Since its launch as the All-Japan GT Championship in 1994 ( which became Super GT in 2005), the popular series has gone from strength to strength. Motul has been a long and loyal partner in this highly competitive arena through its successful technical partnerships with different teams, beginning with NISMO in 2003 and expanding to others in the years since.
In 2017 up to 45 cars will compete at each of the eight rounds, with the entries being split between two classes: the 600 bhp+ GT500 category and the huge, multi-marque GT300 class. Top two-driver line ups feature up and down the grid, and the races attract over 400,000 spectators per year – it’s loud, impressive, and the drivers are absolute heroes to their adoring fans! Super GT opens its door for the season on 8/9th April in Okayama.
Motul’s involvement has been successful and beneficial both on and off track, notching up no fewer than seven championship titles in the last 13 years, including four in the last four years with NISMO and Lexus. By working closely with all the Japanese manufacturers, Motul constantly upgrades and improves the lubricant technology available to its teams and ultimately to its consumers worldwide.
Once again, Motul is working closely with all the teams and manufacturers supported in order to develop special experimental engine oils, in whichcan be found a similar technology to the one in the company’s respected 300V Motorsport Line, that has been developed specifically for competition use.
Cars are the Stars
Among the 2017 entries will be GT500 factory teams from Japanese manufacturers Nissan, Toyota and Honda, all partnered by Motul. Mugen (Honda), one of motor racing’s best known names, is making a spectacular return to Super GT alongside Nissan NISMO and Toyota with some of Japan’s best known racing names behind the wheel.
Defending GT500 champions, Lexus Team SARD, will be on the grid again representing Toyota, together with Lexus Team TOM’S, Lexus TeamKeePer TOM’S and Lexus TeamZentCerumo – all challenging with the LC500 which dominated the recent pre-season test session. Multiple champions MotulAutech head the NISMO GT-R charge, supported by KONDO Racing and MOLA, while Team MUGEN will field the MotulMugen NSX GT.
In the GT300 class six cars will receive technical support from Motul, including the Subaru BRZ of the R&D SPORT team, three Nissan GT-Rs, and two Toyota RC F GT3.
Few of the championships in which Motul is involved have been as fruitful on such a regular basis as the highly competitive Super GT series. With such teams sporting the company’s famous red and white logo this year, there is little doubt that 2017 will yield further successes.