K-tunes plans to race next-gen Toyota GT3 car in SUPER GT

The Okayama Toyopet-owned team is the only one left in SUPER GT’s GT300 class running Lexus machinery following the withdrawal of Toyota Team Thailand from the series last winter.

It recruited veteran Shinichi Takagi from ARTA to join Morio Nitta at the wheel of the Dunlop-shod #96 RC F, and while the pair have shown speed at times they have only managed a best finish of fifth place so far in Round 4 at Fuji.

Notably, K-tunes had earned pole for Round 6 at Sugo, only to be excluded for not carrying the correct amount of success ballast.

Team boss Masahiko Kageyama said that the qualifying performance at Sugo stands as proof that the RC F can still be competitive in GT300, and that the intention is for K-tunes to continue using it until its successor is ready.

“Unfortunately we were disqualified from qualifying, which was a big shame, but we were able to prove the speed and the performance of the car to Toyota and Lexus and they were satisfied with that,” Kageyama told Motorsport.com.

“Our team belongs to Okayama Toyopet, and the basic premise of the team is to use Toyota/Lexus products, not a Supra or another JAF GT300 car.

"We are promoting the GT3 car that Toyota and Lexus are selling, and so we will continue to use the RC F.”

 

The car that will eventually replace the RC F GT3 will be based on the GR GT3 Concept that was revealed in January at the Tokyo Auto Salon.

Lexus bosses in the US told Motorsport.com in February that its next-gen GT3 racer will be based on the car, suggesting that it will be badged as a Lexus in some markets. 

Kageyama said he couldn’t be certain on when the new car would be ready, but that the earliest possible timing would be 2024. 

“Now the GR GT3 is being tested at the Nurburgring, and we’re looking forward to being able to use it,” revealed Kageyama. “We will race that car once it is ready. 

“It depends on how the development progresses, but maybe the year after next, or three years from now.”

The current RC F GT3 was first raced in SUPER GT in 2015 before being made available to customer teams more widely in 2017, but Kageyama said he was not aware of any similar plans this time around with the new model.

“I’m not sure if we’ll be the first to get our hands on the car, but if we can contribute to promoting the car, we’ll be very happy,” he said.