Toyota Dominates SUPER GT Fuji GT Sprint Race
Fuji, Japan – Toyota showcased its dominance in the SUPER GT Fuji GT Sprint Race on Saturday, achieving a remarkable top-five sweep in the GT500 class. Defending champion Sho Tsuboi secured his second victory of the season in the #1 au TOM’S Toyota GR Supra, marking his ninth career win in the series.
Race Summary
In qualifying, Tsuboi set the pace, ultimately starting second behind Sena Sakaguchi, who clinched pole in the #19 WedsSport Advan GR Supra by a narrow margin of just 0.053 seconds. The race began under overcast conditions, transitioning from sunny practice sessions.
As the green flag waved, Sakaguchi led initially, with Tsuboi quickly engaging in a battle with Toshiki Oyu in the #38 KeePer Cerumo GR Supra for second place. A collision between Kazuya Oshima and Tadasuke Makino brought out a Safety Car, affecting strategies.
On the restart, Tsuboi surged past Sakaguchi on lap six, with Oyu following closely into second. The trio of Tsuboi, Oyu, and the #39 Denso Kobelco SARD GR Supra, driven by Sacha Fenestraz, made for a commanding Toyota front.
Tsuboi held off Oyu’s advances, ultimately winning by a margin of 2.529 seconds. Ukyo Sasahara in the #37 Deloitte TOM’S GR Supra also made a significant climb from 11th to finish fourth, solidifying an all-Toyota top five.
Results
- Sho Tsuboi (#1 au TOM’S GR Supra)
- Toshiki Oyu (#38 KeePer Cerumo GR Supra)
- Ukyo Sasahara (#39 Deloitte TOM’S GR Supra)
- Sena Sakaguchi (#19 WedsSport Advan GR Supra)
- Sacha Fenestraz (#39 Denso Kobelco SARD GR Supra)
Tsuboi commented post-race, "I felt it would be embarrassing if I didn’t win. The team setup was perfect, allowing us to race without stress."
GT300 Highlights
In GT300, Hibiki Taira made headlines by securing his first career pole in the #2 Hyper Water INGING Toyota GR86. He led the initial stages but was eventually overtaken by Charlie Fagg in the #777 D’station Aston Martin Vantage GT3 during a rain-affected race.
Fagg clinched his second career GT300 victory, finishing ahead of Tatsuya Kataoka and Naoya Gamou, who rounded out the podium.
GT300 Results
- Charlie Fagg (#777 D’station Aston Martin Vantage GT3)
- Tatsuya Kataoka (#4 Goodsmile Hatsune Miku Mercedes-AMG GT3)
- Naoya Gamou (#65 LEON Pyramid AMG GT3)
Fagg reflected on his performance, stating, “I didn’t expect to take the lead but racing in the rain motivated me to go for the win.”
Conclusion
The race solidified Toyota’s position in SUPER GT with their record-extending eighth consecutive victory in the GT500 class. The series continues to build momentum as it heads into subsequent races this weekend, with both teams and drivers looking to capitalize on this weekend’s performances.
