The second round of the 2019 Autobacs Super GT held at Fuji Speedway is the first Super GT race of the Reiwa era but sadly, this 110-lap race is drizzled with rain but that doesn't stop them to deliver the big race of the Golden Week holiday they deserve.
Although weather conditions in the first Super GT race of the Reiwa era were fierce, the drivers managed to brave through the weather and finish this 110-lap thriller to make sure everyone's Golden Week will be "golden" for them.
As all 110 laps are complete, the #38 ZENT CERUMO LC500, driven by Yuji Tachikawa and Hiroaki Ishiura, wins the GT500 class while the #11 GAINER TANAX GT-R, driven by Katsuyuki Hiranaka and Hironobu Yasuda, wins the GT300 class.
Highlights:
What a way to start the Reiwa era with this kind of Super GT thriller. Next race is at Suzuka Circuit on the 26th of May.
The end is only the beginning and the first race of the 2019 Autobacs Super GT Championship will mark as the last Super GT race of the Heisei era as Japan prepares for the transition to the Reiwa era. Reiwa era aside, the 2019 Season will be the final season for Lexus in the GT500 class as their Lexus LC500 Super GT machines will be the last and they will be replaced next year with the Toyota GR Supra Super GT machines for such class. Anyway, enough of that because let's quickly sum up the season opener at Okayama.
Sadly, due to the heavy rainfall at Okayama, the first round of the 2019 Autobacs Super GT Championship came to a premature halt after 31 laps, which is rather shame for what is known to be the last Super GT race of the Heisei era, but premature end aside, the #8 ARTA NSX-GT, driven by Tomoki Nojiri and Takuya Izawa, won the GT500 class while the #96 K-tunes RC F GT3 wins the GT300 class.
Highlights:
So that really is the end of the season opener, which is known as the last Super GT race of the Heisei era, but the second round of the 2019 Super GT season, held at Fuji Speedway on the 4th of May will be known as the first Super GT race of the Reiwa era. Here's for more Super GT in the new Japanese imperial era.
Twin Ring Motegi is the final battleground of the 2018 Autobacs Super GT Championship and in the season finale before the big one happening next season, the drivers are going all out to see who will emerge as the victor of this season.
The 53-lap epic finale of this season packed some surprises from start to finish and in the endgame, the #8 ARTA NSX-GT driven by Tomoki Nojiri and Takuya Izawa won their second race of the season for the GT500 class but the champion of this season goes to the #100 RAYBRIG NSX-GT driven by Naoki Yamamoto and former Formula 1 driver Jenson Button. In the GT300 class, the #65 LEON CVSTOS AMG driven by Haruki Kurosawa and Naoya Gamou delivered their biggest upset to the GT300 class with their come-from-behind win that nailed their championship title.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Congratulations to the title winners of this season and that is the end of the 2018 Autobacs Super GT Championship. See you next year as the big one will occur in this season as the dream match between the Super GT machines and the DTM machines of Germany come collide for a race unlike any other.
After a summer of disasters pummeled Japan from strong typhoons to earthquakes, the Land of the Rising Sun rises again and this sixth round of the 2018 Autobacs Super GT Championship at Sportsland Sugo shows how passionate this motorsport is to the Japanese public reeling from a summer of disasters. Of course, with autumn now around them, this race really starts the autumn season with some action-packed thrills at Sugo.
The irony is this race packs some numerous upsets from off-track troubles to crashes while the race nearing its end. This race has some unpredictable moments no one saw it coming but despite upsets plunging this Sugo race, the #100 RAYBRIG NSX-GT driven by Naoki Yamamoto and Jenson Button wins GT500 class of the sixth round of the Super GT 2018 season with the #8 ARTA NSX-GT driven by Tomoki Nojiri and Takuya Izawa placed 2nd, and the #12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R driven by Daiki Sasaki and Jann Mardenborough placed 3rd. In the GT300 class meanwhile, it's a flawless victory for the #61 SUBARU BRZ R&D SPORT driven by Takuto Iguchi and Hideki Yamauchi while 2nd place goes to the #10 GAINER TANAX triple a GT-R driven by Kazuki Hoshino and Hiroki Yoshida and 3rd place goes to the otaku favorite, the #0 GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG driven by Nobuteru Taniguchi and Tatsuya Kataoka.
