Toyota Gazoo Racing Reveals GT500 Line-Up for the 2026 SUPER GT Series
Tokyo, Japan — Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) has finalized its driver roster for the 2026 Autobacs SUPER GT Series, unveiling only one significant change from the previous season. Promising talent Rikuto Kobayashi, 20, has been promoted from the GT300 ranks to join TGR Team KeePer Cerumo in the #38 Toyota GR Supra GT500, replacing Hiroaki Ishiura, who has retired.
Kobayashi’s ascension follows a stellar season in GT300, where he clinched the 2023 FIA F4 Japanese Championship and finished third in the GT300 Drivers’ Championship, accumulating two pole positions and a victory at Suzuka. He now pairs with Toshiki Oyu, who returns after achieving a third-place finish in the championship last year, highlighted by a win at the Fuji GT 3 Hour Race.
TGR’s reigning GT500 champions, Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita, will strive for further accolades with TGR Team au TOM’S, aiming for Tsuboi’s fifth championship and Yamashita’s potential fourth title. They will race in the iconic au TOM’S GR Supra, traditionally numbered 36.
Retaining their line-up from the previous season, Ukyo Sasahara and Giuliano Alesi will drive the #37 Deloitte TOM’S GR Supra. TGR Team Eneos ROOKIE maintains a competitive duo with 2019 champion Kazuya Oshima and 2021 runner-up Nirei Fukuzumi in the #14 Eneos X Prime GR Supra, with Fukuzumi recently winning Race 2 of the Fuji GT Sprint Race weekend.
Moreover, the #39 Denso Kobelco SARD GR Supra will see the return of 2021 champion Yuhi Sekiguchi, alongside Argentine racer Sacha Fenestraz. TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh will stick with veterans Yuji Kunimoto and Sena Sakaguchi in the #19 GR Supra.
As teams prepare for the last season of open tire competition in SUPER GT, partnerships remain steady with Bridgestone supporting TOM’S, ROOKIE, Cerumo, and SARD, while Yokohama continues with WedsSport Bandoh.
In GT300, changes include Kazuhisa Urabe stepping up to a full-time role at Hyper Water Racing alongside Yuui Tsutsumi. The #30 apr Toyota GR86 will host Hiroaki Nagai, Hibiki Taira, and two-time GT300 Champion Manabu Orido, returning to Yokohama tires after a stint with Michelin.
Further, Kazuto Kotaka returns to the #31 apr Lexus LC500h alongside Miki Koyama, with the addition of Charlie Wurz, son of former Toyota factory driver Alexander Wurz. Both Wurz brothers have been named part of Toyota’s 2026 TGR-DC initiative.
Finally, notable young talents Tokiya Suzuki and Kiyoshi Umegaki, 19 and 18 respectively, have secured drives in GT300. Umegaki replaces Kobayashi at CarGuy MKS Racing, while Suzuki’s team is yet to be confirmed.
As the teams gear up for the season, a competitive landscape awaits, with Toyota drivers also taking part in multiple series including Super Formula.
Images © GTA, Toyota
