Nissan/NISMO Unveils Motorsports Programs for 2023

Nissan Motorsports & Customizing Co., Ltd. and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. have announced plans for their motorsports activities for 2023. The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and Super GT GT500 class are the primary focus of Nissan’s motorsports activities, with a newly developed Gen3 powertrain to compete in Formula E, as well as the newly developed Z GT4 to race in the US and Japan. NISMO Racing Division (NISMO), a division of NMC, will offer customer racing programs for the Nissan Z GT4, as well as provide technical support for teams using the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, other Nissan vehicles, and engines in their motorsport activities.

NISMO, short for Nissan Motorsports, is the official motorsports division of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. It was established in 1984, and since then, NISMO has been developing and participating in various motorsports events around the world. The division’s primary focus is on racing and performance tuning of Nissan vehicles. NISMO has a long and successful history in various racing categories, including Super GT, IMSA, Formula E, and others. The division is also involved in the development of performance parts and accessories for Nissan’s road cars, allowing Nissan customers to add a touch of racing pedigree to their vehicles. NISMO’s passion for racing and performance has been a significant factor in shaping Nissan’s image as an automaker.

ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

The Nissan Formula E Team is currently racing in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, showcasing the fun and excitement of zero-emission electric vehicles to a global audience. In Season 9 (2022/23), Nissan competes under its own team name, following four years of participation as Nissan e.dams. This season also marks the highly anticipated Gen3 era of the sport, featuring faster speeds and more power. The team’s cars sport a bold livery with a cherry blossom pattern, symbolizing new beginnings. The driver lineup for Season 9 combines experience and youth, with 30-year-old Formula E race winner Norman Nato and 23-year-old Super Formula runner-up Sacha Fenestraz.

SUPER GT GT500 class

The Nissan/NISMO team plans to participate in the Super GT GT500 class with their Nissan Z GT500, a vehicle developed from the Nissan Z, which symbolizes Nissan’s DNA for taking on challenges. The team aims to defend their championship title in the high-speed GT car competition and bring more excitement to fans through innovative engineering. Motohiro Matsumura will remain the executive director of the Nissan GT500 teams.

Customer Racing Programs

Customer Racing – GT3 programs
Teams racing under the FIA GT3 regulation will continue to receive support from Nismo, using the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3.

–　Super GT GT300 class
For the current season, a total of five Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3s are set to take part in the SUPER GT GT300 class. Among these entries, two will be fielded by GAINER and one by KONDO RACING, who are the defending champions and GT3 Official Partner Teams. The remaining two entries will be run by NILZZ Racing and RUNUP SPORTS, both competing with the GT-R model.

-　Super Taikyu Series
For the upcoming season, HELM MOTORSPORTS and GTNET MOTOR SPORTS will once again participate in the SUPER GT GT300 class with the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, aiming for a title win. In the ST-3 class, OKABEJIDOSHA motorsport and TEAM ZEROONE will enter two Fairlady Z NISMO RCs to compete against each other.

–　NISSAN MECHANIC CHALLENGE

The Nissan Mechanic Challenge, a human resources development program, will continue through Nissan’s racing activities, with the participation of the Nissan Automobile Technical College. The program will involve technical staff from sales companies and students from the Nissan Automotive Technical College in the Super GT GT300 class and Super Taikyu teams. This aims to provide valuable hands-on experience for the participants, as they work alongside professional race mechanics to improve their technical skills and teamwork.

Customer Racing – GT4 program

NISMO is set to provide cars and technical support to customer teams that will take part in various competitions with the Nissan Z GT4. The car, which is still awaiting SRO homologation, was developed based on the Nissan Z. For the Pirelli GT4 America Championship, TechSport Racing will enter two Nissan Z GT4s. Meanwhile, in the ST-Z class of the Super Taikyu Series, TEAM IMPUL and TEAM ZEROONE will compete with one Nissan Z GT4 each. NISMO’s involvement in these events is expected to further promote the use of Nissan cars in motorsports and support the growth of these competitions.

Customer Racing – Engine Supply Programs

The VK56 engine, supplied and supported by Nissan/NISMO, will remain the engine of choice for all LMP3 racing teams worldwide. The engine will be utilized in various racing series, such as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, which includes the prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona and the IMSA VP Racing Sportscar Challenge in North America, as well as the European Le Mans Series, the Michelin Le Mans Cup, the Ultimate Cup Series, the German Prototype Cup in Europe, and the Asian Le Mans Series in the UAE.

Other activities

• NISMO Driving Academy: The academy offers driving lessons for users of NISMO road cars, including the Nissan GT-R, Fairlady Z, and Skyline 400R. Led by principal Michael Krumm and NISMO contracted drivers, the classes cover a range of skill levels, from beginner courses focused on the fundamentals of sport driving and maximizing the performance of personal vehicles, to practical lessons on shorter tracks. The schedule and locations for these courses will be announced at a later date on the NISMO website.

• NISMO Festival: The fan event is scheduled to be held again this year, with details to be announced at a later date.

ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

Super GT GT500 class

Customer Racing Programs

• GT3 Programs

-　Super GT GT300 class class

-　Super Taikyu Series ST-X class

• GT4 Program

-　Pirelli GT4 America Championship

-　Super Taikyu Series ST-Z class

Super Taikyu Series ST-3 class (Fairlady Z NISMO RC)