Super GT - AUTOBACS Super GT Round2

The AUTOBACS Super GT Round2 takes place at Fuji Speedway in Japan during the Golden Week holidays. This supergt event, officially titled the "FUJI GT 3 Hours RACE GW SPECIAL," represents one of the most significant races on the championship calendar. The format features a 3-hour timed race at one of Japan's premier racing circuits.

Race Format and Regulations

The AUTOBACS Super GT Round2 at Fuji Speedway uses a 3-hour timed race format. All supergt races require one compulsory pit stop for driver changes and refueling. Teams must develop their strategy around these mandatory stops and the Success Weight system.

The Success Weight system maintains competitive balance throughout the season. GT500 cars carrying more than 50 kilograms of Success Weight face reduced engine fuel flow rates. The standard rate of 90.2 kg/h drops to 88 kg/h when Success Weight exceeds this threshold. Cars with 68-84 kg receive a Level 1 refueling restrictor, while 85-100 kg triggers a Level 2 restrictor. These restrictors increase pit stop duration. GT300 cars use only refueling restrictors once Success Weight surpasses 50 kg.

Fuji Speedway Circuit

Fuji Speedway sits at the base of Mount Fuji in Oyama, Shizuoka Prefecture. The circuit opened in 1966 and Toyota Motor Corporation has owned the facility since 2000. Hermann Tilke re-profiled the track, and it reopened in its current configuration in 2005.

The circuit measures 4.563 kilometers (2.835 miles) and features 16 turns. The main straight extends 1.475 kilometers (0.917 miles), making it one of the longest straights in motorsport. Cars exceed 300 km/h on this section. The track combines high-speed sections with a technical final sector that demands precision. Fuji Speedway holds an FIA Grade 1 license.

GT500 Class Participants

The GT500 class features factory teams from three Japanese manufacturers. Toyota, Honda, and Nissan compete with advanced race cars in the premier category of supergt racing.

Toyota GT500 Teams

TGR Team au TOM'S fields car #36 with defending champions Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita. TGR Team KeePer Cerumo runs car #38 with Rikuto Kobayashi and Toshiki Oyu. Team SARD operates car #39 with Yuhi Sekiguchi and Sacha Fenestraz. ENEOS ROOKIE enters car #14 with Nirei Fukuzumi and Kazuya Oshima. Racing Project Bandoh fields car #19 with Yuji Kunimoto and Sena Sakaguchi. Team TOM'S runs car #37 with Giuliano Alesi and Ukyo Sasahara.

Honda GT500 Teams

Honda introduces its new Prelude GT machinery for the season. ARTA Mugen fields two entries: car #8 with Kakunoshin Ohta and Hiroki Otsu, and car #16 with Tomoki Nojiri and Ren Sato. Nakajima Racing runs car #64 with Igor Omura Fraga. Real Racing operates car #17 with Koudai Tsukakoshi and Yuto Nomura, the reigning Super Formula Lights champion.

Nissan GT500 Teams

Nissan fields three Nissan Z NISMO GT500 cars. Team Impul runs car #12 with Kazuki Hiramine and Bertrand Baguette. NISMO operates car #23 with Katsumasa Chiyo and Mitsunori Takaboshi, under Team Director Tsugio Matsuda. Kondo Racing fields car #24 with Atsushi Miyake and Teppei Natori.

GT300 Class Participants

The GT300 class at this supergt event features vehicles built to three technical regulations: FIA GT3, GTA-GT300, and Mother Chassis. Defending champions Togo Suganami and Naoya Gamou return with K2 R&D LEON Racing.

The grid includes 10 manufacturers and 14 vehicle models. D'station Racing fields car #777 with Tomonobu Fujii and Charlie Fagg in an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO. Velorex operates car #6 with Niklas Krütten and Yoshiaki Katayama in a Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo. PONOS Racing runs car #45 with Kei Cozzolino and Takuro Shinohara in a Ferrari. JLOC fields a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 with Daniil Kvyat. Team Eneos ROOKIE, a new entrant, operates car #32 with Hiroaki Ishiura and Tokiya Suzuki in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO. Team Mach runs the sole Mother Chassis car, the #5 Toyota (Dome) 86 MC.

GT500 Technical Specifications

GT500 cars are purpose-built silhouette race cars. These machines use 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder direct-injection engines that produce over 550 horsepower. The cars generate significant downforce levels that match or exceed contemporary Le Mans Hypercars.

A new regulation limits GT500 cars to one engine per season. Any engine change beyond this limit results in a 5-second penalty stop. Aerodynamic development is frozen through the end of the 2029 season, though manufacturers may introduce new base models with limited modifications. The standard fuel flow rate stands at 90.2 kg/h. All GT500 cars use a carbon monocoque chassis.

GT300 Technical Specifications

The GT300 class encompasses three types of cars. FIA GT3 cars are production-based models from global manufacturers including Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes-AMG, Nissan, Lexus, and Porsche. GTA-GT300 cars are heavily modified production vehicles. Mother Chassis cars use a standardized carbon fiber monocoque and a 4.5-liter V8 engine, with teams creating custom bodywork.

Performance balance uses air restrictors and turbo boost pressure limitations. FIA GT3 cars follow a Balance of Performance system managed with the SRO Motorsports Group. GT300 cars are also limited to one engine per season. Tyre competition continues in GT300, with Yokohama, Bridgestone, Dunlop, and Michelin available. The series will transition to a single tire manufacturer for each class in 2027.

Super GT Series Background

The Super GT series began as the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) in 1993. Fuji Speedway hosted the inaugural race and holds the record for hosting the most Super GT events. The series was rebranded to Super GT in 2005.

The multi-class format of supergt creates constant action on track. GT500 and GT300 cars race simultaneously, with significant speed differences between the classes. This format produces numerous overtaking situations throughout each race. Fuji Speedway typically attracts large crowds, often exceeding 50,000 spectators. Fans enjoy supporting events, pit walks, and merchandise areas alongside the main race. Fuji Speedway hosts two Super GT rounds during the season, with the second event being the "FUJI GT SPRINT RACE."

What Makes This Event Special

The AUTOBACS Super GT Round2 at Fuji Speedway stands out as a major early-season test. The Golden Week timing brings large crowds to the circuit. The 3-hour race format at Fuji Speedway tests both driver endurance and team strategy. The long main straight at Fuji Speedway creates high-speed racing, while the technical final sector demands skill and consistency.

Spectators witness two distinct classes of race cars competing on the same track. The GT500 category showcases cutting-edge race technology from Japan's three major manufacturers. The GT300 class demonstrates the variety possible in modern GT racing, with multiple regulations producing close competition. The Success Weight system ensures competitive racing throughout the season, preventing any team from dominating.

This supergt event at Fuji Speedway in Japan offers a complete motorsport experience. The circuit's location near Mount Fuji provides a striking backdrop. The combination of high-speed racing, strategic pit stops, and multi-class competition creates compelling action on track.