2015 Japanese Super GT

[Mr Pink]

Originally Posted by BudLightJaguar

Though Finns have been successful basically in every form of motorsports, only F1 and WRC (plus rally cross, MotoGP and drag racing to some extent) get any attention from the media or major audiences. Newspapers didn't even write about Toni Vilander's victory in Le Mans.

It's the same in Sweden, though we haven't had nearly as much success of course. I can't remember the last time I read about Mattias Ekström in mainstream media for example and I doubt the "motorsport journalists" even know something like Super GT exists.

[Deleted]

TBH there's no shame at all for Average Aino or even Journalist Janne for not knowing anything about Japanese-based grand touring league - I mean just think how nerdy that even sounds - or other series involved in this section of the forum. This is myriad racing, except for Le Mans (and even that gets none general attention here).

But in cases like that one shouldn't open his/her mouth and write such utter garbage as mr Aittoniemi there. And when their only knowledge of the sports comes from mainstream F1/WRC/whatever, they most certainly cannot place series/cars/drivers in any hierarchy orders.

And that's a major daily publication in Finland so lots of people without knowing any better are just gonna look at it and say "oh so he's switched to some obscure faraway rally series, well he always was useless in proper racing so let him win something"

[Japanese Samurai]

LM-Corsa announce 2015 participation plan.
2 car participation!
http://www.lm-corsa.com/pdf/lmcorsa_news_20150207.pdf

[Japanese Samurai]

According to Autosport magazine,
3 manufacturer's 2014 cars couldn't clear the minimum weight (1020kg/1077kg).
So weight reduction is the ｍain theme for 2015 cars.

[TF110]

Kovalainen is hopeful he has a long future with Toyota. He mentions he could test the SARD lmp2, but he will only race Super GT this year.

[Finski]

Sorry if its already been posted but is there somewhere the races are streamed? or uploaded in HD? I'm keen to follow it this year if possible, Thanks.

[dbagtbag]

I'm always a couple weeks late but I have some translated races on my channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEZ...U7_L2zaODrfpEQ

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by BudLightJaguar

Newspapers didn't even write about Toni Vilander's victory in Le Mans.

Originally Posted by Mr Pink

I can't remember the last time I read about Mattias Ekström in mainstream media

That's very sad, they should be stars.

When Marc Gené won Le Mans, the Spanish press barely mentioned it.

[The IC]

#0 GSR & TeamUKYO SLS got shown a few days ago, lots of piccys on autosport-web's SGT gallery



http://as-web.jp/news/info.php?c_id=2&no=63073

[Japanese Samurai]

According to the website (twitter),
2015 Honda driver lineup is as follows.

#8 ARTA Matsuura/Nojiri
#15? New team Kogure/Turvey
#17 REAL Tsukakoshi/Mutoh
#32 Nakajima Nakajima/Baguette
#100 Kunimitsu Yamamoto/Izawa

[Japanese Samurai]

*Today, Honda teams carried out the private test at Okayama.
*Mutoh wore KEIHIN suits.
*Kogure was writing on an autograph with car number #15.

[Japanese Samurai]

Autosport web Honda Okayama private test (Feb 11-12) report
http://as-web.jp/news/info.php?c_id=2&no=63109
GT500
#8 ARTA: Matsuura/Nojiri
#17 REAL: Tsukakoshi/Mutoh
#32 Nakajima: Nakajima/Baguette
#99 development car: Kogure/Turvey
GT300
#55 ARTA CR-Z: Takagi/Kobayashi

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Why was Team Kunimitsu not there?

[TF110]

New aero updates on the NSX, especially around the rear fender

[divxx]

Originally Posted by The IC

#0 GSR & TeamUKYO SLS got shown a few days ago, lots of piccys on autosport-web's SGT gallery

http://as-web.jp/news/info.php?c_id=2&no=63073

I hope they actually finish that scheme before the first race.

As for Honda GT500, lets see if Izawa picked up anything from his GP2 season, that could be the best overall driver combo. The #32 is always useless because of the Dunlops, #8 and 17 have somewhat uninspiring number two drivers, and #15 is a new team.

Looking forward to Nissan's lineup, that will decide their LMP1 roster too.

[dbagtbag]

Originally Posted by TF110

New aero updates on the NSX, especially around the rear fender

Looks like they took a page out of Nissan's rear fender / bumper at Fuji.

[BBSB]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

According to the website (twitter),
2015 Honda driver lineup is as follows.

#8 ARTA Matsuura/Nojiri
#15? New team Kogure/Turvey
#17 REAL Tsukakoshi/Mutoh
#32 Nakajima Nakajima/Baguette
#100 Kunimitsu Yamamoto/Izawa

Here we go again. Poor Tsukakoshi...What a waste
Otherwise, no more than 5 NSX's as I predicted.

