2024.11.03

【Rd.8 GTA regular press conference】 SRO and GTA agree on possible GT300 class car participation in Suzuka 1000km resuming next year.

　GTA's regular press conference was held on the race day of SUPER GT Round 8, the morning of November 3rd. During the conference, GTA President & CEO Masaaki Bandoh revealed that the cars competing in SUPER GT's GT300 class will be allowed to race in the Suzuka 1000km race which is planned to be held at Suzuka Circuit (Mie Prefecture) in 2025.

　Suzuka 1000km will be back as a series race of Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) held from September 12th to 14th, 2025. It is also known as a historic event that was once held as a series race of SUPER GT in the past. The race was held as Suzuka 10-hour race from 2018 as a series race of IGTC, but it was discontinued due to COVID-19. It has already been announced that the event will come back as new Suzuka 1000km in 2025.

　Currently, a car that is competing in the GT300 class of SUPER GT is not permitted to participate in a different category by using the same vehicle. However, according to President & CEO Bandoh, based on the request received from entrants, an agreement was reached with SSO Motorsports Group that organizes IGTC to allow participation by the car that is competing in the GT300 class. "Before, GT300 class team was allowed to race, but not the car. Our SUPER GT race will be held at Suzuka on August 23rd and 24th (Round 5), and it (Suzuka 1000km race) is 3 weeks later, but we agreed so that the car can participate without making any changes", commented Bandoh. He also revealed that a meeting was held with Stephane Ratel of SRO at the venue of FIA MOTORSPORT GAMES in Valencia.

　GT300 class cars can now participate by the new agreement, but, obviously, the cars will need to follow the rule defined by SRO at Suzuka 1000km. Bandoh also explained that voices were heard from the teams wanting to participate to enable participation in 2025, and, in order to align with the rule SRO will define, the two parties firstly agreed on allowing the cars to participate. There is also a discussion to have automakers to build (develop) new GT3 race cars by around 2027. "We are considering continuing to communicate closely with SRO on how we can establish a race (competition format)". Fundamental agreement for next year's Suzuka 1000km will certainly be a first step towards a discussion for the farther future.