2016 Japanese Super GT

[Artur]

GT300's pole was 1s faster than last year's!

Well, it was the #37 The Nissans were pretty close together(bar the Yokohama one). Given how tight it is, I'm expecting a very good race tomorrow.

A tech question, is it allowed to change tires from Q1 to Q2? It takes them quite a lot of laps to come up with their best time, even in Q2(2 or 3 timed laps warming up the tires).

This is curious because, on WEC, the first timed lap is the best of the tires and they last even longer than the SGT ones.

[TF110]

Not Rossiter, sorry, I meant his car. Good job Hirakawa and RC F teams.

[hvr777]

What the hell happened with 5 Honda NSX Concept-GT(s)? All NSX were left behind at P11-P15.....

[carbsmith]

That terrifying moment you realize it's entirely likely the rules were actually favouring hybrids and Honda was just that bad.

Maybe it shouldn't be surprising considering the absolute whipping they've taken from Toyota in Super Formula though.

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by hvr777

What the hell happened with 5 Honda NSX Concept-GT(s)? All NSX were left behind at P11-P15.....

And this case I just thinking about the flashback of 2014 Fuji Round 2 qualifying for GT500. All NSX were left behind 1st time, And this is the 2nd time that NSX were left behind!!!

http://supergt.net/results/index/2014/Round2/3/gt500

[MagVanisher]

Man, not a good start for Honda after gutting out their hybrid system for this season!

If they can't sort it out during tomorrow's race and the rest of the season, looks like it's game over for the NSX GT-Concept GT500 car!

[hvr777]

Originally Posted by carbsmith

That terrifying moment you realize it's entirely likely the rules were actually favouring hybrids and Honda was just that bad.

Maybe it shouldn't be surprising considering the absolute whipping they've taken from Toyota in Super Formula though.

surely Honda needed to reconfigure its NSX having its hybrid system removed as it can make difference especially with its weight distribution.

well, I didn't expect that...

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

Man, not a good start for Honda after gutting out their hybrid system for this season!

If they can't sort it out during tomorrow's race and the rest of the season, looks like it's game over for the NSX GT-Concept GT500 car!

@MagVanisher

You are right!!!!!! . It will be game over for NSX GT-Concept GT500 if they can't solve this issue , the NSX GT3 will be game over too!!!!!

[MagVanisher]

@AkioAsakura95
Look, the NSX GT3 car wasn't there in the GT300 class. Get your facts straight, son!

Moving onto tomorrow's race, it's time for me to lament the loss of Love Live! McLaren all while μ's went out with a bang! Oh yeah, and let's hope Honda will get at least 3rd to 5th place instead of dead last!

[Matt]

The NSX GT3 is a car that will be BOP'd with the rest of the GT3 spec cars to remain competitive so I fail to see how that's relevant in this discussion.

[rjoconnell]

Sorry about Subaru's stream deal, first and foremost.

Just to offer a take on the NSX GT3 - I worry about its competitive prospects for when it does inevitably come to the series, if the RC-F GT3 is still continuing to struggle and drag Iida & Yoshimoto down with it. I know it's a different manufacturer entirely, but I still have a sinking feeling.

Even with further aero restrictions and fuel flow limits, GT500 cars crushed the old lap record. That's amazing. Ryo Hirakawa is amazing too - I think he's going to be a major star in ELMS this year, and the 24h Le Mans. KeePer TOM's - the "B Team" - look unbeatable here lately.

7 different models in the top 10 in GT300, led by an 86-MC of VivaC Team Samurai. As they go, so will the Mother Chassis programme, and it's looking good so far!

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Super GT 2016 Livery Review: Part 1 - GT500 - Lexus
I've been thinking of doing a livery round-up by almost all Super GT car liveries of 2016 weeks ago. I've decided to do that now, so it's my first time reviewing the liveries! This might be corrected at any time if there's any errors.
Part 1 will be GT500 and is the Lexus category.

Wako's 4CR RC-F

Now Eneos is gone, and Wako's comes in as a new title sponsor. I can think of the Wako's Aston Martin from 2014, but this one is just a sexy car livery. The colours from the Wako's logo just fits the car well without any doubt - after losing Eneos.

WedsSport Advan RC-F

I haven't got the side picture of this car yet, but it's just good as it is. However, Team Bandoh didn't change much to their livery.

au TOM'S RC-F

Petronas is given a goodbye, and we welcome a new title sponsor for the team, it's AU. This reminds the Super GT fans of this one, but this one doesn't look as much as stunning to me. The door side, where the AU logo is, can look a bit blank for me. However, the entire livery is good as it is.

KeePer TOM'S RC-F

Massive sponsors!

