Pacific Racing Team Switches to BMW for 2026 SUPER GT Season
Tokyo, Japan – Pacific Racing Team has announced a strategic shift in its manufacturer partnership, moving from Mercedes-AMG to BMW for the 2026 Autobacs SUPER GT Series GT300 campaign. This transition marks BMW’s return to Japan’s premier sports car racing championship following a one-year hiatus.
For the first time, the team will field the BMW M4 GT3 EVO, supplementing its racing capabilities. The previous iteration, the BMW M4 GT3, secured two victories in 2024 under BMW M Team Studie, which had represented the brand until the conclusion of that season.
Alongside the manufacturer switch, Pacific Racing has opted for new tire supplier Michelin, marking its return to the French company for the first time since 2020 when it was jointly entered with D’station Racing and its Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
In a significant organizational change, veteran driver Ryohei Sakaguchi will transition from a driving role to Sporting Director. His extensive experience includes 17 seasons in GT300 and two previous stints with Pacific. He will collaborate with newly appointed General Manager Hirokazu Kobayashi.
The driver lineup will feature Yusuke Tomibayashi and Yuta Fujiwara, the latter of whom has been elevated to a full-time role following two seasons primarily focused on endurance races. Tomibayashi enters his fifth season in SUPER GT and aims to build on his recent fifth-place finish at Okayama, which stands as his best result since his rookie year podium.
Twenty-year-old Fujiwara has participated in eight SUPER GT races since his debut in 2024 and balances his racing commitments with participation in D1 Grand Prix.
Additionally, Rintaro Kubo returns to the SUPER GT circuit as Pacific Racing’s third driver, having last competed for the team in 2018. Kubo has since garnered titles in Super Taikyu and the GR86/BRZ Cup Professional Series, and he has participated in Subaru’s entries at the Nürburgring 24 Hours since 2024.
After finishing 21st in the GT300 Teams’ Championship last season, Pacific Racing aims for its first podium since 2017, targeting strong performances at Okayama.
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