Nissan Shuffles GT500 Drivers; Three Cars on Bridgestones

Nissan has revealed a reshuffled driver roster for the 2024 SUPER GT season, while also confirming that its two NISMO-run cars will run on Bridgestone tires.

The Yokohama-based manufacturer will once again field four Z GT500s this year as it aims to recapture the title it lost to Toyota last season, but three of its four teams will go into the new campaign with revised lineups.

For the first time since 2013, Ronnie Quintarelli and Tsugio Matsuda will not be sharing the flagship No. 23 machine, as Katsumasa Chiyo moves over from the No. 3 NDDP Racing car to partner Quintarelli.

Two-time GT500 champion Matsuda will instead join a newcomer to the Nissan GT500 stable, Teppei Natori, aboard the No. 24 Kondo Racing Z for the new season.

Chiyo’s teammate of the past two seasons, Mitsunori Takaboshi, remains at NDDP – now ‘NISMO NDDP’ – alongside another GT500 rookie in the form of Atsushi Miyake.

The only unchanged lineup in the Nissan stable is at Team Impul, where 2022 champions Bertrand Baguette and Kazuki Hiramine stay together for a third season.

Kondo’s 2023 pairing of Kohei Hirate and Daiki Sasaki have been dropped by Nissan for the new season, but both will continue with the brand in the GT300 class.

As expected, Bridgestone replaces Michelin as the tire supplier for both the No. 3 and No. 23 cars, while it will continue to supply the No. 12 Impul car. Kondo meanwhile continues its long-standing relationship with Yokohama.

Both Natori and Miyake make the step up to GT500 competition after impressive performances in the GT300 class. Natori raced for Nissan customer squad Kondo alongside Joao Paulo de Oliveira last year, while Miyake was part of the Max Racing Toyota team before its sudden mid-season withdrawal.

The two rookies were part of Nissan’s ‘audition’ test at Fuji Speedway last month along with de Oliveira, Sacha Fenestraz and Alessio Picariello.

De Oliveira will continue in the GT300 ranks with Kondo, sharing a Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 with Sasaki, while Hirate will drive for the new-for-2024 Helm Motorsports outfit with brothers Yuya and Reiji Hiraki.

Nissan’s announcement means the full GT500 grid for the upcoming season is now set, with Toyota and Honda having both unveiled their driver lineups last month.

All eight Nissan GT500 drivers will participate in next week’s first group test of the year at Sepang International Circuit, with the four NISMO drivers set to take turns driving the No. 230 Z test car.