Wolfgang Reip supposedly dropped from NISMO team?

I've always found it interesting when a GT Academy driver leaves the NISMO Team. I'm intrigue to know where Reip goes now and if he still racing, for what team/manufacturer.
 
It's a bit like the Redbull driver program, drivers are swiftly progressed up through the lower forms of professional racing to the higher series. But every year there's a fresh Academy winner to be pushed up through the ranks. Nissan are obviously cutting down their motorsport involvement, so something has to give.
 
I knew somebody would get cut, they were getting way too many drivers. They were having a golden age, but all golden ages come crashing down. I fear this is only the beginning....
 
I knew somebody would get cut, they were getting way too many drivers. They were having a golden age, but all golden ages come crashing down. I fear this is only the beginning....
Well the guy who helped create GT Academy left, so this wouldn't surprise me.
 
Im surprised about this, Reip was part of the team that won the Bathurst 12 hour and the Blancpain endurance series Championship last year, I got a feeling there is more to this as he is definitely one of their best drivers to come through.
 
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Im surprised about this, Reip was part of the team that won the Bathurst 12 hour and the Blancpain endurance series Championship last year, I got a feeling there is more to this as he is definitely one of their best drivers to come through.
And prior to Bathurst last year, he was a relatively unknown quantity in Nissan's driver pool.
 
Who? :P

Seriously though, if he doesn't drive for Nissan this year he probably can get a seat somewhere else.
 
Im surprised about this, Reip was part of the team that won the Bathurst 12 hour and the Blancpain endurance series Championship last year, I got a feeling there is more to this as he is definitely one of their best drivers to come through.
I don't think so. One of their best or not, I think it really is just that Nissan is no longer really interested in maintaining an international motorsports presence anymore. It'll be curious to see what the catalyst for this about face was starting in December, but even if the entire team was Schumachers there's no point in keeping everyone if the company keeps pulling out of series for them to race in.
 
Let's not forget that pretty much all of the USA winners are without rides this year too. I think Bryan might be back into a GT-R in PWC, but Steve and Nick have nowhere to go. Forgive me if I am missing someone.
 
Let's not forget that pretty much all of the USA winners are without rides this year too. I think Bryan might be back into a GT-R in PWC, but Steve and Nick have nowhere to go. Forgive me if I am missing someone.
The other Nic from Wisconsin who I believe is still with Nissan and will likely run in PWC. If Davison doesnt return then I could see them both driving with Nic in GT-A or maybe he ends up in the GT class 370z they ran late last year.
 
The other Nic from Wisconsin who I believe is still with Nissan and will likely run in PWC. If Davison doesnt return then I could see them both driving with Nic in GT-A or maybe he ends up in the GT class 370z they ran late last year.
Ah yeah forgot there were two Nicks. (or Nic :P) Is Nissan supporting the GT class Z's?
 
I've only really seen Wolfgang race in the 12hr, and apart from his somewhat 'aggressive' defensive driving, he was pretty handy. Being a Silver (I think) he should be able to land a drive elsewhere pretty easily.

This all comes from Nissan sort of sizing down on the Motorsport side (No prototype anymore) so they are having to squeeze their drivers into less cars, right?
 
Who? :P

Seriously though, if he doesn't drive for Nissan this year he probably can get a seat somewhere else.

Not without some financial backing. I doubt there are many, if any, drivers in GT3 that are there on talent alone.
 
I'm wondering what is really behind this, surely a winning team like that would try everything possible to keep him in the championship car, unless there is something odd in the driver ratings that he has been raised or lowered within the ratings that could prevent him from being part of that team,
Yeah, he was part of a championship winning team last year. Just letting him go seems quite odd.
 
I'm wondering what is really behind this, surely a winning team like that would try everything possible to keep him in the championship car, unless there is something odd in the driver ratings that he has been raised or lowered within the ratings that could prevent him from being part of that team,

He was upgraded from Silver to Gold. Probably messes up what he could do.

https://wec-magazin.com/fia-announce-updated-driver-ratings/
 
I think Nissan wants to quit motorsport, except super gt. The GT academy drivers are the first victims.
I don't know for Ordonez, maybe there is a reason, but going from a GT500 wheel to a GT3 wheel in Blancpain isn't a promotion in my opinion.
 
They are cutting back but not that much. The new US Nissan boss is looking into P2 in the IMSA series next year depending on what happens with the regs for that.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if Nissan also pulls out of PWC and cuts back to just Blancpain, Super GT and supplying engines to P2 cars.
 
Negotiations are still under way to continue support in V8SC past 2016.
Surprised that they still want to go with V8s despite being the worst factory-backed vehicles in the series (losing to Volvos best and only 1 win during their current run (even Erebus won more)). I can understand wanting to go with Super GT and Blancpain but V8s is surprising.
 
Surprised that they still want to go with V8s despite being the worst factory-backed vehicles in the series (losing to Volvos best and only 1 win during their current run (even Erebus won more)). I can understand wanting to go with Super GT and Blancpain but V8s is surprising.
Erebus has 1 more victory, sure. But I would bet on the average finish of Nissan being better.
 
Erebus has 1 more victory, sure. But I would bet on the average finish of Nissan being better.
True, true. Though unlike Nissan, Erebus had no manufacturer support and the average of Nissan is still pretty poor in contrast to Volvo), Holden and Ford.
 
True, true. Though unlike Nissan, Erebus had no manufacturer support and the average of Nissan is still pretty poor in contrast to Volvo (if you take the no-so-good #34 driver out of the equation), Holden and Ford.
Exclude the two in bold, they don't count as they have obviously been around for a while.

I think Volvo has an exception in that the team started out as next gen Holdens that were pretty sorted already. Throw on a different body and a strong engine and they're up to pace quickly. Nissan started from scratch with the new gen car and struggled for a while to get them up to speed, including the engine. Not to mention having to spread out the upgrades to 4 cars. But 9th, 12th, 17th and 18th in the standings isn't bad compared to 15th and 25th for Erebus.
 
Exclude the two in bold, they don't count as they have obviously been around for a while.

I think Volvo has an exception in that the team started out as next gen Holdens that were pretty sorted already. Throw on a different body and a strong engine and they're up to pace quickly. Nissan started from scratch with the new gen car and struggled for a while to get them up to speed, including the engine. Not to mention having to spread out the upgrades to 4 cars. But 9th, 12th, 17th and 18th in the standings isn't bad compared to 15th and 25th for Erebus.
*Points at BMW in DTM and Bentley in GT3* It took them a year to get competitive against series veterans yet Nissan is still struggling in V8s and it has been 3 years.

Let's not forget that 2 of the V8 drivers the 9th driver beat missed out on a few races due to an injury so 9th doesn't sound that impressive and like I mentioned before Erebus has no manufacturer support so 15th actually isn't bad and good for vehicles that were built from scratch without any support from the Manufacturer unlike Nissan.
 
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