The official English-language Super Formula social media accounts have teased that the new SF23, to be used from the upcoming 2023 season, may be heading to Gran Turismo 7.
Earlier in the month, the official account, @SUPERFORMULA_En posted a Tweet asking followers what their one wish for the 2023 Super Formula season would be. One response was that the SF23 would be added into Gran Turismo, and the account’s response was somewhat heavy on the hinting:
Should the SF23 materialize in GT7, it would be the second successive Super Formula car to appear in a Gran Turismo game following the SF19. That car was revealed in the official Super Formula magazine, but less than a month ahead of its appearance in Gran Turismo Sport and only just ahead of its competitive racing debut.
After a series of development tests in October and November 2022, Super Formula revealed the SF23 in mid-December as a replacement for the four-year old SF19. The two cars are closely related, with Dallara building both vehicles exclusively for the series, but the SF23 features a number of changes to promote closer racing and the Next50 environmental goals.
Probably the most significant change is a shift from fully carbon-fiber bodywork to a hybrid composite made by BComp which consists of around 70% flax fibers — similar to that found on the Extreme E race cars — in order to reduce the cars’ carbon footprint and increase the ability to recycle components rather than sending them to landfill.
The cars will also use single-specification Yokohama tires which use recycled rubber, and in recent tests the SF23 also ran on a new carbon-neutral fuel.
In addition the restyled bodywork results in a mild reduction of downforce, reducing the dirty air phenomenon to help the cars follow each other more closely to promote overtaking and on-track action.
There’s again two specifications of the car, with Honda and Toyota providing engines (the “White Tiger” and “Red Tiger” cars above, respectively), and it seems likely that the overtake feature will return.
With Gran Turismo world champion Igor Fraga serving as Super Formula’s e-motorsport ambassador, there’s strong links between the two brands. However we’re yet to see official confirmation from either Super Formula or Gran Turismo that the SF23 will be coming to Gran Turismo 7, so watch this space…
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