[BBSB]

Originally Posted by divxx

As for Honda GT500, lets see if Izawa picked up anything from his GP2 season, that could be the best overall driver combo. The #32 is always useless because of the Dunlops, #8 and 17 have somewhat uninspiring number two drivers, and #15 is a new team.

So, in short, the more Honda changes, the more they stay the same...

It seems that despite continuous failure to win the championship the Honda GT manager still fails to understand that in order to succeed in bringing home the big prize in SGT, you need not only a competitive machine but also a good/competent pair of drivers in at least your best teams.

That is, the number 2 driver has to be at least close to the number one driver in overall performance, otherwise it's pointless because the teammates are sharing the same seat.
Obviously Lexus and Nissan know this, that's why bewteen them they keep cleaning up, actually this is basic stuff, everyone and his dog knows this... except the Honda GT managers, seems they didn't get the memo.

I don't know why I keep supporting these guys.............

Originally Posted by TheNo1F1Fan

Why was Team Kunimitsu not there?

Maybe they will switch to the michelins left by Dome and will test at another date? #8, #17 and #15 (why Mugen doesn't keep their traditional #16 here?) all have Bridgestones, am I right?

[NaBUru38]

2015年 Honda 国内モータースポーツ活動計画発表会

Friday at 4:00 am UTC

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/honda-news-channel

[Beryl]

#15 is racing under the name "Drago Modulo". The driver line-up Japanese Samurai posted has been confirmed in the press conference.

[TF110]

All bridgestone except Nakajima racing.

[Japanese Samurai]

According to Yuhki Nakayama blog,
his SGT seat isn't decided yet.
http://www.yuhki-nakayama.com/blog/post_557.php

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Honda's final entry list.
GT500
#8: Matsuura / Nojiri
#15: Kogure / Turvey
#17: Tsukakoshi / Mutoh
#64: Nakajima / Baguette
#100: Yamamoto / Izawa
GT300
#55: Takagi / Kobayashi

What happened to Team Mugen and why did Nakajima Racing changed their number?

[BBSB]

Originally Posted by TheNo1F1Fan

Honda's final entry list.
GT500
#8: Matsuura / Nojiri
#15: Kogure / Turvey
#17: Tsukakoshi / Mutoh
#64: Nakajima / Baguette
#100: Yamamoto / Izawa
GT300
#55: Takagi / Kobayashi

What happened to Team Mugen and why did Nakajima Racing changed their number?

Just a little tweak using their 2015 lineup would dramatically increase Honda's chances in GT500, like this:

#8: Matsuura / Nojiri
#15: Izawa / Turvey
#17: Tsukakoshi / Yamamoto
#64: Nakajima / Mutoh
#100: Kogure / Baguette

How difficult is it to Honda to do something like this? As the #17, #100 teams are likely their best hope for this season (I'm assuming here the #15 Drago is composed mostly of new members and not last years #18 members) logic suggests placing the drivers most likely to deliver in 2015, in those teams.

Using Honda's version/logic I don't see how they can even challenge??
Unless the new #15 team surprises and Turvey learns quickly, and Izawa sharpened up a bit during his GP2 season, this will be more of the same underwhelming showing from Honda, I'm afraid.
When they accidentally found themselves with a good pair of drivers in a good team they were strong - Firman/Ito; Kogure/Duval; Makowiecki/Yamamoto (this last could have won if not for misfortune).

PS: So now I know why the new team is not #16. It's not a Mugen entry.
And Nakajima returned to it's old 64 number.
Also surprised they won't keep one car with michelins. I wonder why... Could it be because it's less effective than bridgestone with the NSX MR config.?

[divxx]

I think you're forgetting that these are all factory-supported teams, deserving something resembling equal treatment. The other manufacturers also spread their drivers around, trying different combinations each year, though they've always had a main focus, TOM's and NISMO, while Honda doesn't. Fair treatment of all your teams is not entirely a bad thing. Anything can happen in racing, who would've predicted Mola's (admittedly Michelin-based) success a few years ago?

I also tend to think of Honda's engineer > driver policy as being one of their quirky, likeable traits which differentiates them from the other 2, who just want the championship by any means possible. Honda have only ever cared about making the fastest car, not having the absolute best drivers. Their reputation is not what it was a decade or two ago, but they still see themselves as an engineering company first and foremost.

Wakisaka, Duval, Matsuda, Ito... whenever one of their drivers stand out, they get a pay raise and move elsewhere, I wonder if an attempt has already been made to lure Tsukakoshi away.