The Prancing Horse disappeared from the GT300 class entry list following the end of the collaboration between Pacific Racing and CarGuy Racing, which led to the former switching to the Mercedes-AMG GT3 this year.
However, with the new ORECA-built Ferrari 296 GT3 having successfully debuted in various sportscar series across Europe and North America, the car is now set to be used in SUPER GT next season.
The two teams believed to have plans to run the Ferrari are Team LeMans and Gainer.
Team LeMans currently campaigns the Audi R8 LMS GT3, but has been known to be eyeing a change of model since last year, while the German manufacturer is also winding down its customer GT3 programme after this year.
That makes the team, which has used Audi machinery since it joined the GT300 class in 2021, a logical candidate to run the new Ferrari.
Likewise, Nissan customer outfit Gainer is thought to have become disillusioned by the GT-R NISMO GT3’s lack of performance this year and is thought to be planning to go into the 2024 campaign with two new cars.
One of these is expected to be a Ferrari on Michelin tyres with backing from PONOS, which sponsored the #10 Gainer GT-R this season, while the other is rumoured to be an all-new Nissan Z built to GTA-GT300 (‘JAF’) rules.
Fellow Nissan customer team Kondo Racing is expected to continue with the GT-R.
As well as Ferrari, the Aston Martin brand is also set to be back on the SUPER GT grid in 2024 after a three-season absence.
D’station Racing revealed plans to return to SUPER GT for the first time since 2020 in early October, but without giving any details regarding what type of car it will use.
However, the team looks likely to use Aston Martin machinery and Dunlop tyres, while Fujii has been tipped to be joined in the cockpit by one of the British marque’s factory drivers.
There were plans for Aston works driver Nicki Thiim to partner Fujii at D’station for the 2020 season, but these were scuppered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The arrival of D’station would partly offset Dunlop's loss of one of the two Gainer entries and the Shade Racing Toyota GR86, which is set to run on Michelins next year.
NISMO’s expected tie-up with Bridgestone in GT500 also looks like it will have ramifications for the GT300 class.
Apr’s #31 Lexus LC500h has been tipped to switch tyre brands, potentially ending a partnership with Bridgestone dating back to 2015, although it remains unclear which brand it will use.
