Super GT - Super GT Round 6

Super GT Round 6 at Sportsland SUGO represents one of the most challenging races in the 2026 supergt championship calendar. The event, officially titled the AUTOBACS SUPER GT Round 6, SUGO GT 300km RACE, brings together Japan's premier sports car racing series at a circuit known for its demanding layout and significant elevation changes. This 300-kilometer race features two distinct classes, GT500 and GT300, competing simultaneously on track.

Sportsland SUGO Circuit

Sportsland SUGO sits in Murata, Shibata District, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The facility spans 2.1 million square meters, making it Japan's largest motorsport venue. The FIA Grade-2 circuit measures 3.586 kilometers in length and runs clockwise. Yamaha Motor Company originally developed the site as a test track and recreational complex.

The track features elevation changes reaching up to 69.83 meters. Drivers face a combination of fast sweeping corners, hairpin bends, blind corners, and high-speed sections. The downhill esses section tests driver skill across multiple connected turns. The longest straight measures 704.5 meters, while track width varies between 10 and 12.5 meters. These characteristics create varied racing conditions and strategic opportunities.

Race Format

The SUGO GT 300km RACE follows a standard sprint format. Teams must complete one compulsory pit stop for driver changes and refueling. The multi-class racing structure puts GT500 and GT300 cars on track together, creating strategic challenges as faster cars navigate through slower traffic.

2026 Participants

GT500 Class

The GT500 class fields 14 cars across three manufacturers. Honda enters five new HRC Prelude-GT cars, replacing the previous Civic Type R-GT. Team Kunimitsu runs car number 100 with drivers Naoki Yamamoto and Tadasuke Makino. Team HRC ARTA Mugen fields car number 8 with Kakunoshin Ohta and Hiroki Otsu in a factory-supported entry. ARTA's number 16 car features Tomoki Nojiri and Ren Sato. Real Racing's number 17 pairs veteran Koudai Tsukakoshi with Yuto Nomura, who steps up from GT300. Nakajima Racing promotes Igor Fraga to GT500, partnering him with Riki Okusa in car number 64.

Toyota competes with six GR Supra GT500 cars. TGR Team au TOM'S runs car number 36 with reigning GT500 champions Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita. TGR Team TOM'S fields car number 37 driven by Giuliano Alesi and Ukyo Sasahara. TGR Team KeePer Cerumo's number 38 features Toshiki Oyu and Rikuto Kobayashi, another GT300 graduate. TGR Team ENEOS ROOKIE operates car number 14 with Nirei Fukuzumi and Kazuya Oshima. TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh runs number 19 with Yuji Kunimoto and Sena Sakaguchi. TGR Team SARD's number 39 pairs Yuhi Sekiguchi and Sacha Fenestraz.

Nissan enters three Nissan Z NISMO GT500 cars. NISMO's number 23 features Katsumasa Chiyo and Mitsunori Takaboshi, with Tsugio Matsuda now serving as Team Director. Kondo Racing runs car number 24 with Atsushi Miyake and Teppei Natori. Team Impul operates number 12 with Kazuki Hiramine and Bertrand Baguette.

GT300 Class

The GT300 class features 29 cars representing diverse machinery. The field includes FIA GT3 cars, unique GTA-GT300 specifications, and one Mother Chassis entry. Team Eneos ROOKIE debuts with a Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO. Velorex runs a Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo, while D'station Racing operates an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO. PONOS Racing fields a Ferrari, and Hyper Water Racing INGING campaigns a Toyota GR86. apr enters both a Toyota GR86 and a Lexus LC500h. The Subaru BRZ and D-Sport switch to a new EG33 engine for this season.

Technical Regulations for 2026

The 2026 supergt season introduces several technical rule changes. Teams may use only one engine per car for the entire season. Any engine change results in a 5-second stop penalty. The standard fuel flow rate for GT500 engines drops from 95 kilograms per hour to 90.2 kg/h.

The Success Weight system receives major updates. Cars carrying over 50 kg of Success Weight face a further fuel flow reduction to 88 kg/h. A Success Refueling Restrictor applies to GT500 cars exceeding 68 kg of nominal Success Weight, extending pit stop times based on weight levels. These regulations add strategic complexity to team decisions.

Aerodynamic development for GT500 cars freezes from 2026 through the end of 2029. This freeze promotes cost savings while still allowing manufacturers to introduce new base models with limited modifications.

Tire Competition

Multiple tire manufacturers compete in the 2026 season. Bridgestone supplies most Honda and Toyota GT500 teams. Dunlop equips Nakajima Racing in GT500. Yokohama provides tires for Team WedsSport Bandoh. The GT300 class uses Bridgestone, Yokohama, Dunlop, and Michelin. This season marks the final year of multi-manufacturer tire competition before the series transitions to a single supplier per class in 2027.

SUGO's Super GT History

Sportsland SUGO has hosted Super GT races (and its predecessor All Japan GT Championship) consistently since 1994, with only brief interruptions for renovations and the COVID-19 pandemic. The circuit produces close racing due to its technical layout and elevation changes.

Toyota GT500 cars, particularly the previous Supra model, have performed well at SUGO, securing seven wins—more than any other car model at this circuit. Nissan GT-R models have also found success here, with the R35 model achieving four wins and five pole positions across 12 races. Track improvements completed for the 2021 season include widened pit road and a redesigned pit lane exit, improving safety and operational flow.

What Makes This Event Special

Super GT Round 6 at Sportsland SUGO combines multiple elements that appeal to racing fans. The circuit's elevation changes and technical corners create overtaking opportunities at various points. The 300-kilometer distance requires teams to balance speed with tire management and fuel strategy. Multi-class racing adds complexity as GT500 cars must navigate through GT300 traffic while maintaining competitive pace.

GT500 cars rank among the fastest sports car racing machines globally. Their qualifying and race lap times at some circuits exceed those of FIA WEC Hypercar class cars. The GT300 class showcases variety, mixing international GT3 specifications with unique Japanese GTA-GT300 cars and the distinctive Mother Chassis platform.

The Success Weight system creates variable competitive balance throughout the season. Leading teams carry additional weight, while struggling teams run lighter, helping to keep the championship competitive. Combined with the fuel flow restrictions and refueling limiters, these regulations require teams to adapt their strategies race by race.

The supergt series maintains strong manufacturer involvement from Honda, Toyota, and Nissan in GT500, while GT300 features machinery from Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, Aston Martin, Lexus, Subaru, and others. This diversity creates varied racing action and technical approaches. The circuit's history and challenging layout ensure that Super GT Round 6 at Sportsland SUGO delivers compelling competition across both classes.