The 2025 AUTOBACS SUPER GT series awards ceremony “SUPER GT HEROES 2025” was held at a hotel in Tokyo on the night of December 5th, and this season’s participants gathered to receive their awards. After the end of the series about one month ago, while the excitement of the year of racing still remains fresh in our minds, the “SUPER GT HEROES” awards ceremony was held on a grand scale once again. Gathered for this occasion were the champions of the GT500 and GT300 classes, the main staff members of the participating teams, along with representatives of the season’s title sponsor, AUTOBACS SEVEN Co., Ltd., the other sponsor companies, the auto makers and tire makers, the participating circuits, the JAPAN AUTOMOBILE FEDERATION (JAF), as well as members of the National Parliament who support motor sports in Japan and the various ministries and agencies, all gathered for a ceremony worthy of the dramatic competition that played out in the 2025 season. In this Part 1, we report mainly on what occurred at the awards ceremony.
*Click here to see the SUPER GT HEROES Part 2 awards ceremony
【Address by the Organizer】
At the holding of the SUPER GT HEROES event, first a special video was aired on the large screen, which gathered footage from the intense battles and dramatic moments from the 2025 season. After that, Masaaki Bandoh, President and CEO of GTA Co., Ltd., the promotor of SUPER GT, rose to the stage to address the meeting with the following words. “Thanks to the support of the series title sponsor, AUTOBACS SEVEN Co., Ltd. and the other series partners and series sponsors, the 2025 season was brought to a successful close. I want to express our gratitude for everyone involved. Also, Round 3 of this season saw the first SUPER GT round to be held in Malaysia in 12 years. This was the result of cooperation with local promotors and the Malaysian government’s Tourist Bureau officials to hold the event under the same organizational processes as with F1 and MotoGP. However, being the first holding organized in this way, there were some problems which caused inconvenience for the teams involved. On the other hand, we were also able to find some new and positive directions to globalize SUPER GT in Southeast Asia. Furthermore, the number of spectators are beginning to rise to the levels they were before the Corona pandemic. And to further increase the number of fans that will come to the races, I would say that this has also been a year that has seen us work in cooperation with the organizers and the employees at the circuits to undertake promotional activities that will give us a foundation to “fill the spectator stands” for next season. What’s more, regarding the SUPER GT HEROES event held today, in addition to presenting awards to the series champions, I also want to make this an opportunity to express our gratitude to all of the people involved in SUPER GT. In our eyes, all of the people involved as sponsors, the people at the car and tire makers, the people involved as organizers, the staff of the participating teams and their drivers, in other words everyone gathered here today are all true “heroes”.”
Serving as masters of ceremony for the SUPER GT HEROES event were the announcer Pierre Kitagawa, who worked as he did last year on broadcasts to raise the excitement at the circuit, and the J SPORTS reporter Shima Takechi, who delivered on-point pit information and driver comments.
【Introduction of the Sponsors and Partner Companies】
The fact that SUPER GT can continue to operate as a well-respected motorsport event internationally is due to the support of numerous sponsor companies. On the stage were representatives of this year’s 29 series sponsors and partner companies (including one company absent this day), and there was an introduction of the series Title Sponsor company and presentations of gifts to the representatives by Mr. Bandoh.
Speaking as representative of the sponsors was Representative Director & Chief Executive Officer Yugo Horii of the title sponsor, AUTOBACS SEVEN Co., Ltd. “I want to say how much we appreciated the efforts of everyone that competed so strongly until the very end of the season. This applies not only to the drivers and team members who competed throughout the year, but also to the sponsors and all the people in related jobs. Thank you for your support all year long. Again this year, SUPER GT was supported by the strength of the people of the car makers that developed the race machines with the latest and most advanced technologies. SUPER GT is a series that is not only competed on the basis of speed but also by the passion they bring to the many challenges the undertake and their ability to fulfill the dreams of so many fans. This year also saw the holding of the first round in Malaysia in a long time. And it is not only the joy of winning but also the frustration of losing that drives the competitors onward. I believe this is what makes SUPER GT so unique. Next year we will test the new challenge of competition with only one make of tires in use. We are already looking forward to the new SUPER GT history we will be able to share with everyone. Thank you for all your continued efforts.” With these words, Representative Director & Chief Executive Officer Yugo Horii proposed a toast, to which all raised their glasses, followed by a big round of applause that filled the room.
