+ Initial list includes nine manufacturers plus national, regional and international teams
+ Intercontinental GT Challenge gearing up for first Summer Endurance Race since 2019
+ Race duration increased to 6.5 hours
+ Provisional Suzuka 1000km entry list
At least 30 cars will contest the revived Suzuka 1000km on September 12-14 when SRO’s globe-trotting GT3 series, the Intercontinental GT Challenge, returns to Japan for the first time since 2019.
The event’s provisional entry list features nine manufacturers as well as local, regional and international teams. Driver line-ups and classes will be announced after the official entry process closes on August 4.
The bulk of participants already confirmed are, unsurprisingly, drawn from the host continent – a core value of IGTC’s ethos. The significant growth of GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS since 2019, when the Summer Endurance Race was last held, has undoubtedly contributed towards this. Indeed, the series’ current teams comprise almost two-thirds of Suzuka’s provisional entry list.
Most of them are also eligible to score Intercontinental points on behalf of their manufacturer. Amongst others, reigning and former champions Origine Motorsport and Absolute Racing both represent Porsche, Mercedes-AMG can count on Craft-Bamboo, Harmony Racing and LM Corsa each field Ferraris, and Team KRC will fly the flag for BMW.
Another of Asia’s front runners, JMR, will bring two Chevrolet Corvettes, and there’s further variety thanks to 5ZIGEN which enters one of the event’s two Nissan GT-Rs.
Several teams from SRO’s national GT series, the Japan Cup, have also committed. Some, like Bingo Racing, will pull double duty across the championship and 1000km. Fans will be delighted to see its Callaway-built Corvette C7 GT3-R returning to the same event it previously contested in 2018 and ’19.
Elsewhere, Super GT regulars Goodsmile Racing and Ponos – which also contests Japan Cup – should be a force on home soil. However, it’s Maezawa Racing’s Ferrari – driven by one of Japan’s most recognisable figures, Yusaku Maezawa – that’s most likely to make headlines nationally.
The event’s wider significance is also evident through the number of international teams. These include Heart of Racing by SPS, Herberth and GetSpeed, as well as IGTC regulars GMR and 75 Express.
Lamborghini and Audi complete the list of manufacturers represented.
IGTC’s two appearances at the Summer Endurance Race in 2018 and ’19 coincided with the event adopting a 10-hour duration, whereas the majority of the previous 48 editions were run to 1000 kilometres. Reaching this number within a tight timeframe cannot be guaranteed, while completing a set distance regardless of the situation on track, such as wet weather or Safety Car periods, has separate drive time and stint length implications. As such, and in a bid to guarantee 1000 kilometres is reached, organisers have increased the race’s originally announced duration from six to six-and-a-half hours.
Maximum drive time and stint length regulations will be confirmed at a later date.
Tickets for the event, which also features this year’s Japan Cup finale, are available from July 21. Visit suzukacircuit.jp for more information.
Provisional Suzuka 1000km timetable
Friday 12 September
09:40 – 10:40: Paid Test Session 1
12:00 – 13:00: Paid Test Session 2
17:45 – 19:15: Night Practice
Saturday 13 September
10:45 – 12:15: Pre-Qualifying
17:05 – 17:20: Qualifying 1
17:27 – 17:42: Qualifying 2
17:50 – 18:05: Qualifying 3
Sunday 14 September
12:50 – 19:20: Suzuka 1000km