#12 Z NISMO GT500 secures fifth place after fierce battle at Fuji

The fourth round of the 2024 Super GT series took place at Fuji International Speedway on August 4.

Sweltering temperatures greeted the four Nissan Z NISMO GT500 cars, as each pursued a place on the podium in the 350 km race. After a fierce battle, the #12 Marelli Impul Z driven by Kazuki Hiramine and Bertrand Baguette finished 5th. In the GT300 class, the #56 Realize Nissan Mechanic Challenge GT-R driven by Daiki Sasaki and Joao Paulo de Oliveira took 3rd-place on the podium.

Detailed race report
GT500 Class

After two formation laps, racing got underway with track temperatures soaring to 56 degrees Celsius. Baguette, in the #12 Z, made a strong start and moved up one position to 5th. The #24 Z driven by Matsuda and the #23 Z with Quintarelli at the wheel, each dropped one position to 8th and 12th, respectively. The #3 Z of Miyake fell behind the pack and ended the first lap in 15th place.

Despite tight battles, positions remained mostly unchanged throughout the race's early stages. On lap 13, the #12 Z dropped to 6th after allowing a car to pass between the first and second corners. The #23 Z continued in close contention, but was passed on laps 18 and 20, falling to 14th place.

By lap 41, after all GT500 class cars had made their pit stops, the standings were: #12 Z Hiramine in 7th, #24 Z Natori in 8th, #3 Z Takaboshi in 12th, and #23 Z Chiyo in 14th.

On lap 49, the #12 Z managed to overtake, rising to 6th place. It continued to close the gap, and on lap 68, at the first corner, overtook again to secure 5th position. The #24 Z, which had been running within the points, had an unexpected pit stop due to tire trouble on lap 62, significantly dropping its position. Meanwhile, the #23 Z and the #3 Z continued to race without any issues but were unable to improve their positions, completing the 77-lap race.

The #12 Z held the 5th place until the race finished, securing valuable points, while the #3 Z finished in 12th place, #23 Z in 13th, and the #24 Z in 14th.

Although this round posed challenges for the Nissan/NISMO teams, it provided valuable data to prepare for the second half of the season. The four Nissan Z NISMO GT500 teams will leverage the learnings as they target a second win for the season during round 5 at Suzuka circuit early next month.

Kazuki Hiramine (#12 Marelli Impul Z)
"Our pace in practice wasn't bad, but our rivals were strong. It's frustrating, but we'll reflect on what didn't work this time when preparing for the next one. Fuel flow restrictors haven't been added yet, so we'll aim to win at Suzuka."

Bertrand Baguette (#12 Marelli Impul Z)
"It was a tough race. We had a good start, and the car's balance was also good, but we couldn't increase the pace of the race. Kazuki did a great job returning to 5th after overtaking two cars. I hope to return stronger at the next race in Suzuka, where we have performed well previously."

GT300 Class
Four Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3s and one GTA GT300 regulation Fairlady Z competed in the GT300 class. The #56 Realize Nissan Mechanic Challenge GT-R, driven by Daiki Sasaki and Joao Paulo de Oliveira started from 6th in qualifying and achieved a 3rd-place podium finish. Additionally, the #11 Z scored its first points of the season, finishing 10th.