Tuesday 18th March 2008

GT-R Wins Debut Race

Nismo GT-R wins first race of 2008 Super GT series

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The Nissan GT-R has won its debut race at Suzuka.

The Xanavi Nismo GT-R, starting from the second place on the grid and driven by Satoshi Motoyama and Benoit Treluyer, won the first race of the 2008 Super GT series in Japan in front of more than 32,000 spectators.

Michael Krumm and Masataka Yanagida brought the Motul Autech GT-R home in 2nd place for a historic debut race weekend for Nissan. 

Krumm in the number 22 car, started from pole position and crossed the control line at the end of lap one followed by Treluyer behind the wheel of the Xanavi GT-R.

The Nissan pair continued to dominate the rest of the race ahead of the Lexus SC 430 in third place, creating a gap of more than four seconds by lap 40.

Motoyama said: ‘Before the race we felt a bit of pressure to make a debut win for the GT-R but believed that we could win because the car was fantastic and the team had done a great job.

'Combination with Benoit was also very good and we proved to be the strongest pair. I’m really happy that we won the race in the GT-R’s very first race.’

Treluyer added: ‘Our team and the car have been perfect all through the weekend. It was a shame that we did not take a pole position due to my mistake. We know competition will be tougher but believe we can win again since the GT-R is very fast.’

[Wadeski]

I thought it was just the old 350z in a new skin?

[Zigs]

Wadeski said:

I thought it was just the old 350z in a new skin?

Is it warm under the rock where you have been living?

[JohnGoodridge]

Just gets better for the GT-R. Should be a long queue of buyers by the time it officially arrives in Europe next year.

[MrKipling43]

Zigs said:

Wadeski said:

I thought it was just the old 350z in a new skin?

Is it warm under the rock where you have been living?

It is the 350Z with a new skin.

[SamHH]

Zigs said:

Wadeski said:

I thought it was just the old 350z in a new skin?

Is it warm under the rock where you have been living?

That's a bit harsh. Maybe you could clarify something that I'm not sure about for me: are the cars in Super GT based on the road car chassis and engines or are they 'silhouette' cars?

[SimonY]

Zigs said:

Wadeski said:

I thought it was just the old 350z in a new skin?

Is it warm under the rock where you have been living?

He means the GT500 race car, which has very little in common with the road car, in fact they are probably closer to prototypes. And yes I thought this race car was essentially a rebody of the 350Z racer, which is probably why it has won on its debut.

Edited by SimonY on Tuesday 18th March 11:30

[Wadeski]

Edited by Wadeski on Tuesday 18th March 11:27

[AndyB_WRX]

How long before it gets banned?

[SamHH]

AndyB_WRX said:

How long before it gets banned?

I'm not sure what you mean. I guess you are referring to it being banned from racing in Super GT, but I can't see why that would happen.

[dapprman]

SimonY said:

Zigs said:

Wadeski said:

I thought it was just the old 350z in a new skin?

Is it warm under the rock where you have been living?

He means the GT500 race car, which has very little in common with the road car, in fact they are probably closer to prototypes. And yes I thought this race car was essentially a rebody of the 350Z racer, which is probably why it has won on its debut.

Edited by SimonY on Tuesday 18th March 11:30

Actually the 350Z in the GT500 class was effectively a reskinned GT-R34 until last year, and even then the main change was the engine to a N/A one.

[RB Will]

AndyB_WRX said:

How long before it gets banned?

it was the Aussie GT series that banned the skylines.
A lead of 4 secs after 40 laps!! thats pretty close racing!! pulling away 0.1sec a lap

[TEKNOPUG]

Nah - they got banned from pretty much every race series except the domestic ones. Same with any car that isn't NA & RWD that starts winning a few races....(well I say banned, the regs were changed and they could no longer compete...)

[aww999]

Does anyone know of a way to watch this race series from the UK? Ideally on Sky or the like, but even a streaming internet webcast thingy would be better than nothing.

[ScoobieWRX]

TEKNOPUG said:

Nah - they got banned from pretty much every race series except the domestic ones. Same with any car that isn't NA & RWD that starts winning a few races....(well I say banned, the regs were changed and they could no longer compete...)

If that happens then there should be a one make series for GTR's, that would be worth watching!!

Edited by ScoobieWRX on Tuesday 18th March 13:43

[Adam B]

Focused sports car GT-R beats boulevard-cruising LA lard-arse Lexus SC430 !?!?

[Panayiotis]

Adam B said:

Focused sports car GT-R beats boulevard-cruising LA lard-arse Lexus SC430 !?!?

That SC430 is a Supra though

[PulsatingStar]

Adam B said:

Focused sports car GT-R beats boulevard-cruising LA lard-arse Lexus SC430 !?!?

These cars are all spaceframes, carbon tubs and the engine in the GTR is a V8. Theres pretty much nothing in common with the road car and all the others are the same.

[Vagabond]

I think it's the Pistonheads headline that is causing the confusion, makes it sound like a new GT-R went out and started winning races with only a few stickers on it, as though it is close to the road car GT-R people will be able to buy.

Great reporting Pistonheads, why not, instead of just grabbing headlines, expand a bit on the car that won, it's nothing like the new GT-R road car, it's as valid as saying "Evo X wins rally!!", whereas the road going cars are absolutely nothing like the race/rally versions.

[SimonY]

Vagabond said:

I think it's the Pistonheads headline that is causing the confusion, makes it sound like a new GT-R went out and started winning races with only a few stickers on it, as though it is close to the road car GT-R people will be able to buy.

Great reporting Pistonheads, why not, instead of just grabbing headlines, expand a bit on the car that won, it's nothing like the new GT-R road car, it's as valid as saying "Evo X wins rally!!", whereas the road going cars are absolutely nothing like the race/rally versions.

I reckon WRC cars are a lot closer to production than Super GT, although admittedly there is not much shared in either series.

[hirsty27]

Vagabond said:

I think it's the Pistonheads headline that is causing the confusion, makes it sound like a new GT-R went out and started winning races with only a few stickers on it, as though it is close to the road car GT-R people will be able to buy.

Great reporting Pistonheads, why not, instead of just grabbing headlines, expand a bit on the car that won, it's nothing like the new GT-R road car, it's as valid as saying "Evo X wins rally!!", whereas the road going cars are absolutely nothing like the race/rally versions.

What do you want Pistonheads to say??

The racing car 'based' in part?, on the NEW Nissan GT-R won it's first race!...

We all know 'race cars' have very little to do with there road going versions, but there's no need to be all shirty about it..