Nissan’s Global Head of Motorsport Darren Cox jetted in to Austin yesterday to make a series of announcements about the brand’s current and future motorsport programmes.
LMP1
The new for 2015 Nissan LMP1 project is continuing apace from its US base with a first rollout looking set to take place in Florida on 8 December.
Thereafter the LMP1 programme will have three ‘beach heads’, with operating bases in the UK (at Nissan’s Cranfield technical base), Japan (at NISMO HQ in Yokohama) and a new base in Indianapolis, Nissan having acquired the ex-Forsythe Racing workshops as the principal base for the project.
There are no announcements as yet on drivers but Cox did confirm that at least one will be a GT Academy winner. There will be no comment whatsoever on the rumour mill sweeping the paddock with reference to some current factory drivers, and announcements of individual drivers (of an expected ten driver pool – two full season WEC cars, a likely third car for Le Mans and a dedicated test and development driver)
LMP2
The hugely successful customer LMP2 engine programme is set to continue, Darren a big supporter of “The Hartley Effect” that saw a talented young ex single seater driver catapulted to a factory LMP1 drive after showing off his skills in a Nissan engined LMP2 car.
“I think the class has real potential to help more young and talented drivers to find a way into a sportscar career.”
LMP3
The announcement yesterday of Nissan’s deal as exclusive engine supplier for the new for 2015 LMP3 category seems to tick two boxes for the Nissan motorsport portfolio.
“It certainly gives us an opportunity to push some of the GT Academy guys through into a Prototype perhaps a little earlier in their development cycle. The concept of the cars looks ideal to help them to move on.
“I also think this has real potential to bring back something of a lost breed of Gentleman racers to Prototypes. It wasn’t that long ago that we had a number of really high quality and enthusiastic Gentleman drivers in LMP2 with guys like Karim Ojjeh and others racing successfully in the class. I think we’ve lost some of that but LMP3 could be a way back into that market.
GT Racing
Darren responded to a slightly cheeky DSC question on GTE by explaining patiently that Nissan currently has plenty enough on their plate: “I think with the current stalling of convergence talks the prospect of GTE for us has moved away a little.”
There was though the promise that the 2015 GT3 Nissan GT-R will be a major step forward, and that Nissan will continue to be present with a GT4 contender too (the 370Z).