ZENT CERUMO RC-F

Compared to last year's one, this one looks even mroe stunning than the past Team CERUMO liveries from 2011 to 2015. To be obvious, the yellow colour, as an addition for the livery, just makes me think of a chocolate bar with a red and yellow colour ( ). It should be the Super GT Livery of the Year 2016.

DENSO KOBELCO SARD RC-F

Compared to last year's one, the blue and yellow bits have been a bit extended on the rear side of the car. The roof side has the blue bit moved there, as you can see here.

I couldn't write anything else more.

So that's the end of the first part of Livery Reviews! Next part will be Nissan.

[AkioAsakura95]

Originally Posted by rjoconnell

Sorry about Subaru's stream deal, first and foremost.

Just to offer a take on the NSX GT3 - I worry about its competitive prospects for when it does inevitably come to the series, if the RC-F GT3 is still continuing to struggle and drag Iida & Yoshimoto down with it. I know it's a different manufacturer entirely, but I still have a sinking feeling.

Even with further aero restrictions and fuel flow limits, GT500 cars crushed the old lap record. That's amazing. Ryo Hirakawa is amazing too - I think he's going to be a major star in ELMS this year, and the 24h Le Mans. KeePer TOM's - the "B Team" - look unbeatable here lately.

7 different models in the top 10 in GT300, led by an 86-MC of VivaC Team Samurai. As they go, so will the Mother Chassis programme, and it's looking good so far!

That right, I worried about the NSX GT3 is same problem as the RC F GT3 , do you get it (for someone who throw the venomous prejudice in my direction)

For the Mother Chassis programme , the engine is restricted for the one engine only,so they might be not interested to buy the mother chassis car

[TF110]

The RC F gt3 seems pretty good in VLN. I wonder what the difference is? I think the gt3 nsx should be ok since its using it's own chassis, not a dtm spec tub.

[MagVanisher]

@TF110
But depending on which driver is handling the machine, the NSX GT3 car might perform either flawlessly or bad should the BoP give them in their favor or against it!

[hvr777]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

@TF110
But depending on which driver is handling the machine, the NSX GT3 car might perform either flawlessly or bad should the BoP give them in their favor or against it!

Agree with that. Even though the car has the potential, the car performance will be heavily influenced by BoP. And after that it's up to drivers & teams to maximize the performance.

Still, I'm scratching my head having saw #0 Gainer GT-R only managed to P17 today. BoP again?

[MagVanisher]

@hvr777
I think the GTA/JAF realized that the GT-R GT3 car is too strong last season that they decided to nerf the machine a bit!

Now then, will Andre Couto and rookie Ryuichiro Tomita managed to get back up to a podium finish come today's race? That's the question will have to find out!

[carbsmith]

SRO does BoP. Apparently in particular they go off the Paul Ricard BoP test for the Okayama test then have SRO adjust again for the season.

I don't think there's anything too alarming about the Gainer GT-R qualifying poorly, the B-MAX GT-R was half a second faster in Q1 and ended up in a somewhat reasonable position and you only need to look back two races to find Gainer qualifying 14th while B-MAX was 8th and 0.8s faster with the same ballast. GT-Rs might be a bit weaker this year but it's certainly deserved.

[rjoconnell]

Pre-race retirement ceremony + lap of honour for the retired 3x GT500 champion, Juichi Wakisaka.

[J Jay]

So we don't get Sam & Johnny doing commentary, but Kazuki Nakajima is in the box for the Japanese commentary team so it's not all bad.

Not that I can understand what he is saying but ...

[Japanese Samurai]

GTA Sunday press conference by Masaaki Bandoh

Revised 2016 Sporting regulations explanations.
http://www.fmotor.jp/2016-sgt-rd1-gta1
-All team must participate in the all race from this year. (Wildcard of local Team can participate in Thailand round.)
-Maximum success ballast is up to 100kg.
-5% reduction of fuel restrictor size.
-Pole sitter can get 1 point in Qualifying round.
-Pit work during SC run is prohibited.

About regulation unification between SGT and DTM
http://www.fmotor.jp/2016-sgt-rd1-gta2
-Steering commission will be held by GTA and ITR in Japan on May 11.
-GT500 monocoque changed in 2017. DF would be reduced 25 %.

[Japanese Samurai]

Sunday press conference Part 2
http://www.as-web.jp/supergt/8962
-There is a plan to do an inter race at China/Guangzhou by GT300 (10 cars) and the pro class of Blancpain GT (10cars) in January or February 2017.

[J Jay]

Eight laps in and we've yet to see a Honda on screen.

Do we think they'll remain invisible until the pit stops, or will we see them being lapped before then?

Meanwhile, Hirate & Sekiguchi are having fun while being slightly held up behind Yasuda.

[Baliwa]

where I can watch it beside on BRZ Onboard Livestream?

[J Jay]

Excellent move from Quintarelli to get past a slowing Caldarelli into 2nd.