Nissan commits to 2017-18 Supercars and boosts 2017 Australian GT effort

Nissan Australia has finally been given the go-ahead from its corporate masters to remain in the Supercars series for the next two seasons.

The four-car team, based in Melbourne and currently run by brothers Rick and Todd Kelly, announced today that it would run in the 2017 and 2018 Supercars championships, alongside an expanded GT car operation for its GT-R race car.

The team will continue to campaign the V8, rear-wheel-drive Altima Supercar for 2017, though regulation changes that take affect in 2018 may see the team consider its options, especially with its V8 engine.

Melbourne's Michael Caruso – the only driver who has won for Nissan in season 2016 – has also been retained for another two seasons… but interestingly, no other driver announcements were forthcoming today.

Both Todd and Rick drive for the family operation, with speculation rife that older brother Todd will hang up the helmet at the end of 2016, ending a 15-year, 500-plus race career in the series that's netted 19 wins.

Nissan indicated that it would "explore further opportunities" to race its Nissan GT-R GT3 car.

Former Supercars series champion and two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Rick, meanwhile, is expected to suit up again next year, spearheading a powerhouse team that could well contain another former series winner, James Courtney, along with the series' first full-time female racer, Switzerland's Simona de Silvestro.

Courtney is out of contract with Walkinshaw Racing at the end of 2016, while de Silvestro has signed a three-year deal with Supercars to race in the series, but has yet to be placed in a team.

The former IndyCar racer will race a Nissan at three events in 2016, including this weekend's Sandown 500 and the Bathurst 1000.

There was no mention made of the status of the 2016 team's fourth driver, Dale Wood.

The company also indicated that it would "explore further opportunities" to race its Nissan GT-R GT3 car, that has sat dormant since finishing second at this year's Bathurst 12 Hour in February.

Australia's Nissan PlayStation GT Academy driver – and former postie – Matthew Simmons will race the GT-R at Highlands Park in New Zealand later this year, while an expanded two-car campaign will take on Mt Panorama in February 2017.

This would coincide with reports that Nissan Australia is close to signing off on homologation and testing to launch the Nismo brand down under, after almost a decade of delays and plan changes.

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