The first of two official pre-season tests for the 2018 Autobacs Super GT Series kicks off on 17-18 March, at the Okayama International Circuit.
All 44 teams taking part this season will be running, with a total of 94 drivers expected to take part in the test.
Last year’s official tests were dominated by the new Lexus LC500s in GT500, who led every session between the two tests. But this year, the Honda NSX-GTs and Nissan GT-Rs appear to be much closer to the reigning champion manufacturers, if previous manufacturer test results are an indicator.
GT300 will see the debut of the new Honda NSX GT3s and the second-generation Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3s, and let us know how they’ll measure up against the established FIA GT3 runners plus the JAF-GT300 and Mother Chassis machines.
Newcomers like Felix Rosenqvist, Ritomo Miyata, and Hiroki Otsu will also be required to pass the series’ rookie orientation test, so they can officially be licensed to race in Super GT.
At last check, there were still a few teams that hadn’t yet announced their drivers for the 2018 season, but the lineups at Okayama will almost certainly confirm the final few vacancies left on the GT300 grid.
Team JLOC’s two Lamborghini Huracán GT3s will have revamped driver lineups in 2018. The #88 Money Partners (ManePa) Lamborghini will have Lamborghini Squadra Corse factory driver Marco Mapelli driving alongside the returning Kazuki Hiramine.
Mapelli’s role with the team was confirmed in a press release from Lamborghini last week, he’ll also drive for FFF Racing in Blancpain GT Series Asia in concurrence with his new role with JLOC.
The #87 JLOC Lamborghini will be run by the returning Kimiya Sato, and Yuya Motojima, promoted from third driver status after splitting time between JLOC and D’station Racing in 2017. Rookie candidate Tsubasa Takahashi is also entered, in preparation for a potential third driver role with the team.
Team Mach’s #5 Toyota 86 MC already has sophomore Natsu Sakaguchi confirmed as a full-season driver. Kiyoto Fujinami will also return for the test, as he is likely to be back in a full-time capacity for 2018. Team Mach are also entering 21-year-old Formula 4 graduate Yuya Hiraki on Saturday, and team director Tetsuji Tamanaka will do some running on Sunday.
R’Qs Motor Sports have confirmed they will upgrade to the Mercedes-AMG GT3, which will be driven by long-time GT300 veterans Hisashi Wada and Masaki Jyonai. And Dijon Racing’s previous-generation Nissan GT-R GT3 will be run by Masaki Tanaka and Taiyou Iida.
The circuit opens at 6:30 AM JST (Local time) on both Saturday and Sunday, and will be open to the general public as they get their first glimpses of their favorite teams and drivers in action before the season starts on 8 April at this same venue.
Saturday’s sessions will run from 9:50-11:50 AM JST, and from 2:00-4:10 PM JST, followed by two sessions on Sunday, from 9:00-11:10 AM JST, and from 1:30-3:45 PM JST.
DSC will have reports from both days of testing at Okayama, as well as the following week’s official test at Fuji Speedway on 24-25 March.
