JLOC Weighing Up Temerario GT3 Switch for Next Season

JLOC boss Isao Noritake says the team has the option of switching at least one of its SUPER GT entries to Lamborghini’s new-for-2026 Temerario GT3 next season, although hasn’t yet made a decision amid ongoing Balance of Performance frustrations.

Lamborghini took the wraps off its next-generation GT3 model last month, with the Temerario set to replace the current Huracan that is now in its second EVO spec.

JLOC has run variants of the Huracan in SUPER GT’s GT300 class since 2016, and has enjoyed particular success since acquiring the EVO2 in mid-2023, winning the title last year with the No. 88 car shared by Takashi Kogure and Motojima.

However, the team has suffered a difficult title defense with the Huracan EVO2 being handed a smaller power restrictor under a revised BoP, with Kogure and Motojima having taken a best finish so far this season of fourth at Sepang.

Discussing the prospect of running a Temerario in 2026, Noritake said the team would need to weigh up the merits of such an investment in light of its current struggles.

“Of course there’s a possibility,” Noritake told Sportscar365. “The new car has been shaken down and I hear it’s an extremely good car. The rear seems to be lighter, because the engine is smaller, and so it should be kinder on the rear tires.

“But we wish the BoP would go back to last year’s system. At the moment we are 12km/h down on the straights. It’s hard to stay motivated.

“As it’s a weight handicap series, we would have been ok if the GTA had asked us to carry a 30 or 40kg penalty for winning last year’s title. But every time it’s changing. At Sepang we were raised up a notch, but now we are back to where we were.

“I think we need to consider carefully what we do next. The regulations are hurting us, and using good drivers, good engineers and good mechanics is all rendered a waste in an instant [by the BoP]. It’s a shame for the drivers too.

“You could say that if we don’t like it, we should quit, but we’ll wait and see what happens. But the car should come this year if we ask for it.”

JLOC opted for a staggered transition to the EVO2 version of the Huracan, purchasing one car for introduction in mid-2023 before switching its No. 87 car to the latest spec for the fourth round of the 2024 campaign.

Asked if JLOC’s transition to the Temerario could follow a similar pattern, Noritake replied: “It might end up like that.

“One car for the start of next year seems to be no problem. I think if we ask, we will get one. But we’ll wait and see. I don’t think there’s any issue of being on time.”

Why JLOC Decided Against Suzuka 1000km Entry

Noritake also revealed that JLOC’s discontent with its BoP in SUPER GT had a bearing on its decision to not enter the revived Suzuka 1000km next month.

JLOC fielded two cars for the 2018 and ’19 editions of the Suzuka 10 Hours, which was also a round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, but the team was a notable absentee when the entry list for this year’s edition was finalized.

While admitting the Suzuka 1000km’s proximity to the Sugo SUPER GT round was problematic, he also stated that the Huracan EVO2’s current BoP in the Japanese series created fears that the team wouldn’t be given a fair chance.

“Both from a racing standpoint and from a scheduling standpoint, it’s difficult,” said Noritake. “If we have a 50mm air restrictor at Suzuka, we can’t compete.

“To begin with, we were planning to compete, but there was a lot of frustration with the situation in SUPER GT, where the SRO is also involved, and, speaking honestly, our desire to compete has waned somewhat.

“I really wanted to take part as the 1000km is a race full of memories for our team. But we need to have a reset and rethink our approach to racing.”

Lamborghini was set to be represented in the Suzuka 1000km by Absolute Racing, but the Hong Kong squad ultimately elected to switch its second entry to a Porsche 911 GT3 R, leaving the Italian manufacturer with no representation.