The 2025 Autobacs SUPER GT Series GT500 grid is set, after Nissan confirmed its driver line-ups for the upcoming season.
Nissan will once again enter four Z NISMO GT500s, hoping to improve upon last season’s results. The redesigned Z-car took a win in the Golden Week race at Fuji Speedway, but Toyota would end up winning six out of eight races on the season, shutting Nissan out of championship contention.
Retired four-time GT500 Champion Ronnie Quintarelli has been appointed as a NISMO Ambassador and an Executive Advisor to the GT500 programme, serving in the latter role alongside his former co-driver Masataka Yanagida, while former NISMO Team Director and Ambassador Kunihiko Kakimoto has been named as an “Honourary NISMO Ambassador”.
To replace Quintarelli, the two flagship NISMO/NMC (Nissan Motorsports & Customising) cars will have new driver line-ups in 2025.
Katsumasa Chiyo and Mitsunori Takaboshi are reunited in the #23 NISMO Z, with Takaboshi moving over from NISMO NDDP.
The duo finished as runners-up in the 2022 and 2023 GT500 Championships during their time in the #3 NISMO NDDP car, with three wins and five podiums.
Atsushi Miyake will remain at NISMO NDDP to drive the #3 car alongside Daiki Sasaki, who returns to the GT500 class after a one-year absence. Sasaki is a graduate of the original Nissan Driver Development Programme (NDDP), and spent ten seasons in GT500 from 2014-2023, where he took three wins, 11 podiums, and two pole positions during stints at Kondo Racing and Team Impul.
Last season he drove for Kondo Racing in GT300, where Sasaki and João Paulo de Oliveira scored two podiums and finished seventh in the Drivers’ Championship. He also reached 100 career starts (including non-championship events).
“This season, we will take on the SUPER GT challenge with two new and two current driver combinations,” said NMC President and the Head of Nissan Motorsport Business Unit.
“Our aim is to retake the championship and build team organizations that enable all four teams to win. Major preparations for the 2025 season will begin next week, and will involve the development division and the teams working closely together to further improve the Nissan Z NISMO GT500. Like every season, we will do our best to deliver the excitement of motorsports to fans and we thank you for your ongoing support.”
There are no changes at Team Impul or Kondo Racing. Tsugio Matsuda will embark on his 26th GT500 season in the #24 Kondo Racing Nissan, joined by second-year GT500 driver Teppei Natori. The pair won the pole position for the Autopolis GT 3 Hour Race last year.
2022 GT500 Champions Kazuki Hiramine and Bertrand Baguette will also stay at Team Impul in the #12 Nissan.
The other significant development for Team Impul this off-season was the confirmation of a new primary sponsor for the GT500 team. Tokyo Radiator (TRS) will replace Marelli this season, a deal that was finalised on Christmas Day.
Further announcements of Nissan’s GT300, Super Taikyu, and worldwide GT4 programmes will be announced in the coming weeks.
Images © Nissan, GTA
