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Nissan adds Makowiecki, Rossiter to revamped Super GT line-up
Nissan has significantly overhauled its Super GT driver roster, with Porsche GT ace Frederic Makowiecki and James Rossiter among new additions to the Yokohama-based manufacturer’s 2019 line-up.
Rachit Thukral
Edited: Feb 9, 2019, 9:51 AM
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Makowiecki briefly raced for Honda in Super GT between 2013-14, while Rossiter has been a permanent member of Lexus/Toyota camp for five years.
The two have been inducted into Nissan’s Super GT line-up after a shootout session at Fuji Speedway in December, where they were joined by Mercedes DTM refugee Daniel Juncadella.
Rossiter will drive for Impul alongside team stalwart Daiki Sasaki, while Makowiecki will team up with Kohei Hirate at B-Max.
Hirate, like Rossiter, joins Nissan after a long stint at Lexus - including two GT500 titles with the luxury car manufacturer in 2013 and '16.
Despite reports to the contrary, GT Academy graduate Jann Mardenborough will stay with Nissan for another season, although he has been moved across to Kondo Racing alongside Mitsunori Takaboshi.
Both Tsugio Matsuda and Ronnie Quintarelli have been retained at NISMO, with Nissan electing to maintain the partnership that won back-to-back titles in 2014 and ‘15.
As part of the shake-up, three drivers have been dropped from Nissan’s Super GT roster.
Satoshi Motoyama will bow out of the series after 22 seasons and three titles, while Bathurst 12 Hour winner Katsumasa Chiyo is also leaving to pursue an international career in GT3 racing.
The announcement of Nissan stalwart Joao Paulo de Oliveira’s departure was made last month.
Meanwhile, Sacha Fenestraz, who raced in European F3 last year as a Renault Formula 1 junior, will join Kondo's new GT300 squad, teaming up with Kazuki Hiramine.
Fenestraz, who has since been dropped by Renault, is set for a dual 2019 programme in Japan that also includes a campaign in the All-Japan F3 series.
2019 Nissan Super GT line-up
Team
Drivers
B-Max
Kohei Hirate
Frederic Makowiecki
Impul
Daiki Sasaki
James Rossiter
Nismo
Tsugio Matsuda
Ronnie Quintarelli
Kondo
Mitsunori Takaboshi
Jann Mardenborough
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