Max Verstappen Tests Nissan GT500 in Fuji Ahead of Japan GP

Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen recently navigated a demanding schedule that took him from the Nürburgring Nordschleife to Monaco, and then directly onwards to Japan. However, his initial Japanese destination wasn't Suzuka, but rather Fuji. There, the Red Bull driver was seen on Wednesday in the cockpit of a Nissan Z GT500.

During the second day of Super GT test drives, Verstappen drew considerable attention as he drove out of the pit lane in a Nissan, distinctively adorned in Red Bull colors. The car was fielded by the Nismo factory team, an organization that has not had a direct association with Verstappen or Red Bull in the past.

Throughout the day, Verstappen completed several laps on a wet track, familiarizing himself with the Z GT500 and its 3-liter V6 twin-turbo engine. While no official lap times were disclosed, this wasn't a completely novel experience for the Red Bull driver. It marked his second encounter with a Super GT vehicle, having previously tested a prior-generation Honda NSX-GT during the Honda Thanks Day event in 2022. Additionally, a Honda NSX GT3 from the GT300 class, also sporting Red Bull livery, was observed at the Fuji tests.

The beverage giant's engagement in Japanese motorsport is a long-standing tradition. Red Bull has historically been active in Super GT, offering support to teams such as Mugen-Honda through a collaboration that extended into Super Formula. Furthermore, Red Bull consistently places its junior drivers in various Japanese motorsport series, with Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson, for instance, competing in Super Formula in 2023.

The straightforward reason behind Verstappen's brief venture into Super GT before the Japan Grand Prix was simple: the session in Fuji was primarily utilized for the production of promotional content for Red Bull Japan.