REPORT: Nissan GT-R, Maserati MC12 heading to Le Mans
Nissan GT-R and Maserati MC12 at 2009 FIA GT test session – Click either image for high-res gallery
If you think you've seen schisms in motorsports by following the on-again, off-again rifts in F1, Indy racing and rallying, those are nothing compared to the fisticuffs endured in sportscar racing over the past few decades. In addition to the Rolex Daytona series and the IMSA, to name just two, the FIA and ACO have been running separate series with separate rules for years. But as the former realigns its sportscar series and the latter further branches out from the Le Mans venue itself to series around the world, the two France-based governing bodies have been getting their ducks in a row. And new coordination between the organizations could lead to some cars which had been relegated to one over the other to bridge the gap and compete for top honors in both.
Among those potential series crossovers are the racing-spec Nissan GT-R and the Maserati MC12, both of which comply with the new FIA GT regulations which ACO is now ready to adopt. Based on the Japanese Super GT-spec GT-R racer and with input from Nismo, British racing team Gigawave Motorsports fielded a GT-R in four races of the 2009 FIA GT Championship in preparation for a full-scale assault on the reformed GT1 World Championship next year. Meanwhile, the Maserati MC12 has been dominating the GT1 category in the FIA GT Championship for the past five years running, winning back-to-back titles, but had remained outside the Le Mans rules as the ACO refused to homologate the Enzo-based racer. With the door to Le Mans now opened – and the corresponding series in Europe, America and Asia potentially along with it – the teams fielding both cars are reportedly enthusiastic to meet the ACO's requirements with backing from their respective factories.
Gallery: 2009 FIA GT Test Days
[Source: Autosport]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
thipps 5:31PM (11/05/2009)
the guys at pratt & miller just smirked hoping that Nissan would be foolish enough to bring the GT-R to GT2
Corvette C6-R is Americas middle finger
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BigDumbFace 6:01PM (11/05/2009)
I thought Flying Lizzard Porsche GT3 was on top of ALMS GT2.
zamafir 5:50PM (11/05/2009)
dude, it's gunna be awesome. Nothing, but NOTHING, puts the proof in the pudding like LeMans. Period.
Now we'll see just how awesome and capable the GT-R. If only toyota had the balls to run the LF-A.
Tourian 6:09PM (11/05/2009)
You mean bring a car that happens to wear a GT-R shell. I'm thinking since the GT-R is AWD it will not be allowed to compete in that form, and will end up being a Fairlady with a V8 from the Q45 or Titan made to look like a GT-R like the guy below says.
audi_arena 6:15PM (11/05/2009)
Can anyone confirm that there will be fewer classes next year? Didn't I read something about that? I would LOVE to see all these makes compete in the same class....
@ zama: I'm with you. I can't WAIT to see who steps up to the plate in next year's Le Mans. As far as I'm concerned, Le Mans is the absolute BENCHMARK for testing a companies engineering ability.
nist 6:29PM (11/05/2009)
@Tourian,
The GT-R is based on the Japanese SuperGT car...which is RWD, 6 speed seuqential transmission, weighs 2500lbs, and has a 4.5L natural aspiration V8 making 500hp...
tuna 7:19PM (11/05/2009)
Not to mention the Oreca Vipers ran circles around the Vettes back in the day. Plus, Corvette Racing would not have enjoyed its success in the past few years had there been more manufacturers in GT1. They ran with little to no works competition for most of the seasons.
Selective memory is a wonderful thing.
The Hit 2:24AM (11/06/2009)
@ tuna
CR only competed in 2 or 3 GT2 races this year (testing the waters).
