Nissan launches Australian motorsport season

Nissan has unveiled its 2016 Australian motorsport activities at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria today.

The 2016 livery for Michael Caruso’s #23 NISMO Nissan Altima V8 Supercar was revealed, carrying a variation of the global GT3 colours that the Altima carried in 2015.

Caruso earned a podium result at Winton last year and was the second highest placed Nissan in the Championship standings behind team boss Rick Kelly.

Also on track was the #1 Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 that will aim to take back-to-back Bathurst 12 Hour victories for Nissan next week, with an Australian flag added to the now-familiar livery.

The NISMO Athlete Global Team is completing a full test day at Phillip Island in preparation for the 2016 Bathurst 12 Hour on February 5-7, with drivers Kelly and Florian Strauss undertaking driving duties.

Also present are 2015 Nissan PlayStation GT Academy winner Matt Simmons, who will be embedded in the NISMO Athlete Global Team crew as he prepares to race full-time in the 2016 Blancpain GT Endurance Series.

“Today is a display of how heavily committed Nissan is to Australian motorsport,” said Nissan Motor Co. (Australia) Managing Director and CEO Richard Emery.

“Elements from all three pillars of our local motorsport activities – V8 Supercars, GT3 and the Bathurst 12 Hour, and the Nissan PlayStation GT Academy program, were all at Phillip Island.

“All is now set for a huge 2016 season, beginning with the Bathurst 12 Hour next month, where the Nissan GT-R will strive to win back-to-back victories at Mount Panorama, just as it did in 1991 and 1992.”

The V8 Supercars season kicks off in Adelaide for the Clipsal 500, running from March 3-6.