Taisan Targets Fuji FIA WEC Round, No Plans for Asian LMS Return

Photo: John Dagys

Team Taisan is targeting an entry for the FIA World Endurance Championship round at Fuji Speedway. (En Français)

The Japanese team, which took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its Ferrari F458 Italia, is finalizing plans to enter the car in GTE-Am for the Six Hours of Fuji, according to team boss Ricky Chiba.

Shinji Nakano teamed with Pierre Ehret and Martin Rich for an 8th place finish in GTE-Am at Le Mans, with plans being put in place for Nakano to return to the wheel of the Prancing Horse for the Japanese race on Oct. 12.

“We want to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship round in Japan,” Chiba told Endurance-Info. “Our Ferrari 458 car will be piloted by Shinji Nakano and other Japanese drivers.”

Chiba, meanwhile, confirmed that his team will not defend its title in the Asian Le Mans Series this year, despite having initially being on the full-season entry list.

“The Asian Le Mans Series does not interest us,” Chiba said. “That’s why we want to run the WEC race at Fuji. I want to prepare for a return to Le Mans in 2015 with the GTE-Am Ferrari to the latest specifications.

“For this, we’re talking with our sponsors on what the best way would be to prepare.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John