Lexus in motorsport 2018

[gdh300]

Well, Blancpain is over for another season. Sadly, a disappointing race for Lexus in Barcelona, but a début season to be proud of none the less. Back in March, it was hard to predict that the Emil Frey outfit would end the season in contention for endurance silverware with a 6hr win under their belts. 

You may have seen the write-up on the Lexus Blog, but for a bit more try this article from Emily Frey themselves. 

Fear not though, still more Lexus motorsport action to go as we head into October and November. I'll keep you posted!

Meanwhile, revel in this magnificence (picture credit to Emil Frey Racing):

 

[gdh300]

As promised, news of the next Lexus track action!

State-side, the IMSA Weathertech series returns with the Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. This a 10 hour race and my interest will be piqued by the two RC-Fs of 3GT Racing  (competing in the GTD category). Coverage on imsa.tv starts runs between 10:55 AM to 9:05 PM EDT, which means ready for a 1605 kick-off UK time, and be aware this is on Saturday afternoon; if you tune in on Sunday afternoon you will be disappointed! The very short GTD qualifying session will be tomorrow (Friday) between 3:55 PM and 4:10 PM EDT, so 2055 UK time and will also be streamed on the imsa.tv website.

Good luck Lexus and 3GT Racing!

 

[Big Rat]

@gdh300 Hi Glyn one of the guys who recently bought an Rcf spotted another on the road the day before yesterday in Hampshire, I originally thought it was one I know is for sale but in fact it was most likely the one in the vid below which is allocated to Alberta Costa don’t know if you’ve seen the vid....

 

Big Rat

[gdh300]

Cheers Paul, I hadn't seen that. I watched the first in that series and decided not to bother with the rest (it's more about the cars than the drivers for me). Should have known better, shouldn't I‽

That said, Costa is a star. Lots of great drives last year in the GT Open RC-Fs and again this year in Blancpain. Shame he appeared to be slumming it in an F-Pace at the start of that video. But I wonder if the new owner of that RC-F will have a little blue plaque installed on the dash?  😉

 

[Big Rat]

@gdh300 No probs Matey an F pace honestly 😆 

I’m watching for when the car comes to market maybe you could treat yourself, they seem to lose about 50% a year now 😁

🐀

[gdh300]

12 hours ago, Big Rat said:

I’m watching for when the car comes to market maybe you could treat yourself, they seem to lose about 50% a year now 😁

🐀

If that were true I'd stand a chance! May be in ten years time when the government tries to legislate petrol cars off the road, particularly horny, noisy petrol V8s... 😉

[Big Rat]

@gdh300 Glyn what do you make of this......

https://lexusenthusiast.com/2018/10/15/lexus-3gt-racing-terminate-imsa-partnership/

Big Rat

[gdh300]

2 hours ago, Big Rat said:

@gdh300 Glyn what do you make of this......

https://lexusenthusiast.com/2018/10/15/lexus-3gt-racing-terminate-imsa-partnership/

Hmmm, interesting.

I had previously read some - shall we say - 'less than complimentary' comments from Americans about Paul Gentilozzi. They follow IMSA much more closely than I do, so I'm not really in a position to question what they say! I'm sure there is an IMSA rule that will see any team running the Lexus next year doing without any Toyota handout, so may be 3GT don't fancy trying to find the shortfall. Or Lexus think 3GT have reached their level and need to make a step up. Or perhaps it is just the natural end of a three year deal. 

At least there is a commitment it seems by Lexus to carry on in 2019. Interesting to see who they will choose to run next year's effort. Ideally Lexus need to start supplying more than one team, and that is true for Blancpain as well. 

Cracking picture, though!

[Big Rat]

@gdh300 Glyn I always find these business relationships interesting as you never really know what goes on behind the scenes, and obviously for  commercial reasons they rarely let on.

Lets hope the motorsport continues work precludes me from watching it in volume even when I record great lumps of it !

Yes it’s a nice photo very dramatic 

Paul

[gdh300]

9 minutes ago, Big Rat said:

@gdh300 Glyn I always find these business relationships interesting as you never really know what goes on behind the scenes, and obviously for  commercial reasons they rarely let on.

It amazes me just how much money there is in motorsport, even apparently low key events that hardly anyone has heard of. But away from the billionaires of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo, there is a lot of smoke-and-mirrors, dodgy deals, deals falling through, bravado and bluster, vanity projects, financial gambles and quite a bit of hand-to-mouth it seems. And allegedly a lot of teams running without insurance. Hopefully Lexus can avoid all that!

[gdh300]

Well, clearly with a signed contract already in their back pocket, Lexus have announced today their RC-Fs in IMSA will be run by newly formed team, AIM Vasser Sullivan. Only yesterday did they announce a split from 3GT Racing who have run the cars for three seasons and who - of course -, still have one race to run this year, Sebring in November. 

Jimmy Vasser and James “Sulli” Sullivan (the former a driver of some repute) have run a team together in IndyCar, but GT3s will be a new adventure for them both. Partnering with Canadian open-wheel outfit AIM Motorpsort it looks on paper like a team with a lot of potential, if requiring quite a steep adaptation and integration! 

Drivers to be announced in due course. Full press release is here.

[Big Rat]

@gdh300 That’s my bedtime reading sorted then 😂

🐀

[gdh300]

And now news of racing, motorsport fans!

Yes, this weekend is the penultimate race of the 2019 Japanese SuperGT series. Round 7 will be run at the splendidly named Autopolis Circuit, owned apparently by Kawasaki. The sextet of LC500s will be up against in GT500 while the sole RC-F in GT300 has been a bit of a disappointment. The big boys of GT500 will no doubt be looking forward to the final round at Motegi, where they recently dominated an extended test there.

Autopolis is 8 hours ahead of UK time, so the start will be 6.00am here (I think, it's a 2.00pm start local time). The 65 laps I hope will be streamed live as usual on NismoTV on YouTube.

Good luck Lexus!

 

[gdh300]

For any of you interested in the GT3 RC-Fs adventures in Europe this year, Emil Frey Racing have a brief season round-up available here. Also contains some lovely hi-res images!

[gdh300]

For a couple of reasons, an early post from me this time regarding this weekend's Lexus action. And probably the last one of 2018 😞

Firstly, "Stateside", it is the final IMSA Weathertech race of 2018 and the final race of the GT3 spec RC-Fs in 3GT Racing's hands. The four hour finale takes place at Sebring on Sunday. Coverage will be available on imsa.tv on Sunday, by my calculation that'll be a 1700 start UK time. 

Earlier on Sunday, there will be another season finale, a continent and an ocean away. At Motegi in Japan, it is the last round of SuperGT. Coverage will be on nismo.tv (too early to have specific links yet) and there will be a Lexus in the mix for overall honours in the flagship GT500 championship. The 250km race is scheduled to start on Sunday at 13.30 local time, which is (again, my questionable calculation!) a 04.30 start UK time. Perhaps a little bit early for those not on night shift, but at least you can rewind the live stream on YouTube and watch it over your Sunday morning tea and toast. You can read a preview of the race here. Lexus meanwhile will go into the race buoyed by the recent test at Motegi where the LC500s were flying, but motorsport is a funny old game. Different conditions, different times... 

As a footnote, I have given up trying to even pretend to know how things might pan out. After me playing down Lexus's chances at the previous SuperGT round, they had a 1-2-3-4 finish in GT500 and win in GT300!

Good luck Lexus! Go KeePer TOM'S! 🍀