Super GT - Super GT Round 2

The FUJI GT 3 Hours RACE GW SPECIAL represents the second round of the AUTOBACS SUPER GT series for the 2026 season. This race takes place at Fuji International Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, during the Golden Week holiday period. The event features a 3-hour endurance race format, bringing together the premier GT500 class and the diverse GT300 class for simultaneous competition on one of Japan's most celebrated racing circuits.

Fuji International Speedway Circuit Details

Fuji International Speedway sits at the base of Mount Fuji in Oyama, Shizuoka Prefecture. The circuit measures 4.563 kilometers in length and features 16 corners. The track runs in a clockwise direction with an elevation change of approximately 35-40 meters. Fuji Speedway holds an FIA Grade 1 license, which allows it to host the highest level of international motorsport competition.

The circuit's defining feature is its exceptionally long main straight, which extends roughly 1.475 kilometers. This straight ranks among the longest in international motorsport. GT500 cars reach speeds of 270-280 km/h before heavy braking into Turn 1. The track sits at an elevation of approximately 550 meters above sea level, which contributes to rapidly changing weather conditions. Hermann Tilke completed the most recent major redesign of the circuit in 2005. Toyota Motor Corporation has owned Fuji Speedway since 2000.

GT500 Class Participants

The GT500 class serves as the premier category in Super GT Round 2 at Fuji International Speedway. This class features manufacturer-supported teams from Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. GT500 cars display white light covers and number bases, which distinguish them from GT300 competitors.

Toyota GT500 Teams

Toyota fields multiple entries in the GT500 class. TGR Team au TOM'S runs Car #36 with drivers Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita, who are the defending GT500 drivers' champions. TGR Team KeePer Cerumo operates Car #38 with Rikuto Kobayashi and Toshiki Oyu, with Kobayashi promoted to GT500 for this season. Team SARD fields Car #39 with Yuhi Sekiguchi and Sacha Fenestraz. Racing Project Bandoh runs Car #19 with Yuji Kunimoto and Sena Sakaguchi. ENEOS ROOKIE operates Car #14 with Nirei Fukuzumi and Kazuya Oshima.

Honda GT500 Teams

Honda introduces the new HRC Prelude GT as their GT500 contender for the 2026 season. The manufacturer has implemented significant driver lineup changes. The No. 8 ARTA Honda operates as a works team with Kakunoshin Ohta and Hiroki Otsu. Tomoki Nojiri and Ren Sato drive the No. 16 ARTA Mugen. Real Racing fields Car #17 with Koudai Tsukakoshi and Yuto Nomura, who won the Super Formula Lights championship. Igor Omura Fraga joins Nakajima Racing in Car #64.

Nissan GT500 Teams

Nissan fields three Nissan Z NISMO GT500 cars for the 2026 season. Team Impul runs Car #12 with Kazuki Hiramine and Bertrand Baguette. NISMO operates Car #23 with Katsumasa Chiyo and Mitsunori Takaboshi. Kondo Racing fields Car #24 with Atsushi Miyake and Teppei Natori. Tsugio Matsuda has transitioned from driver to Team Director for NISMO.

GT300 Class Participants

The GT300 class features a diverse grid of machinery at Super GT Round 2. This category accommodates FIA GT3 cars, JAF-GT cars, and Mother Chassis vehicles. GT300 cars display yellow light covers and number bases.

The 2026 grid includes multiple manufacturers. D'station Racing runs an Aston Martin with Car #777. Ferrari entries include Velorex with Car #6 and PONOS Racing with Car #45. JLOC operates two Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2s, with former Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat confirmed in one entry. Team Eneos ROOKIE fields a Mercedes-AMG with Car #32. Seven x seven Racing runs a Porsche with Car #666. BMW returns to the series with the M4 GT3 EVO. The sole surviving GT300 Mother Chassis car, the #5 Toyota (Dome) 86 MC of Team Mach, continues for the 2026 season.

GT500 Technical Specifications

GT500 cars conform to technical regulations previously unified with the German DTM series, known as "Class One" regulations. These cars use carbon fiber monocoque chassis. The cars are powered by 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder direct-injection turbocharged engines, which each manufacturer develops independently. These engines produce over 550 horsepower, with estimates suggesting over 650 hp. GT500 cars feature highly developed aerodynamics that generate significant downforce, comparable to or exceeding modern Le Mans Hypercars. The minimum weight exceeds 1020 kg, including driver and fuel.