Highlights:
With only two venues left this season, the next race of the 2018 Autobacs Super GT Championship will be at Autopolis on the 21st of October.
The heat wave in Japan didn't managed to put a stop on the fifth round of the Autobacs Super GT Championship in Fuji Speedway and this race really heats up the final weeks of summer vacation in Japan. Nothing says spending the final weeks of summer vacation than enjoying a heated race at one of Japan's premier racetracks in history.
From close-quarter fights, unexpected turns, and disappointing breakdowns, this 177-lap race is an absolute thriller in a cloudy Fuji day and at the end of this thriller, the GT500 winner goes to the #36 au TOM'S LC500 driven by Kazuki Nakajima and Yuhi Sekiguchi while second place goes to the #1 KeePer TOM'S LC500 driven by Ryo Hirakawa and Nick Cassidy and 3rd place goes to the #17 KEIHIN NSX-GT driven by Koudai Tsukakoshi and Takashi Kogure. In the GT300 class, winner goes to the #55 ARTA BMW M6 GT3 driven by Shinichi Takagi and Sean Walkinshaw while second place goes to the #0 GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG driven by Nobuteru Taniguchi and Tatsuya Kataoka and 3rd place goes to the #31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT driven by Koki Saga and Kohei Hirate.
The world maybe paying attention to the World Cup but for the 2018 Autobacs Super GT Championship, they're paying attention to Thailand's Chang International Circuit for the fourth round of the series, where the best of the brightest drivers are racing on the other side of Asia to see who's got the fighting chance for the title.
The #39 DENSO KOBELCO SARD LC500, driven by Heikki Kovalainen and Kamui Kobayashi, wins the 66-lap thriller in Thailand for the GT500 class followed by the #6 WAKO'S 4CR LC500, driven by Kazuya Oshima and Formula e driver Felix Rosenqvist, and the #19 WedsSport ADVAN LC500, driven by Yuji Kunimoto and Kenta Yamashita. All Lexuses tasted podium finishes. In the GT300, meanwhile, the #11 GAINER TANAX GT-R, driven by Katsuyuki Hiranaka and Hironobu Yasuda, wins the race, followed by the #31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT, driven by Koki Saga and Kohei Hirate, and the #60 SYNTIUM LMcorsa RC F GT 3, driven by Hiroki Yoshimoto and Ritomo Miyata.
Highlights:
The next race of the AUTOBACS Super GT 2018 Series is on Fuji Speedway on the 5th of August.
Suzuka's having their little royal rumble in the midst of the royal weekend as the third round of the Autobacs SUPER GT 2018 Series sends the best drivers of this sport to a battle royale to remember.
300 kilometers, 52 laps, and some surprises in store, this is one heck of a race to remember especially those having hangovers in the middle of the royal weekend. And after one heck of a race, thanks to its pole position advantage, the #8 ARTA NSX GT driven by Tomoki Nojiri and Takuya Izawa wins the GT500 race followed by the #100 RAYBRIG NSX GT driven by Naoki Yamamoto and Jenson Button, and the #1 KeePer TOM'S LC500 driven by Ryo Hirakawa and Nick Cassidy. In the GT300, meanwhile, winner goes to the #96 K-tunes RC F GT3 driven by Morio Nitta and Yuichi Nakayama, followed by the #25 HOPPY 86 MC driven by Takamitsu Matsui and Sho Tsuboi, and the #61 SUBARU BRZ R&D SPORT driven by Takuto Iguchi and Hideki Yamauchi.
Highlights:
The next race of the Autobacs SUPER GT 2018 Series will be in Thailand on the 1st of July.
The Japanese public are in a middle of the Golden Week but the best day in a middle of Golden Week is when they rushed at Fuji Speedway to see the second round of the 2018 Autobacs Super GT Championship and what a way to spend the last days of Golden Week by witnessing the best racing driver tackling on a former grand prix track with some twists and turns in store for them.
