GTA Co., Ltd. holds a regular press conference for members of the media at each event of the SUPER GT series. At the season‑opening round at Okayama, the press conference was held on the morning of April 12, race day, where Masaaki Bandoh, President & CEO of GTA, addressed the recently announced postponement of the Round 3 Malaysia event and shared his outlook for the 2026 season.
The postponement of the Malaysia round has already been announced on the official SUPER GT website. President & CEO Bandoh explained that this decision was influenced by rising fuel and crude oil prices, as well as tightening regulations in various countries. At the same time, he clarified that the decision was not the result of restrictions imposed by the Malaysian government. Rather, following discussions with the local promoter, HARO SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT (HARO), the postponement was determined as a form of voluntary restraint.
“It is not that the Malaysian government is regulating fuel usage. We discussed the current situation together with HARO, and as a result, we concluded that it would be better to exercise self‑restraint,” he explained. Bandoh also noted reports that Malaysia has implemented a monthly fuel limit of 200 liters per vehicle, in addition to rising logistics‑related costs such as increased airline surcharges for race operations and sharply rising hotel accommodation prices. “We came to the conclusion that it would be impossible to hold the race under the same conditions as last year. In considering whether it would be appropriate to stage a major international event in Malaysia under these circumstances, we discussed the matter closely with HARO and ultimately decided to express our stance through postponement,” he said. As the Malaysia round is part of a three‑year contract, the event is now scheduled to be held through 2028 following this postponement.
Bandoh also addressed the outlook for the domestic rounds, confirming that the 2026 SUPER GT season will be contested over seven rounds in Japan. “In Japan, we are not declaring formal self‑restraint measures regarding fuel, but it would not be appropriate if people were to ask, ‘What is the Japanese motorsport industry thinking?’ There are also issues such as transportation costs and overall price increases. Just because an overseas round is postponed does not mean we should increase the domestic calendar from seven to eight rounds. We are determined to steadily overcome the difficult situation by thoroughly completing all seven rounds,” he said. He emphasized that the decision to postpone Round 3 was made voluntarily and that no additional rounds would be added as a result. GTA’s policy is to maintain the existing race calendar.
When asked by the media about his expectations for the 2026 season, President & CEO Bandoh expressed optimism regarding the on‑track performances expected from the three manufacturers. He highlighted Honda’s new HRC PRELUDE‑GT, Nissan’s three‑car lineup, and Toyota’s continued competitiveness, commenting “The key questions will be who can stop the No.36 au TOM’S GR Supra, the reigning three‑time champions, and what kind of strategies the teams will adopt. It’s true that competition is becoming increasingly intense, so I believe we will see some very exciting races.” Regarding the GT300 class, Bandoh also referred to the final year of the multi‑make tire competition, “The tire manufacturers are eager to fight out what will be their final competitive season. That is something I am personally very interested in watching closely,” he added.
