Nissan have announced that they will be entering the LMP1 catagory of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2015, competing against incumbent LMP1 contenders Porsche, Audi and Toyota.
Nissan will enter the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO into the LMP1 catagory next year, after a long stint running cars in GT classes in various endurance series.
Pierre Fillon, President of The Automobile Club de l'Ouest, said, "Nissan has been a long time supporter of endurance racing as an engine supplier and the ACO is now pleased to welcome Nissan as manufacturer in the new LMP1-H category in 2015. It becomes the fourth major manufacturer to join the FIA WEC in LMP1 and this clearly underlines the relevance of endurance racing as a platform to develop, test and market the motoring technology of the future."
“Nissan is a company that is at the forefront of motoring excellence and innovation, and this commitment is demonstrated by the electric powered ZEOD, which will run at the 2014 24 Heures du Mans next month. We look forward to seeing the development of the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO over the coming months and to see it line up alongside Audi, Porsche and Toyota at the start of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2015."
Gerard Neveu, CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship, said, “Today, with the announcement from Nissan, the FIA WEC has become even stronger, with four major manufacturers – Audi, Nissan, Porsche and Toyota in LMP1 and another three with Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin in LMGTE Pro. Nissan has been a part of the FIA WEC family since the start of the championship in 2012, providing engines for many of the LMP2 teams and powering the Oak Racing Morgan that won the LMP2 category at Le Mans and the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 teams last season. Nissan has now made the next step to become a full manufacturer entry at the top level of endurance racing and, on behalf of the FIA World Endurance Championship, we say ‘welcome’. We look forward to working with Nissan as it prepares for the ultimate test in 2015.”
No more details regarding the car's pilots, design, testing schedule or performance have been released as-of-yet. Andy Palmer, Nissan's Chief Planning Office & Executive Vice-President, said “You don't go to Le Mans to just turn up. The brief to the team is to go with something different, go with something that brings new technology which is transferable to the road car technology and an approach that is innovative and exciting and of course, go to win.
“Believe me, I think this is the car that will go down in the annals of time and be one of those cars which will be long remembered, not only for the fact that it will have won Le Mans but also that it reset the real meaning of NISMO as a link between success on the track and success on the road.”
The full Nissan press release can be found here.
Nissan will enter the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO into the LMP1 catagory next year, after a long stint running cars in GT classes in various endurance series.
Pierre Fillon, President of The Automobile Club de l'Ouest, said, "Nissan has been a long time supporter of endurance racing as an engine supplier and the ACO is now pleased to welcome Nissan as manufacturer in the new LMP1-H category in 2015. It becomes the fourth major manufacturer to join the FIA WEC in LMP1 and this clearly underlines the relevance of endurance racing as a platform to develop, test and market the motoring technology of the future."
“Nissan is a company that is at the forefront of motoring excellence and innovation, and this commitment is demonstrated by the electric powered ZEOD, which will run at the 2014 24 Heures du Mans next month. We look forward to seeing the development of the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO over the coming months and to see it line up alongside Audi, Porsche and Toyota at the start of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2015."
Gerard Neveu, CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship, said, “Today, with the announcement from Nissan, the FIA WEC has become even stronger, with four major manufacturers – Audi, Nissan, Porsche and Toyota in LMP1 and another three with Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin in LMGTE Pro. Nissan has been a part of the FIA WEC family since the start of the championship in 2012, providing engines for many of the LMP2 teams and powering the Oak Racing Morgan that won the LMP2 category at Le Mans and the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 teams last season. Nissan has now made the next step to become a full manufacturer entry at the top level of endurance racing and, on behalf of the FIA World Endurance Championship, we say ‘welcome’. We look forward to working with Nissan as it prepares for the ultimate test in 2015.”
No more details regarding the car's pilots, design, testing schedule or performance have been released as-of-yet. Andy Palmer, Nissan's Chief Planning Office & Executive Vice-President, said “You don't go to Le Mans to just turn up. The brief to the team is to go with something different, go with something that brings new technology which is transferable to the road car technology and an approach that is innovative and exciting and of course, go to win.
“Believe me, I think this is the car that will go down in the annals of time and be one of those cars which will be long remembered, not only for the fact that it will have won Le Mans but also that it reset the real meaning of NISMO as a link between success on the track and success on the road.”
The full Nissan press release can be found here.
