SUPER GT Motegi 250km Grand Final: Qualifying Recap
In a crucial qualifying session ahead of the SUPER GT Motegi 250km Grand Final, Naoki Yamamoto and Tadasuke Makino from Stanley Team Kunimitsu seized the championship lead. Makino clinched pole position for the 53-lap race with a best lap of 1:36.135, marking his first pole since 2023 and securing Honda’s sixth consecutive GT500 pole with the new HRC Prelude-GT.
Qualifying Results: GT500
- #100 Stanley Honda Prelude-GT: Tadasuke Makino – 1:36.135
- #36 au TOM’S Toyota GR Supra: Kenta Yamashita – 1:36.413
- #64 Modulo Prelude-GT: Riki Okusa – 1:36.458
- #17 Astemo Prelude-GT: Yuto Nomura – 1:36.481
- #8 ARTA Mugen Prelude-GT: Kakunoshin Ohta – 1:36.634
Makino and Yamamoto gained an additional bonus point for pole position, widening their championship lead to three points. However, the title remains on a knife-edge, as either the #100 Prelude-GT or the #36 GR Supra can secure the championship with a race victory.
After a challenging qualifying session, Yuto Nomura managed fourth on the grid despite a previous puncture that hampered his performance. The #12 TRS Impul Nissan Z, helmed by Kazuki Hiramine and Bertrand Baguette, faces an uphill battle for the championship, starting from 10th position.
GT300 Qualifying Highlights
In the GT300 class, the #88 Venteny Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, driven by Takashi Kogure and Daniil Kvyat, earned pole position for the first time this season with a lap of 1:45.082—marking a possible farewell to the Huracán as JLOC transitions to the newer Temerario GT3.
Qualifying Results: GT300
- #88 Venteny Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2: Takashi Kogure – 1:45.082
- #11 Gainer Tanax Nissan Fairlady Z: Ryuichiro Tomita – 1:45.149
- #96 K-tune Lexus RC F GT3: Shinichi Takagi – 1:45.170
- #7 CarGuy Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo: Ritomo Miyata – 1:45.747
Championship leaders João Paulo de Oliveira and Iori Kimura in the #56 Realize/Nissan Mechanic Challenge GT-R will start 17th, needing a strong finish to maintain their title hopes.
The Motegi GT 250km Race begins today at 2:00 p.m. JST (local time), with live coverage available in English. Expect an electrifying showdown as the championship title races down to the wire.