There was also meaning behind the entries on the menu for this SUPER GT HEROES banquet. As signs of appreciation for the seven circuits where races were held this season, famous products and local foods were used from Miyagi Prefecture (SportsLand SUGO), Tochigi Prefecture (Mobility Resort Motegi), Shizuoka Prefecture (Fuji Speedway) Okayama Prefecture (Okayama International Circuit), Oita Prefecture (AUTOPOLIS) and Malaysia (Sepang International Circuit).
【Presentation of the Liberal Democratic Party Parliamentary Association for Motorsports Cup】
Among the other guests on hand at this SUPER GT HEROES ceremony were representatives of numerous companies and agencies that support SUPER GT and other Japanese motor sports. Present among these were Parliament members including Chairman Keiji Furuya, acting Secretary General Toshitaka Oooka, both members of the House of Representatives. Also present was Deputy secretary general Masahisa Miyazaki of the Liberal Democratic Party Parliamentary Association for Motorsports, which makes efforts to support motor sports like SUPER GT. And it was Chairman Keiji Furuya who rose to speak on their behalf with the following words. “It was Japan’s automotive industry that led the country’s recovery from World War II and has continued to remain at the world’s highest level. But unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the recognition received by our automobile culture in the form of motor sports. As with all of you gathered here today, I share the same interest as you, I love motor sports. In fact, long ago I used to compete with Teruo Katsuta, the grandfather of Takamoto Katsuta, who competed so well in the Rally Japan the other day. Recently, I usually follow my interest in motor sports by watching it on television, but unfortunately that doesn’t convey the full excitement of watching races at the racetrack. For this reason, I have been involved in promoting supplementary funding to achieve more extensive WiFi capability, as a media that can encourage more fans to come to the circuits to enjoy motor sports. So. I hope that all of you here will spread the excitement of racing for fans next season.” With these words, he promised to work to support motor sports like SUPER GT.
This speech was followed by the presentation of the Liberal Democratic Party Parliamentary Association for Motorsports Cup, which was presented to Team Manager Daisuke Ito of this season’s GT500 class champions, the No.1 TGR TEAM au TOM’S team and to Team Manager Haruki Kurosawa of the GT300 class champions, the No. 65 K2 R&D LEON TACING team. The Liberal Democratic Party Parliamentary Association for Motorsports Cup and gifts of travel coupons were presented to the two team managers by Chairman Furuya and Secretary General Oooka.
【Introduction of SUPER GT governing bodies and officials for each round】
The reason that SUPER GT can be held with safety and bring excitement to fans the world over is the behind-the scenes efforts of the people that maintain the circuits and manage the races. These behind-the scenes “heroes”, the race officials from each circuit responsible for managing the competitions, were then brought on stage and introduced. “Thanks to the activities of all the people gathered here today, the SUPER GT series this season was a great success. I want to give my heartfelt thanks for your efforts. As the national motor sports authority, JAF participated in the Automobile Business & Culture Association of Japan this time. Here, the governing bodies of SUPER GT and other race categories participated in various discussions aimed at improving safety. There was also a big response to the open discussions they held at the Japan Mobility Show. Through activities like these, they worked to ensure that more fans will take an interest in motor sports next season.” With these words, he described the efforts to bring more attention to SUPER GT and the other Japanese motor sports.
A transporter (large trailer) of the No. 1 au TOM’S GR Supra team that showed up in front of the hotel where the ceremony was held.