At the end of this race, the real shocker in the GT500 class is the come-from-behind win by the #23 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R driven by Tsugio Matsuda and Ronnie Quintarelli, leaving the #39 DENSO KOBELCO SARD LC500 driven by Heikki Kovalainen and Sho Tsuboi 2nd place and the #38 ZENT CERUMO LC500 driven by Yuji Tachikawa and Hiroaki Ishiura 3rd place. In the GT300 class, meanwhile, the winner goes for the #55 ARTA BMW M6 GT3 driven by Shinichi Takagi and Sean Walkinshaw with 2nd place goes to the #31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT driven by Koki Saga and Kohei Hirate and #11 GAINER TANAX GT-R driven by Katsuyuki Hiranaka and Hironobu Yasuda.
The Autobacs SUPER GT Championship kicked off their 2018 season at Okayama International Circuit and this opener has some surprises in store as one of the best drivers in the world joins the fray, putting so much excitement in one of Asia's premiere sports car racing series which remains a favorite among JDM enthusiasts worldwide.
SUPER GT 2018 Round 1 OKAYAMA
Anyway, at the end of the season opener, the podium finishers for the GT500 are, in descending order, 3rd placer #1 KeePer TOM'S LC500 driven by Ryo Hirakawa and Nick Cassidy, 2nd placer #100 RAYBRID NSX-GT driven by Naoki Yamamoto and (for a very special role) Jenson Button, and winner #17 KEIHIN NSX-GT driven by Koudai Tsukakoshi and Takashi Kogure. In the GT300, meanwhile, third placer goes for the #2 HOPPY 86 MC driven by Takamitsu Matsui and Sho Tsuboi, #7 D'station Porsche driven by Tomonobu Fujii and Sven Muller, and winner #18 UPGARAGE 86 MC driven by Yuhki Nakayama and Takashi Kobayashi.
Highlights:
The next race will be at Fuji Speedway on the 4th of May.
Twin Ring Motegi is the final destination of this season of the Autobacs Super GT Championship and in this final leg of the season, one of the young upstarts of the GT500 season became a clear winner while in the GT300 class, it's everybody's race to the very end.
Since this is the final race of the season, they want to make it special by inviting three DTM machines for a special presentation between Germany's DTM and Japan's Super GT, it's Axis Powers all over again. After that special presentation, the big finale kicks in and this finale will truly decide the match.
Let's watch the highlight;
At the end of the final race of the season, the winners go to the #23 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R driven by Tsugio Matsuda and Ronnie Quintarelli for the GT500 class and the #65 LEON CVSTOS AMG driven by Haruki Kurosawa and Naoya Gamou for the GT300.
However, the winners of the 2017 AUTOBACS SUPER GT Championship are the #37 KeePer TOM'S LC500 driven by Ryo Hirakawa and Nick Cassidy for the GT500 class and the #4 GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG driven by Nobuteru Taniguchi and Tatsuya Kataoka.
The Lexus LC may have been new to the market but in the Super GT Championship, this young jumpstart cannot be underestimated especially when it belongs to the winning time while for the folks behind GOOD SMILE RACING, what a way to celebrate Hatsune Miku's 10th anniversary with a title win even though they never won every single race in this season.
And that is the end of the 2017 AUTOBACS SUPER GT Championship. See you next year!
Of course, with Japan became a battleground for Formula 1, the Autobacs Super GT Championship continued their 2017 season at the Land of Smiles, Thailand. Specifically, Chang International Circuit. Different nation, same Super GT action, especially if this is the penultimate round of this season.
In this penultimate round of the 2017 Autobacs Super GT Championship, which lasted for 66 laps, the pole position advantage prompted the #37 KeePer TOM'S LC500, driven by Ryo Hirakawa and Nick Cassidy, won the GT500-class race while the #51 JMS RMU LMcorsa RC F GT3, driven by Yuichi Nakayama and Sho Tsuboi, won the GT300 class.
Highlights:
Don't miss the final round of the 2017 Autobacs Super GT Championship happening on Twin Ring Motegi on the 12th of November. Who will win the title? Watch for it!
Suzuka Circuit is the venue of the sixth round of the 2017 Autobacs Super GT and as summer draws to an end, the heat of the battle rages on for the best of the Super GT drivers.
