Michelin will withdraw from Super GT at the end of 2023

It's a departure that causes a lot of noise in the land of the rising sun. This Wednesday, May 10, Michelin Motorsport announced the end of its commitment to Super GT in the GT500 category by 2024.

The French manufacturer will equip the two Nissan Zs of the official NISMO team in 2023, but will not go beyond this campaign. According to a press release from the Japanese branch of the French company, this is a choice linked to the “reconsideration of its support for the competition”.

ミシュランは今シーズンをもって GT500クラスへの参戦を休止しますが、Niterra MOTUL ZとMOTUL AUTECHのため、延べ24年にわたる知見と技術を投入し、最終戦、最終ラップまでフルサポートします。

皆さん、最後まで応援よろしくお願いします！

プレスリリース↓↓↓https://t.co/QccwRjht1a pic.twitter.com/BU5AYJkAMA

— MICHELIN_JP【ミシュラン公式】 (@MICHELIN_JP) May 10, 2023

Michelin is however in 1st and 2nd place in the Super GT championship after the first two races of the 2023 season, with Tsugio Matsuda-Ronnie Quintarelli and Katsumasa Chiyo-Mitsunori Takaboshi.

The Clermont-based company began supplying tires to the ancestor of Super GT, the JGTC, in 1999. Four titles have been won since then, in 2011 and 2012 then in 2014 and 2015, always in the company of Nissan.

Recently, Michelin explained that it did not want to return to Formula 1 despite the call for tenders initiated by the FIA ​​and F1 this spring.

ALSO READ > Michelin does not plan a return to F1 in 2025

The Nismo team was quick to react on its social networks by publishing a short polite message: " We hold to express our deep gratitude to the partners who have fought together for a long time. Let's do our best together for the remaining 6 battles! »

【SUPERGT】

永きにわたって共に戦ってくれたパートナーに心から感謝します

残り6戦、共に全力で戦いましょう！#MICHELIN#SUPERGT # GT500#Thank you https://t.co/LYQ6XuRKPv pic.twitter.com/E4qK6HPcJi

— NISMO (@NISMO_JP) May 10, 2023