but racing has progression too, and I hardly believe any of them are being held back from F1 by Nissan.
The GT Academy crews have a few class podiums in pro-am sports car racing, and the next step is supposed to be F1? Keep your expectations in check, take a look at Jann Mardenborough’s F3 Euroseries results and keep in mind Jann is the fastest of all the GT Academy drivers. F1 is still a long long way away.
Yes,… how much longer before an academy champ makes it to F1… is the question I posed. I thought it was a good question.
Another question would be team ownership.
It is absolutely wonderful to see the academy continue to produce successful talent though the years. Before the Bondurant school there was the Scuderia. Will the GT Academy gain such notoriety? I think it… possible ;)
Yes but since your positioning the question with the assumption that any one of them will get there on Nissans dime, knowing Nissan has no F1aspirations, that we know of, pretty much means you don’t think they’ll do it on their own, at their own pace. As SagarisGTB pointed out only jann has shown any interest in being an open wheel race car driver, (F3) so obviously the answer would be him, should he show improvement and stay motivated, and Nissan doesn’t seem to be bothered by this.
When it’s their time and choice to be there it’ll happen, but at this point in their Proffessional careers no one could know that answer.
Sadly, I doubt that any of GT Academy winners will be able to become F1 drivers because a lot of the F1 teams pick the drivers that have a lot of cash or a sponsor that can bring the big money into their team instead of picking the drivers based on driver’s skill. That’s why Mark Webber said that the standard of F1 drivers are getting lower these days compared to the earlier days of F1.
Alternatively a Nissan driver could come as part of conditional sponsorship. And Nissan already plough lots of sponsorship money into F1 – you might have noticed them down the sidepods of the triple-champion team…
Oh yeah, I forgot about the fact that Infiniti could provide a possible gateway to F1 for the GT Academy winners. Thanks for reminding me, Famine :) I hope that Jann gets to drive for Red Bull Racing or its sister team in the near future.
I don’t get how those cars could be at all enjoyable to race with only 300hp.
Racing isn’t always about speed
I don’t get why people think that HP is all that matters.
If you’re referring to the GT-R GT3, it doesn’t have 300 hp. More like just under 500 hp.
I would enjoy any championship seat… at this point.
You don’t know anything about racing or racing cars, do you?
HP isn’t the only thing that makes a car exciting, and 300HP are actually a more than healthy amount.
I drove alfa romeo 145 with 220 hp full racing setup, on grobnik rijeka-croatia. And it was amazing, more than enough for that circuit. So hp is not all that gives you rush on the track.
Oh Please, real life Go Karts are enjoyable at 30 Hp.
I wasn’t expecting this type of reaction! What I meant to say is why don’t they pick cars lower than 300hp so they can tune up and not have to restrict all of them.
I guess I should of realized that fellow race fans could turn against one and another if they see something they don’t like!
I don’t think you understand. GT300 is just a name these days, as long gone are the days when these cars had anywhere near 300hp. The GTA respects FIA BoP, so the FIA GT3 cars are identical to the ones running in FIA GT in Europe. The JAF GT300 cars are also much more powerful now, they wouldn’t keep up otherwise, I believe they run in the region of 450hp.
Look at the Fuji lap times if you don’t believe me. Do you really think 300 hp cars could be faster than the WEC GTE cars around Fuji?
Oh… I believe you thanks for clearing that up.
Have you ever drove a car with 300HP? It’s more then enough, and circuit raceing isn’t about huge power figures It’s about handeling and geting the most grip from the vehicle.
Enough of that it’s not what I meant! I thought the cars were restricted to 300hp but I was wrong and I thought that restricting cars like GTR’s, SLS’s and 458’s to 300hp was dumb when they could pick slower cars like what they’ve done with the BRZ and Prius. I’m going to stop commenting unless it’s need for now on because most every one is so opinionated and turns into a jerk just because they are on a computer and not talking in person.
Nine spots is good work.
Typo in the title?
Jeez, somebody please fix it.
Oh No… It will haunt me in my sleep!
But… Alex Buncombe isn’t a GT Academy Champion.
No he’s not, but he’s the one teaching the new drivers the ropes!
Lucas is and was the first to test GT300. Now Jann is doing the same. First one champion, now more champions.
Hope we can recreate those liveries in GT6.
I second that, Husky.
This is the craziest time to be alive, when a video game becomes the launchpad for real life racing careers. Best of luck to all the racers and may fortune smile on one worthy champion.
+1 to that, Tenacious D ;)
Cool
Agreed the GT Academy alumni are extremely busy.