Lexus and Nissan to bring cars to the DTM finale
The DTM season finale at Hockenheim will have Super GT cars from Lexus and Nissan present, as the German championship is entering a crucial phase ahead of the planned adoption of the Class One regulations that the Super GT championship already use.
“This is a great honour for us. I am delighted that Super GT cars will be making an appearance at a DTM event for the first time,” said DTM chairman Gerhard Berger. “This is not only a special treat for our fans, but also a strong sign for the future of the DTM, and of how seriously the cooperation with the Japanese GTA organisation and the series’ three manufacturers is being taken.”
The Lexus LC500 and Nissan Nismo GT-R race cars will complete a 30-minute test on Friday the 13th of October at the Baden-Wüttemberg track, performing two further 15-minute runs at race pace on Saturday and Sunday, with the drivers yet to be confirmed. The DTM will also send its own cars to the Super GT finale in Motegi in November.
“We are looking forward to seeing our cars in action in Hockenheim. This is a proof of the close relationship between Super GT and the DTM. Both series feature the world leading manufacturers,” said Masaaki Bandoh, GTA chairman.
While the 2017 specification DTM cars have already adopted the chassis as stipulated under Class One, the new engine has been delayed until 2019. The Super GT championship on the other hand has already implemented the four-cylinder, two-litre, 620hp engine.
The DTM series promoter ITR and the Super GT umbrella organisation GTA have been working on the Class One concept for three years, with a target of competing under the same specifications from 2019.
