Revamped Gainer Z GT300 Breaks Cover at Fuji

Gainer’s newly-built ‘Mark 2′ Nissan Z GT300 challenger made its public debut on Saturday ahead of SUPER GT’s second official test at Fuji Speedway.

The No. 11 car shared by Ryuichiro Tomita and Kazuki Oki is making its first appearance at Fuji after the Kyoto-based team narrowly missed out on being ready in time to debut the new machine in the previous official test at Okayama International Circuit.

It features significantly revised front bodywork, with what appears to be a new, larger front splitter and extra canards on each corner, as well as notable changes to the area immediately behind the front wheels around the side exhaust area.

Gainer’s new improved machine replaces the previous car first introduced in 2024, which has now been sold to its sister team Anest Iwata Racing, while continuing to use the same VR38DETT engine seen in the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3.

In two seasons of competition, the original Z scored a best finish of fifth in last year’s Sugo race, with Tomita and Oki finishing 21st in the standings.

Although the No. 11 entry did make an appearance at the Fuji GT Entrants’ Association (GTE) test in February, Tomita and Oki were driving the previous car, which was then re-liveried during the lunch break for Anest Iwata to use.

Anest Iwata had a low-key first official test at Okayama with the Z shared by Hironobu Yasuda and newcomer Lee Jung Woo, ending up 27th of the 28 GT300s present.

Official Fuji testing begins on Sunday with a pair of two-hour sessions and continues on Monday, and the return of the Gainer Z means the full field of 43 cars, including all 29 GT300s, are set to be in action across the two days.

In a late change to the entry list revealed earlier this week, Porsche Carrera Cup Germany champion Robert de Haan will no longer be making an appearance for Seven x Seven Racing, although Taichi Watarai remains registered as a third driver.