Round 3 of the 2025 AUTOBACS SUPER GT series, the “SUPER GT MALAYSIA FESTIVAL 2025” was held on June 28th (Sat.) at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit (one lap 5,542 m x 55 laps). In the first Malaysia round since 2013, this official SUPER GT Round 3 race saw the GT500 class 4th-position grid starting No. 37 Deloitte TOM’S GR Supra (Ukyo Sasahara/Giuliano Alesi) chose a successful strategy of holding off longest to make its pit stop to take its first victory since Round 6 of last season. In the GT300 class, the pole-starting No.18 UPGARAGE AMG GT3 (Takashi Kobayashi/Yuto Nomura) gave up the lead at one point only to battle back to take a pole-to-win victory, aided in part by a rival’s mistake.
This was the first SUPER GT race to be held at Malaysia’s Sepang Circuit in 12 years, since the last one in 2013. This SUPER GT MALAYSIA FESTIVAL 2025 attracted many fans not only from Malaysia but from Japan as well for a 300 km race that saw intense battles taking place all around the track.
The GT500 class race saw the pole-starting No. 19 WedsSport ADVAN GR Supra (Yuji Kunimoto/Sena Sakaguchi) run strongly from the start in the early stages of the race but later be passed by the 2nd-position grid-starting No. 8 ARTA MUGEN CIVIC TYPE R-GT #8 (Tomoki Nojiri/Nobuharu Matsushita). After taking the lead, No. 8 continued to increase its margin of lead, perform its pit work and return with no mistakes to the race with its lead intact.
Behind this, the No. 37 Deloitte TOM’S GR Supra that had started the race from the 4th grid position held off on making its pit stop with a strategy of shortening the time spent for re-fueling. As the team’s driver for the first half, Ukyo Sasahara continued to drive with no mistakes until the 32nd lap to be the last in the class to finally make his pit stop. Meanwhile, the team answered swiftly to change the tires and re-fuel quickly enough to get the car back in the race without losing position.
Managing to move into the lead in this way, No. 37 ran on with Giuliano Alesi now at the wheel successfully holding off car No. 8 closing in from behind and completing his first lap out of the pit with his lead intact. After that, Alesi in car No. 37 gradually widened his margin of lead and finally finished the 55th lap of the race with a lead some 19 seconds to give the team its first win of the season.
Car No. 8 ran on from there to finish the race in 2nd place. The 3rd car to cross the finish line was the No. 100 STANLEY CIVIC TYPE R-GT (Naoki Yamamoto/Tadasuke Makino), but only to receive a 10 second penalty for a passing in the latter stages of the race that dropped it to 6th place. This enabled the No. 12 TRS IMPUL with SDG Z (Kazuki Hiramine/Bertrand Baguette) to move up to 3rd place and thus fill out the winners’ podium for this first Sepang race in 12 years with one car each for Toyota, Honda and Nissan. As for the leader in series points, the No. 1 au TOM’S GR Supra (Sho Tsuboi/Kenta Yamashita), it recovered from an accident on the first lap where it spun out after being hit by another car and managed to finish the race in 7th place, thus enabling the 2024 season champions to maintain their lead in series points.
In the GT300 class race, the first lap of the race saw Nonaka in the No. 52 Green Brave GR Supra GT (Hiroki Yoshida/Seita Nonaka) pass Nomura in the pole-starting No. 18 UPGARAGE AMG GT3 (Takashi Kobayashi/Yuto Nomura) to take the lead. However, Car No. 52 suffered a time loss while changing tires, thus allowing No. 18 to re-take the lead. From there, Kobayashi in car No. 18 held off No. 52 to take a pole-to-win victory. Kobayashi was also the winner of the previous Sepang race in 2013, giving him consecutive victories there over a space of 12 years, while the rookie Nomura got his first victory in only his 3rd race in SUPER GT. The 2nd and 3rd place finishers in the race were car No. 52 and the No. 4 GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG (Yuhki Nakayama /Shunji Okumoto) respectively.
■Winner Comments
GT500 CLASS
No.37 Deloitte TOM’S GR Supra Ukyo Sasahara “After the start, I was running in the top group while managing to avoid inflicting damage on my tires and taking opportunities to move up when possible. Toyota, the team and the people from Bridgestone Tire prepared a wonderful car for us. On the lap just before making my pit stop, I pushed hard as if my life depended on it (wry smile). Since I thought this would make it possible to take the lead as planned, I would give myself a rating of about 90 points for the job I did (laughs).” Giuliano Alesi “I had the job of driving in the second half, and when I left the pit, I thought it would be tough to hold my lead (with car No. 8 closing in). But I didn’t give up and kept pushing hard. And my tires warmed up quicker that I thought they would. So, I’m glad I was able to run on to the win. Because the car was set up perfectly today, I want to express my thanks to Toyota, the team and the people at Bridgestone Tires.”
GT300 CLASS
No.18 UPGARAGE AMG GT3 Takashi Kobayashi “In the end, I was able to get a second consecutive victory at Sepang, as well as a pole-to-win victory, so I’m very happy with the results. Nomura lost some ground on the first lap, but he didn’t give up and kept hanging on to the leaders, so he really did a great job for us. There was a mistake in the pit work by car No. 52, and on my first lap out of the pit, I was able to push hard and get the lead back. There was also the fact that the team really worked hard to set up the car so well for us. In the end, (while being closed in on from behind) it was tough going, but I’m very glad that we were able to win. I just want to thank everyone.” Yuto Nomura “On the first lap after the start it was difficult to get my tires warmed up and car No. 52 was able to pass me, but after that I was able to hold on from behind. Then, when we were able to get the lead back after the pit stop, and it was the first win for me, so I was really happy.”