For the 2026 season, GT500 teams are limited to one engine per team for the entire season. A mid-season engine change results in a 5-second stop penalty. The standard GT500 fuel flow limit has been reduced to 90.2 kg/h. Once a car exceeds 50 kg of Success Weight, the fuel flow is further limited to 88 kg/h.

Success Weight System

The Success Weight system serves as a key aspect of Super GT competition. This handicap system penalizes cars with ballast based on points scored in previous races. The system equalizes performance and maintains close competition throughout the season. For the 2026 season, when a GT500 car accumulates over 68 kg of nominal Success Weight, a "success refuelling restrictor" is installed to lengthen pit stop times. This comes in addition to physical ballast and fuel flow restrictions. The weights are reduced later in the season and eliminated for the final round.

GT300 Technical Specifications

The GT300 class combines three different types of racing cars. FIA GT3 cars are production-based sports cars that adhere to international GT3 regulations. JAF-GT cars are built to specific Japanese Automobile Federation regulations, which allow for more extensive modifications. The Subaru BRZ serves as an example, using an engine derived from its WRC counterpart. Mother Chassis cars utilize a standardized carbon fiber monocoque and a 4.5-liter V8 engine provided by the GT Association. Teams can fit their own bodywork to this standardized platform.

Performance in GT300 is balanced through air restrictors and control of turbo boost pressure. Success Weight is also applied in this class. Refueling restrictors are used when a car's Success Weight exceeds 50 kg.

Tire Competition

Super GT maintains a multi-tire supplier policy. Bridgestone, Yokohama, Dunlop, and Michelin compete to supply tires to teams. This tire competition contributes to the high level of technical development and speed across the series. The 2026 season will be the last with different tire manufacturers, as the series will switch to a single tire supplier in each class for 2027.

Race Format

The FUJI GT 3 Hours RACE GW SPECIAL runs for three hours. Races typically involve two drivers per car. Teams must make a mandatory mid-race pit stop for a driver change, refueling, and tire changes. Strategy plays a crucial role, as teams balance fuel consumption, tire performance, and Success Weight handicaps throughout the race.

History of Fuji Speedway and Super GT

Fuji International Speedway opened in January 1966. The circuit was originally conceived as an American-style superspeedway with banked turns but was completed as a road course. The track hosted the first-ever Formula One race in Japan in 1976.

Fuji has been a permanent fixture on the Super GT calendar since the first championship race in 1994, with exceptions for renovations in 2004 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The circuit hosted races in the predecessor series, the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) as well. The Golden Week race at Fuji Speedway is considered one of the series' most prestigious events and consistently draws the largest crowds. The circuit has undergone multiple reconfigurations, with Hermann Tilke completing the most recent major redesign in 2005.

Fuji Speedway has hosted a diverse range of major motorsport events beyond Super GT, including Formula One, the FIA World Endurance Championship, and Super Formula. The venue even hosted cycling events during the 2020 Summer Olympics.

What Makes This Event Special

The Super GT Round 2 at Fuji International Speedway offers several unique characteristics. The circuit's spectacular setting provides a stunning backdrop of Mount Fuji for spectators. The long main straight creates opportunities for slipstreaming battles and dramatic overtaking maneuvers. The Golden Week timing means large crowds attend the event, creating a festival atmosphere.

Super GT has been called the fastest GT series globally. GT500 cars achieve lap times comparable to LMP2 prototypes. The series attracts top talent, including drivers with Formula 1 experience. The competition serves as a stepping stone for many aspiring racers. The new engine durability regulation for the 2026 season adds another strategic element, as teams must manage their single engine allocation across the entire championship.

Super GT offers unique fan experiences. The "circuit safari" allows buses to take spectators on a slow lap of the track during practice sessions. Fans can view racing cars up close during these tours. The simultaneous racing of GT500 and GT300 classes creates varied action on track, as faster GT500 cars navigate through GT300 traffic.

The 2026 season features seven rounds, all held within Japan. The Malaysia round has been postponed to 2027 or later. This makes the domestic races even more significant for championship contenders. Fuji Speedway hosts two rounds of the Super GT series during the 2026 season, which underscores the circuit's importance to the championship.