Entry List Announced for 2026 Okayama GT 300km Race
With just two weeks until the start of the 2026 Autobacs SUPER GT Series, the GTA has released the official entry list for the upcoming Okayama GT 300km Race at Okayama International Circuit. A total of 43 full-season entries are confirmed, including 14 cars in the GT500 class and 29 in the GT300 class.
GT500 Class Highlights:
- Notable entries include the #8 Honda HRC Prelude-GT, driven by Kakunoshin Ohta and Hiroki Otsu, representing Team HRC ARTA Mugen with Bridgestone tires.
- The #12 Nissan Z NISMO GT500 features Kazuki Hiramine and Bertrand Baguette from Team Impul, also on Bridgestone.
- Toyota’s presence is strong, with the #14 ENEOS X Prime GR Supra piloted by Nirei Fukuzumi and Kazuya Oshima (TGR Team ENEOS ROOKIE).
GT300 Class Insights:
- The notable debut of the Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo is confirmed for two teams: CarGuy MKS Racing and PONOS Racing.
- CarGuy will field Zak O’Sullivan and Reimei Ito, who recently replaced rookie Kiyoshi Umegaki, offering seasoned experience in the cockpit.
- Velorex (formerly Team LeMans) will utilize a pre-Evo version of the 296 GT3 while both variants will have differing Balance of Performance parameters.
Key Entries:
- The return of the #5 Mach Syaken/Air Buster MC86, indicating that the team has repaired its Dome-constructed Toyota 86 MC following damage at a previous test.
- The #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO will race for Goodsmile Racing, with experienced drivers Nobuteru Taniguchi and Tatsuya Kataoka.
Race Schedule:
Practice and qualifying sessions are set for Saturday, April 11, followed by the 82-lap race on Sunday, April 12.
This year’s entry list, while expected, reveals strategic driver alignments and significant vehicle updates as teams prepare to compete in the opening round of the SUPER GT Series.
Main Entry List Overview
GT500 Entries:
- #8 Honda HRC Prelude-GT: Ohta/Otsu (Team HRC ARTA Mugen, Bridgestone)
- #12 Nissan Z NISMO GT500: Hiramine/Baguette (Team Impul, Bridgestone)
- #14 Toyota GR Supra GT500: Fukuzumi/Oshima (TGR Team ENEOS ROOKIE, Bridgestone)
GT300 Entries:
- #5 Toyota 86 MC: Shiotsu/Arao (Team Mach, Yokohama)
- #7 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo: O’Sullivan/Ito (CarGuy MKS Racing, Yokohama)
- #6 Ferrari 296 GT3: Katayama/Krütten (Velorex, Yokohama)
This detailed lineup sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting race weekend as teams put their preparations to the test in the debut event of the 2026 season.
