It’s been a staple of the GT Academy program for several years now, with professional factory drivers teaming up with the Academy winners to run a Pro-Am entry in the Blancpain Endurance Series. In 2015 though things will be a little different as the NISMO Athletes are stepping up to take on the top “Pro” category and mix in with the fastest GT3 racers in the world.
The fact that the team has always been a Pro-Am entry hasn’t really affected their speed as they’ve led several races outright in the last three seasons – taking Pro-Am honours in 2013 – but to consistently take the race wins needed is a different challenge. The three man team elected for the job are Katsumasa Chiyo, Alex Buncombe and Wolfgang Reip.
Super GT racer Chiyo and 2012 Academy winner Reip come fresh from a stunning last-gasp race victory at the Bathurst 12 Hours where they were partnered with 2013’s German winner Florian Strauss in a Pro-Am entry after Alex Buncombe’s son Austin chose that weekend to enter the world. Buncombe, who is cementing a reputation as one of his generation’s best GT racers, returns to the trio to make for a full, factory-contracted professional line-up.
Although not yet confirmed, it seems likely that a second GT Academy Team RJN car will be entered for the Pro-Am class for this year’s Academy winners with a more experienced mentor like Lucas Ordonez or Jann Mardenborough – depending on their schedules for the Nissan GT-R LM in the World Endurance Championship.
We will see Lucas and Jann driving GT-R GT3 machinery during the season in any case, as they’ll be joining fellow NISMO WEC driver and GT1 world champion Michael Krumm and the Blancpain Pro drivers in a two car attack for top honours at the Nurburgring 24 Hours this May. There they may find themselves up against 2010 winner Jordan Tresson and even Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi!
With drivers competing in WEC, BES, Super GT, the Pirelli World Challenge and V8 Supercars and the season’s plans for other Academy alumni yet to be announced, it’s sure to be a hectic, globetrotting year for the gamer-to-racer talent competition!
Images courtesy of NISMO Global.
See more articles on Blancpain Endurance Series, Nurburgring 24 Hours, and Wolfgang Reip.
Did you send me a promo code ? If so ,then I can’t find it
why is the gtr gt3 slowest gt3 in the game whyyyy!
Gt academy graduates in v8 supercars will definately make me watch it. Pity though, I dont think theyre entering till 2016 from what I read. I dont think the car is ready thus year.
Is it when the new regulations come into play? Possibly accepting 2 door coupe type of cars into the championship would be one of them.
Enter the Nismo Maxima (Skyline) ;)
The possibility of a Gt academy winners vs. Kazunori Yamauchi face off at the ‘Ring got me seriously hyped up, i’d take it as Kaz trying to see if the GTA initiative was worth it and what kind of drivers they are
All will fear Godzila!
Oooh that ferrari 458 in picture looks sweeeeet<3
Good scoop. Should be an awesome lineup for the V8 Enduros. Let’s get that Altima in the game, Kaz!
Can’t wait!
I don’t think Lucas will join them though, as he is participating in this years GT500 class in Super GT (in a GT-R obviously), as well as driving the GT-R LM for Le Mans (which I think will be his only race in the GT-R LM, as Nissan are running three cars at Le Mans, but only two in the rest of WEC)
As for Jann, I don’t actually know if any of the WEC rounds collide with a Blancpain weekend, but I would guess he will be pretty busy being an official GT-R LM driver – for all of this years WEC rounds..
It would be fun to watch…
Wholly smokes!!! Kaz vs the Nisthletes!?… at Nurburg!? Cain’t wait to read about it!
Is it a good moment to make an interview with Kazunori Yamauchi? Last one is from very long time right? Community would be very glad to hear about him..
They have enough talents to win the title and all they need is a luck throughout the season.
The Blancpain Series is getting tougher and tougher. Some really top drivers race in the series, and Audi are stronger than ever. If they’re to win the Endurance Series they’re going to need consistent wins and strong drives.