In this scorching race before summer ends, the winner of the GT500 class is the #64 Epson Modulo NSX-GT, driven by Kosuke Matsuura and Bertrand Baguette, bringing the team its first SUPER GT victory since 2007. In the GT300 class, meanwhile, the #65 LEON CVSTOS AMG, driven by Haruki Kurosawa and Naoya Gamou, wins the race.
Race highlights:
The next race is on Thailand on the 8th of October.
The fourth round of the 2017 Autobacs Super GT series heads to Sportsland Sugo and no wonder this race keeps on heating up in the heat of the summer season for fans and drivers alike. No matter the outcome, the Sugo leg of this race has been one of the most enjoyable races to witness during the Japanese summer season.
So, who are the winners of this race at Sugo this Sunday afternoon? For the GT500 class, winner goes to the #1 DENSO KOBELCO SARD LC500 while 2nd place goes to the #46 S Road Craftsports GT-R, and 3rd place goes to the #6 WAKO'S 4CR LC500. In the GT300 class, meanwhile, the #11 GAINER TANAX AMG GT3 wins the race while the #50 Ferrari 488 GT3 placed 2nd and the #25 VivaC 86 MC placed 3rd.
Highlights:
Next race is on Fuji Speedway on the 6th of August.
As the summer season draws near in Japan, the Autopolis leg of the 2017 Autobacs Super GT Championship heats the competition up to the hottest temperature. Having returned from the schedule since last year's cancellation due to the Kumamoto earthquakes, Autopolis never felt so alive and well for this season and this could be one of the most exciting yet.
Comeback aside, it's another clear win for Lexus's new LC500 racing car as the #36 au TOM's LC500, driven by Kazuki Nakajima and James Rossiter, wins the GT500 class while in the GT300 class, it's a 1-2 Toyobaru finish as the #25 VivaC 86 MC and the #61 Subaru BRZ R&D Sport placed 1st and 2nd respectively. Quite a surprise.
The Golden Week holidays mean that people in Japan spend the rest of their vacation days doing whatever they like and the best example of spending the Golden Week holidays is taking the whole family or friends to the Fuji Speedway to watch the second round of this season's Autobacs Super GT Championship. Once again, it's another victory for the new Lexus LC500 GT500-spec racing machine as the #38 ZENT CERUMO LC500, driven by Yuji Tachikawa and Hiroaki Ishiura, drove its way to victory for the GT500 class. In the GT300 class, meanwhile, the #51 JMS P.MU LMcorsa RC F GT3, driven by Yuichi Nakayama and Sho Tsuboi, is the clear winner. That's two Lexus machines nailed their wins at their home turf, quite a golden opportunity for those who never take a break on the Golden Week holidays.
The 2017 season of the Autobacs Super GT kicked off in Okayama and while the GT500 class is becoming more interesting than the last time with the arrival of the new Lexus LC500 race machines as well as improved versions of the GT-R GT500 racing machines and the NSX GT machines, the GT300 class still has the usual mix of Japanese and European racing machines in the lineup and in this first round, it becoming more of a talk of a town after the race because the two winners are becoming the trending topic in this season.
In the GT500-class, the newest arrival from Lexus, the LC500, showed its fighting chance among drivers using this new machine that replaced last season's RC-F racing machines and as demonstrated by the #37 KeePer TOM'S LC500, which won this race, this new machine really shows its wonders in the Super GT race.
Meanwhile, in the GT300-class, the biggest winner is the #4 GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG GT race car, which marked its first win after four years. What a surprise to see a race car in Miku colors coming back in the race as if its ready to honor ten years of Hatsune Miku. Call it a coincidence but who cares...
Under certain circumstances, the season finale of Autobacs Super GT is a two-parter held at the Twin Ring Motegi. The main reason why it's a two-part finale is because that third round, which is supposed to be held at the Autopolis (which is near the quake-struck Kumamoto Prefecture) was suspended and therefore, making the final round a two-parter to ensure that this season remains an eight-round event as planned.
Check out the highlights of this epic two-part finale of the 2016 Super GT season.
