Two-time GT500 champion Hirate has spent the last three seasons driving for the #3 NDDP/B-Max squad on Michelin tyres since joining Nissan in 2019.
However, for the 2022 campaign, Nissan has opted to place Hirate at Kondo while moving Mitsunori Takaboshi in the opposite direction to join Katsumasa Chiyo in the #3 car.
Yokohama has not won a GT500 race since 2016, but did show an improved performance last year, scoring two pole positions with the Racing Project Bandoh Toyota team and a front-row lockout at Motegi.
That has given Hirate some hope that he and Kondo teammate Daiki Sasaki can enjoy a competitive season aboard the only one of Nissan’s four all-new Zs on Yokohamas.
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“Honestly, we developed competitive tyres and made a good team for the last three seasons, so I wanted to continue for one more season [in car #3] to see the results,” Hirate told Motorsport.com.
“But by moving to car #24, and using Yokohama tyres for the first time, I thought it would be…
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