+ Kiwi joins JMR, Sims and Catsburg at this year’s Summer Endurance Race
IndyCar star Scott McLaughlin will make his first Intercontinental GT Challenge appearance since 2018 when he contests the Suzuka 1000km with JMR and Corvette Racing on September 12-14.
The three-time Supercars champion, who has gone on to achieve success with Team Penske in the US, joins GM works drivers Alexander Sims and Nicky Catsburg aboard one of the team’s two Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs.
His last IGTC outing came at the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2018 – the season in which he scored the first of his three consecutive Supercars titles with DJR Team Penske before moving to single seaters Stateside.
However, Suzuka will not be his first taste of a Corvette GT3, which he also raced at the Rolex 24 earlier this year.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the JMR team heading to Suzuka for the 1000km,” said McLaughlin. “I’ve always wanted to race Suzuka and it’s a bucket-list track for me.
“It’ll be an exciting race there in the Pro class with my GM friends Nicky Catsburg and Alex Sims, who are two amazing Corvette racers. I’m sure I’m going to learn a lot about the team and more about the Corvette, which I haven’t raced since Daytona.
“I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel, have a lot of fun, and hopefully come back with some silverware.”
The all-Platinum-graded crew is joined in JMR’s garage by the Pro-Am combination of brothers Jefri and Abu Bakar Ibrahim, plus Konsta Lappalainen. JMR – short for Johor Motorsports Racing – is the national team founded by the Ibrahims whose father and mother are the current Malaysian monarchs.
Three victories – one alongside Sims – leaves Jefri second in this year’s GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS drivers’ standings, while JMR occupies the same position in the teams’ championship.
Neither of JMR’s Corvettes are eligible to score IGTC points. Instead, they will be fought over by Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche and championship leaders BMW when Round 4 of the globe-trotting GT3 series goes green next month.
Tickets are available now at suzukacircuit.jp.