Michael Krumm and Lucas Ordonez are in the frame for endurance drives in 2014 after piloting Nissan Motorsport’s Altima V8 Supercars in a special guest driver test at Winton Motor Raceway.
Nissan international drivers Krumm and Ordonez were in Australia as part of the recently announced Nismo Global Driver Exchange which was launched in July to facilitate Nissan’s roster of international drivers to participate in different categories around the world.
The Exchange programme will also see Nissan Motorsport V8 Supercar driver and two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Rick Kelly steer a Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 entered and prepared by Nismo’s own factory team from Japan in the 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour.
“This test is absolutely significant for Nissan. It opens up V8 Supercars and Altima to the world of Nismo’s global motorsports program. It’s very exciting,” said Nissan’s general manager of motorsport, Jeff Fisher.
“Michael and Lucas are professional drivers who have a lot of experience around the world in different categories and different circuits.
“These guys will go back to Nismo in Japan, report on what they’ve done and they should be in the box seat to come out to Australia for the endurance races next year.”
43-year-old FIA GT1 world champion Michael Krumm from Germany and 28-year-old Spaniard Lucas Ordonez inaugural winner of the Nissan/Playstation GT Academy program, both impressed in their first drive of the Altima V8 Supercars at the 3.0 kilometre circuit. Riding out the tricky conditions in the morning session, the pair made big strides over the course of the day as the track dried out, providing the Nissan Motorsport engineering team with valuable feedback.
“Driving the V8 Supercar was quite an experience. We prepared well, the team gave us all the information about the car, how it is to drive, but when you actually get it, they are awesome cars,” said Michael Krumm of Rick Kelly’s #15 Jack Daniel’s Nissan Altima.
“The Nissan Altimas have a lot of power and not much downforce, so it’s not what I’m used to, but it was much better to drive that I expected.
“It was great here at Winton. It’s kind of a crazy track. It’s a big challenge, bumpy and tight and has lots of different corners, but the cars are great fun.
“Everyone wants to come and race at Bathurst or the Gold Coast, so I’d really love the chance to drive these cars again in the future.”
“It’s amazing,” added Ordonez of James Moffat’s #360 Norton Nissan Altima. “Lots of power, 650hp in the Nissan V8, so I’ve really enjoyed it
“It was very challenging for a new driver in these cars, but I was getting on the pace towards the end.
“It was very tricky on brakes, but I was pushing and trying to find the limit.
“I’ve worked well today with the engineers and the other drivers, and above all else, I’ve had a great amount of fun.
“This Nismo Driver Exchange Program is really good for the drivers and it’s amazing to be here in Australia, and then next week I’m racing in Japan and the week after in California.”
The two NISMO racing drivers and brand ambassadors who drove together earlier this year to finish in third place in the LMP2 classification at the Le Mans 24 Hours, now head to Japan for the Super GT round at Suzuka, with Ordonez making his debut as part of Nissan’s new driver exchange programme.
Nissan Motorsport remain at Winton to conduct a full test day, the team’s first official test since the season launch event at Eastern Creek in February, before returning to the circuit for the next event of the 2013 V8 Supercars Championship the Winton 360 on 23-25 August.
Michael Krumm and Lucas Ordonez have both enjoyed their first drive of V8 Supercars at Winton Motor Raceway in Victoria, Australia today.
Krumm and Ordonez drove two of Nissan Motorsport’s Altima V8 Supercars at the 3.0 kilometre circuit as part of the Nismo Global Driver Exchange on a day that saw a wet track in the morning and dry conditions in the afternoon.
Krumm, a former Super GT champion, drove Rick Kelly’s #15 Jack Daniel’s Nissan Altima, while Ordonez, the inaugural Nissan GT Academy winner, was behind the wheel of James Moffat’s #360 Norton Nissan Altima.
Both drivers performed well in trying conditions, setting impressive lap times and improving over the course of the day. Krumm and Ordonez, who drove together earlier this year to finish in third place in the LM P2 classification at the Le Mans 24 Hours, also gave valuable feedback and information to the Nissan Motorsport engineering team.
Krumm and Ordonez will now fly to Japan for this weekend’s Super GT round at Suzuka.
Nissan Motorsport will remain at Winton overnight to conduct a full test day on Tuesday, ahead of the next event of the 2013 V8 Supercars Championship at the same venue on 23-25 August 2013.
Michael Krumm – Nissan international driver
“Driving the V8 Supercar was quite an experience. We prepared well, the team gave us all the information about the car, how it is to drive, but when you actually get it, they are awesome cars,” said Michael Krumm.
“The Nissan Altimas have a lot of power and not much downforce, so it’s not what I’m used to, but it was much better to drive that I expected.
“It was great here at Winton. It’s kind of a crazy track. It’s a big challenge, bumpy and tight and has lots of different corners, but the cars are great fun.
“Everyone wants to come and race at Bathurst or the Gold Coast, so I’d really love the chance to drive these cars again in the future.”
Lucas Ordonez – Nissan international driver
“It’s amazing. Lots of power, 650hp in the Nissan V8, so I’ve really enjoyed it,” said Lucas Ordonez.
“It was very challenging for a new driver in these cars, but I was getting on the pace towards the end.
“It was very tricky on brakes, but I was pushing and trying to find the limit.
“I’ve worked well today with the engineers and the other drivers, and above all else, I’ve had a great amount of fun.
“This Nismo Driver Exchange Program is really good for the drivers and it’s amazing to be here in Australia, and then next week I’m racing in Japan and the week after in California.”
Jeff Fisher – General Manager, Motorsport, Nissan Motor Company
“This test is absolutely significant for Nissan. It opens up V8 Supercars and Altima to the world of Nismo’s global motorsports program. It’s very exciting,” said Jeff Fisher.
“Michael and Lucas are professional drivers who have a lot of experience around the world in different categories and different circuits.
“These guys will go back to Nismo in Japan, report on what they’ve done and they should be in the box seat to come out to Australia for the endurance races next year.”
– See more at: http://jackdanielsracing.nissanmotorsport.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=192:michael-krumm-and-lucas-ordonez-impress-in-maiden-nissan-v8-supercars-test&catid=10&Itemid=118#sthash.MhgJuKkK.dpuf
