A total of 41 cars, 15 in GT500 and 26 in GT300, are entered for the annual Golden Week classic, the first of five 450km races on this year's schedule.
The tradition of holding a midweek race during Japan's spring vacation dates back to the inaugural season of the All-Japan Touring Car Championship (JGTC), the forerunner of SUPER GT, in 1994. Regularly attracting a race day crowd in excess of 50,000 fans prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it remains the best attended race on the calendar, boasting a real festival atmosphere.
After a wet start to the season last month at Okayama, the weather forecast this week at Fuji is for a dry race, meaning it could provide us with our first real indication of the pecking order between the three GT500 manufacturers with the use of carbon-neutral fuel (CNF).
Nissan got its campaign off to a winning start in Okayama as its two Michelin-shod NISMO Zs secured a one-two in the tricky conditions, but that means the #23 car of Tsugio Matsuda/Ronnie Quintarelli (42kg) and the #3 machine of Katsumasa Chiyo and Mitsunori Takaboshi (30kg) will be the heaviest on the grid as success ballast comes into play for the first time.
Conversely, a dramatic opener means several highly-fancied runners come to Fuji with little or no ballast. These include both of the TOM'S Toyota GR Supras, with the #36 car of Sho Tsuboi and Ritomo Miyata in particular set to be among the favourites at Fuji, the Team Kunimitsu Honda of Naoki Yamamoto and Tadasuke Makino and the #16 ARTA Honda of Nirei Fukuzumi and Hiroki Otsu.
Attention will also be on the #8 ARTA machine after the two drivers of the car, Tomoki Nojiri and Toshiki Oyu, collided in the most recent Super Formula race at Suzuka. The pair will be hoping to shrug off their 22kg of success ballast after scoring a surprise podium in the opening race.
In the GT300 class, Team UpGarage Honda pair Takashi Kobayashi and Shun Koide will be hard-pressed to repeat their Okayama win laden with the maximum 60kg of success ballast.
On the other hand, reigning champion Joao Paulo de Oliveira and his new Kondo Racing Nissan team-mate Teppei Natori carry just 3kg of ballast, while Subaru's works BRZ goes to one of its strongest circuits ballast-free. The Team LeMans Audi that features ex-Formula 1 driver Roberto Merhi is also on zero ballast and will be eager to replicate the strong pace he showed in pre-season testing.
Several teams have entered third drivers for this race, but the spotlight will be on reigning Formula Regional Japanese champion Miki Koyama in particular as she gets set for her race debut with the Anata Iwest Racing Lexus team.
SUPER GT time schedule for Fuji Round 2
Times are Local/UK time (GMT+1)/EDT/PDT
Wednesday May 3
Free practice (1h45 minutes) – 9.05am/1.05am/8.05pm (Tuesday)/5.05pm (Tuesday)
Qualifying – 3.15pm/7.15am/2.15am/11.15pm (Tuesday)
Thursday May 4
Warm-up – 12pm/4am/11pm (Wednesday)/8pm (Wednesday)
Race (100 laps) – 1.30pm/5.30am/12.30am/9.30pm (Wednesday)
Don't see your timezone listed? Check out our SUPER GT schedule page to see the session times in your local timezone
How can I watch SUPER GT at Fuji?
Motorsport.tv will once again be offering full coverage of both qualifying and the race for every round of the 2023 SUPER GT season (subscription required, available worldwide except Japan).
Commentary will be provided by Jake Sanson and Motorsport.com’s own expert Japanese racing analyst Jamie Klein.
Click here for further information, and to get your subscription now
SUPER GT entry list for Fuji Round 2
GT500 class:
|
Manufacturer |
Team |
Tyre |
No. |
Drivers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Nissan Z GT500
|
Team Impul |
Bridgestone |
1 |
|
|
NDDP Racing |
Michelin |
3 |
|
|
|
NISMO |
Michelin |
23 |
|
|
|
Kondo Racing |
Yokohama |
24 |
|
|
|
Toyota GR Supra
|
Rookie Racing |
Bridgestone |
14 |
|
|
Racing Project Bandoh |
Yokohama |
19 |
|
|
|
TOM’S
|
Bridgestone
|
36
|
|
|
|
37 |
|
|||
|
Cerumo |
Bridgestone |
38 |
|
|
|
SARD |
Bridgestone |
39 |
|
|
|
Honda NSX-GT (Type S)
|
ARTA
|
Bridgestone
|
8 |
|
|
16 |
|
|||
|
Real Racing |
Bridgestone |
17 |
|
|
|
Nakajima Racing |
Dunlop |
64 |
|
|
|
Team Kunimitsu |
Bridgestone |
100 |
|
Bertrand Baguette
Kazuki Hiramine
Ronnie Quintarelli
Giuliano AlesiGT300 class:
| No. | Team | Car | Tyre | Drivers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Muta Racing Inging | Toyota GR86 GT | Bridgestone |
|
| 4 | Goodsmile Racing & Team Ukyo | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | Yokohama |
|
| 5 | Team Mach | Toyota 86 MC | Yokohama |
|
| 6 | Team LeMans | Audi R8 LMS GT3 | Yokohama |
|
| 7 | BMW Team Studie | BMW M4 GT3 | Michelin |
|
| 9 |
Pacific Racing |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 | Yokohama |
|
| 10 | Gainer | Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 | Dunlop |
|
| 11 | Gainer | Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 | Dunlop |
|
| 18 | Team UpGarage | Honda NSX GT3 | Yokohama |
|
| 20 | Shade Racing | Toyota GR86 GT | Dunlop |
|
| 22 | R'Qs Motor Sports | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | Yokohama |
|
| 25 | Hoppy Team Tsuchiya | Toyota GR Supra GT300 | Yokohama |
|
| 27 | Yogibo Racing | Honda NSX GT3 | Yokohama |
|
| 30 | apr | Toyota GR86 GT | Yokohama |
|
| 31 | apr | Lexus LC500h GT | Bridgestone |
|
| 48 | NILZZ Racing | Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 | Yokohama |
|
| 50 | Anest Iwata Racing with Arnage | Lexus RC F GT3 | Yokohama |
|
| 52 | Saitama Toyopet Green Brave | Toyota GR Supra GT300 | Bridgestone |
|
| 56 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 | Yokohama |
|
| 60 | LM Corsa | Toyota GR Supra GT300 | Dunlop |
|
| 61 | R&D Sport | Subaru BRZ | Dunlop |
|
| 65 | K2 R&D LEON Racing | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | Bridgestone |
|
| 87 | JLOC | Lamborghini Huracan GT3 | Yokohama |
|
| 88 | JLOC | Lamborghini Huracan GT3 | Yokohama |
|
| 96 | K-tunes Racing | Lexus RC F GT3 | Dunlop |
|
| 244 | Max Racing | Toyota GR Supra GT300 | Yokohama |
|
| 360 | Tomei Sports | Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 | Yokohama |
|
Roberto Merhi
Igor Fraga
