After reporting yesterday on the possible boycott of Round 2 of the FIA GT1 World Championship by both Nissan GT-R teams due to a controversial weight penalty assessed to them prior to the season opener in Abu Dhabi, we have since learned that the Swiss Racing Team and Sumo Power GT have confirmed their attendance at Silverstone this weekend (Apr. 30th to May 2nd).

This is good news for GT-R and GT1 fans alike, since earlier reports of a possible boycott along with the travel difficulties caused by the volcano eruption in Iceland were both sources of concern. Swiss Racing Team principals had to call in a favor from long-standing friendly motorsports relations with Jetalliance in order to get their crew back to Europe in time to prepare for Silverstone. “Many thanks to the AUA, to Jetalliance CEO Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer and Werner Langer. They supported us enormously. It was an organisational masterpiece,” said SRT managing director Othmar Welti. “We are working at the limit and on Wednesday morning we will travel to Silverstone. The team is still busy assembling the cars and is doing a great job,” team manager Erich Kolb said praisingly.

UK-based Sumo Power GT also faced travel difficulties and they too had to get creative to find their way home prior to Silverstone. According to team manager Allen Orchard, “It’s been a race in itself to get the cars, kit and all the team back from Abu Dhabi in time for this next race. With a few days still to go there’s still a lot to be done and we, like all teams, will be working flat out to ensure we make it to the grid. After all we’ve been through over the past few days, I sincerely hope that the Balance of Performance will be corrected so we can compete on an equal basis and the Championship can put on a great show for the spectators.”

It’s still unclear what, if any, action the FIA will take regarding the penalty weight assessed to the GT-Rs, but at least we now know that both Nissan teams will be in attendance and fighting as best they can for the race win at Silverstone.

For more information on the FIA GT1 World Championship, go to GT1 World.  For a video recap of Round 1 at Abu Dhabi, watch the video after the jump.

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2010 will mark the beginning of a new era of racing. GT racing goes global with 20 races spanning nine countries across four continents on ten of the world’s leading circuits. Only six manufacturers will compete in the inaugural season of the FIA GT1 World Championship with Nissan being the sole representative from the Land of the Rising Sun. They will be campaigning a quartet of similarly-built GT-Rs, a pair from Sumo Power GT (#22, #23) and the other two from Swiss Racing Team (#3, #4). Drivers Peter Dumbreck and Michael Krumm, for the Sumo Power GT GT-R, and Karl Wendlinger, multiple FIA GT race-winner and driver for Swiss Racing Team were present at the press conference held at the Automobile Club de France in Paris. “I have been racing in the FIA GT Championship for many years, but now I’m very excited about the new world championship – and very happy to be driving the Nissan GT-R,” said Wendlinger.

We’re not surprised that Nissan would be the only bold manufacturer from Japan to campaign in the FIA GT1 World Championship. With all the accolades and accomplishments the GT-R has already received worldwide, a FIA GT1 World Championship would immortalize the GT-R moniker and cement it as one of the world’s finest piece of machinery. Stiff competition will be coming with entries from Aston Martin, Corvette, Ford, Lamborghini and Maserati.

Specs for the vehicles according to the FIA GT1 World Championship website declares a minimum weight of 1250kg and a maximum horsepower of 600. With a maximum horsepower imposed as FIA GT1 regulations, Nissan opted for a 5.6L V8 engine that hits the mark of 600 hp with 480 ft-lbs of torque. The GT-Rs will be equipped with extra wide 18×13-inch wheels all around with 6-piston calipers and carbon ceramic brakes peeking behind each one. Stay glued to Autoguide.com as we’ll be keeping a close eye on these GT-Rs on April 16-17th, 2010 where they will debut at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi for the season-opener.

GALLERY: FIA GT1 Nissan GT-R Race Cars

[Source: Nissan News]

Nissan’s NISMO motorsports department has finally announced full details on the 2010 FIA GT1-spec GT-R race car and along with some expected changes, there’s also a big surprise. Under the hood you won’t find Nissan’s twin-turbo V6, but rather a naturally aspirated 5.6-liter V8 engine that produces 600-hp and 480 ft-lbs of torque. That’s sure to motivate the GT-R rather briskly, thanks to a curb weight that has been reduced to just 2,756 lbs.

Along with the significant weight reduction, thanks in part to a striped out-interior and the use of a carbon fiber aerodynamics, the FIA GT1-spec GT-R also gets 18-inch RAYS wheels and carbon ceramic brakes with six-piston calipers.

Two GT-R’s will run in the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship, fielded by Britain’s Sumo Power GT and Swiss Racing Team and supported by NISMO. They will compete against Corvettes, Aston Martin DBR9s, Ford GTs, Lamborghini Murciélagos and more, with the first race of the season taking place in the United Arab Emirates on April 17th

GALLERY: FIA GT1 Nissan GT-R Race Car