It still contended for wins when it did. Look for CR to lead GT2 this year.
sparrk 4:49AM (11/06/2009)
@ The Hit , Corvette ran a few races this year , but the car didn't compete with the others because they tested the engine specs for the 2010 season, all the others , Porsche , Ferrari , BMW etc. were using engines made for the 2009 regulations.
thipps 9:25AM (11/06/2009)
@ tuna
talk about selective memory. i think your talking about like 9 years ago. and back then there were more manufactures in GT1 they all left soon after the vette came to the top. now that CR is going to GT2 they have no wear to run.
we will see in 2010 how well they do. im betting on championship
Javanese 5:31PM (11/05/2009)
GTR is a great road car but as a race car? It's a failure. Look at the 24 hour of tokachi, the damn thing finish 18th behind cars like the evo, z4 and rx-7. Before your ask, 24hr of tokachi is a Group N event. Dont try to bring up the superGT car, thats basically a rebodied fairlady with a V8 engine lifted from the Q45.
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BigDumbFace 6:02PM (11/05/2009)
Am I allowed to bring up Targa West, Rally Tasmania, Targa New Zealand?
You're using one data point in which modified cars run for 24 hours? Hell, a lot can happen in 24 hours.
You really don't have enough info to call the GT-R an overall failure. It has won numerous tarmac rally's. And those are far more stock than this.
This car that you see here ^^^ is a V8 RWD car. This is more an example of if Nissan can build a GT1 car, not an example of how good the street GT-R is. This may even have more in common with the SuperGT car.
Even if a car wins one race, it can't be considered a failure. The GT-R has won several. Just because its not the one you cherry-pick....
Rambling Man 5:44PM (11/05/2009)
Does this mean that the GT class width restrictions have been increased? Perhaps this will open the door for more Super GT cars into Le Mans.
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fmwso 6:20PM (11/05/2009)
This should be quite interesting. Can't wait to see Nissan's car at Le Mans.
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why not the LS2LS7? 8:09PM (11/05/2009)
ZZZzzzzzz.
Not really interested in an FIA GT (Super GT) GT-R. It bears no relation to the actual car.
Please bring the real car instead.
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BigDumbFace 7:25AM (11/06/2009)
something... something... regulations... something... something
freshseth83 2:37AM (11/06/2009)
are you serious there buddy? It's body is the same as the street GTR. The only BASIS off the Super GT GTR is the engine, in which it's 100HP more powerful in FIA GT spec. That's right, 600HP. In order to run in the FIA GT1 class your engine has to be over 5 liters. Enter the Nissan V8 from the Super GT car. The body has to be closer to street car in FIA GT spec than it does in Super GT. No extra low extravagant bodywork. And this thing ran in only 2 or 3 races in FIA GT competition in 2010 spec. Which is LESS competitive than the 2009 specs the championship winning MC12's were running. New rules for a new year, and it still set lap times within a half second on some occasions. Great for a first starter.
sparrk 4:54AM (11/06/2009)
why not the LS2LS7 , you're right , that sucks , the GT cars are supposed to be modified race cars based on street legal cars, not totally different cars altogether.
BigDumbFace 8:48AM (11/06/2009)
"The GT1 category will be reserved for models with engines above 5.5L. The manufacturers or tuners will be able to choose between homologation at 650bhp/1300kg or 600bhp/1250kg."
http://www.fiagt.com/newsitem.php?key=1436
http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.nsf/38D4C69471B0D4D4C12575BB003CD52A/$FILE/257_2010_V14GTTGT160409.pdf
"9.2 Drive train
9.2.1 Only the following are permitted:
a/ A direct mechanical linkage (rod, cable) between the gear shift
lever operated by the driver and the gearbox."
They needed a transmission with manually controlled servos, not electronic.
If Nissan wanted to play in GT1, they had to downgrade a few things off the road car.
GT2 would not be favorable for a twin-turbo engine that makes over the allowed power figures bone-stock. They'd have to downgrade that as well, possibly even going N/A.
One way or another, they were not getting a 'real' GT-R into FIA regulations. So what a pointless criticism.
You play by the rules or go home. Nissan wants to play.
by chance 3:49AM (11/06/2009)
You can't compare the incredible Maserati MC12 with that Japatoilet of the Nissan.
I hope FIAT technology will bring Dodge back to competitions in some years.
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