Craft-Bamboo Racing Secures Victory at Suzuka 5 Hour Race
Suzuka, Japan — Craft-Bamboo Racing dominated the second round of the ENEOS Super Taikyu Series, clinching a second consecutive win in the 2026 season with their #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO. The trio of Sun “JZ” Jingzu, Kakunoshin Ohta, and Adderly Fong delivered a commanding performance to secure victory in the Suzuka 5 Hour Race.
A total of 47 cars entered the event, which featured the debut of the ST-TCR category and continued participation from the ST-USA exhibition class. The #33 Mercedes-AMG secured pole position with a lap time of 4:03.476, outpacing the next fastest competitor by nearly 1.5 seconds.
At the start, Ohta quickly established a lead over rival ST-X entries, maintaining control through the first stint. Following the initial driver swaps, Sun retained the top position as the race progressed. A critical moment occurred midway through the race when a breakdown of the #430 Audi Team Show Apex RS3 LMS triggered a Full Course Yellow (FCY).
As the race resumed, the #777 D’station Racing Ferrari cycled to the front, only to be assessed a stop-and-hold penalty for a violation during the FCY, handing the lead back to Craft-Bamboo Racing. Following a successful final driver change, Ohta exited the pits in front of the #31 apr Lexus RC F GT3, ultimately extending their lead to 32 seconds by the race’s end after 139 laps.
“We executed our strategy perfectly, and the team delivered a flawless performance,” Ohta remarked post-race.
The podium was rounded out with the #23 TKRI Mercedes-AMG, securing second place, and the #31 apr Lexus in third after a fierce battle in the closing stages of the race. The #777 Ferrari, despite its penalty, managed a fourth-place finish.
In class results, the Kokusai Group’s #22 Porsche 718 GT4 RS claimed victory in ST-Z, edging the #52 Saitama Green Brave Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 following an early mechanical issue. The #100 Team Standard Honda Civic Type R distinguished itself in ST-TCR, winning by nine laps.
Additionally, the SHADE Racing Toyota GR86 emerged as the unexpected winner of the ST-4 class, finishing ahead of several higher-tier entries.
Upcoming Events: Craft-Bamboo Racing leads the championship standings heading into the NAPAC Fuji 24 Hour Race scheduled for June 6-7.
Race Results Highlights:
- Overall Winner: #33 Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO
- Second Place: #23 TKRI Mercedes-AMG GT3
- Third Place: #31 apr Lexus RC F GT3
- ST-Z Winner: #22 Kokusai Group Porsche 718 GT4 RS
- ST-TCR Winner: #100 Team Standard Honda Civic Type R
- ST-4 Winner: #884 SHADE Racing Toyota GR86
For full race results and more details, please refer to the official series documentation.
Images © STMO, Honda Mobilityland