In part one, the winner in the GT500 class goes to the #24 Forum Engineering ADVAN GT-R, driven by Daiki Sasaki and Masataka Yanagida, while the winner in the GT300 class goes to the #21 Hitotsuyama Audi R8 LMS, driven by Richard Lyons and Tomonobu Fujii. In part two, the #39 DENSO KOBELCO SARD RC F, driven by Heikki Kovalainen and Kohei Hirate, won the GT500 class while the #25 VivaC 86 MC, driven by Takeshi Tsuchiya and Takamitsu Matsui, won the GT300 class.
Still, the champions of the Autobacs Super GT 2016 Series go to the #39 DENSO KOBELCO SARD RC F, driven by Heikki Kovalainen and Kohei Hirate, for the GT500 class and the #25 VivaC 86 MC, driven by Takeshi Tsuchiya and Takamitsu Matsui, for the GT300 class. It really was a winner take all finale, after all, huh?
Anyway, this concludes the AUTOBACS Super GT 2016 Series. See you next season.
Of course, with the best of Formula One racers having their day in Japan for their F1 2016 season, the Super GT's finest drivers went to the Chang International Circuit in Thailand for their seventh leg of the 2016 Super GT season but Thailand's the penultimate part of the season because by next month, an epic two-part finale will take place in Twin Ring Motegi. Why a two-parter? Glad you asked because the third round, which was supposed to held at the Autopolis, was cancelled due to the Kumamoto quakes last April and hence made the final round, which will take place at the Twin Ring Motegi next month, a two-parter.
Anyway, onto Thailand, and with all that twists, suspense, and the inevitable crash, even on ASEAN soil, it seems that no one can stop the thrill from those brave Super GT racers vying for the top spot at the rankings and at the end of this 66-lap battle, the #19 WedsSport ADVAN RC F, driven by Yuji Sekiguchi and Yuji Kunimoto, wins the GT500 class while the #25 VivaC 86 MC, driven by Takeshi Tsuchiya and Takamitsu Matsui, wins the GT300 class.
As mentioned, the two-part Super GT 2016 finale will be at the Twin Ring Motegi. Part One will be on the 12th of November while Part Two will be on the 13th of November.
Days before the Suzuka leg of the Super GT 2016 season began, the Italian-born SUPER GT racers, Ronnie Quintarelli and Andrea Caldarelli have expressed solidarity for the victims of the deadly central Italy quake that killed 291 people. Quintarelli said "Be strong at heart and fight for Italian people" while Caldarelli said " I must show a good battle to give energy and encouragement."
Anyway, onto the real deal. In this 173-lap race held at Suzuka under cloudy conditions, victory for the GT500 class goes to the #38 ZENT CERUMO RC F driven by Yuji Tachikawa and Hiroaki Ishiura while 2nd place goes to the au TOM'S RC F driven by Daisuke Ito and Nick Cassidy and 3rd place goes to the S Road CRAFTSPORTS GT-R driven by Satoshi Motoyama and Mitsunori Takaboshi. In the GT300 class, meanwhile, winner goes to the #61 SUBARU BRZ R&D SPORT driven by Takuto Iguchi and Hideki Yamauchi, while 2nd place goes to the #31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT driven by Koki Saga and Yuichi Nakayama, and 3rd place goes to the #0 GAINER TANAX GT-R driven by Andre Couto and Ryuichiro Tomita.
Highlights:
The next race for this season will be held in Thailand on the 9th of October, 2016.
The fifth round of the 2016 Super GT season, held at Fuji Speedway on the 7th of August, saw some dramatic racing action to one of Japan's premiere touring car championship and in that 66-lap round held in one of Japan's premiere racing circuits, victory goes to the #12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R, driven by Hironobu Yasuda and J.P.L. De Oliveira, for the GT500 class and the #55 ARTA BMW M6 GT3, driven by Shinichi Takagi and Takashi Kobayashi, for the GT300 class.
Onto the overall rankings, in the GT500 class, the #1 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R still leads by 50 points while the #39 DENSO KOBELCO SARD RC F is 13 points behind the leader and #37 KeePer TOM'S RC F is 20 points behind the leader. Meanwhile, in the GT300 class, the #55 ARTA BMW M6 leads by 37 points while the #25 VivaC 86 MC is four points behind the leader and the #3 B-MAX NDDP GT-R is five points behind the leader.
Highlights:
The next race is at Suzuka Circuit, on the 28th of August.
