Okayama GT 300km Qualifying 1

Date
Sat 11th April 2026 (UTC)
Sat 11th April 2026 (Local)

Timestamp
2026-04-11T05:00:00

Time

05:00:00 UTC (14:00:00 Local)

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League
Super GT series

Season
2026

Round
1

Status
Match Finished

Location
Okayama International Circuit

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Event Statistics

Description

The 2026 AUTOBACS SUPER GT season officially begins its competitive action with the high-stakes knockout qualifying at Okayama International Circuit. The primary challenge for the field is the updated knockout format, where the aggregate times of both drivers determine the final starting grid, placing immense pressure on both the seasoned veterans and the series’ newcomers. The objective for the 14-car GT500 field is to navigate the technical 3.7km layout, specifically the critical braking zones at the Hairpin and Revolver, to secure a front-row start for Sunday's 82-lap race.

Strategically, timing the run is the ultimate goal to avoid traffic on the narrow circuit. The goal for TGR Team au TOM’S is to leverage the experience of reigning champions Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita to establish an early benchmark. The tactical focus for the Honda camp is the competitive debut of the HRC Prelude-GT, with teams like Astemo Real Racing looking to prove the new platform's immediate pace against the established Toyota GR Supra dominance. In the GT300 class, the ultimate goal is to survive the cut-throat Q1 sessions, where the 27-car field is split into groups, making every hundredth of a second vital for advancing to the pole position shootout.

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Result List

Result Description

Toshiki Oyu and GT500 rookie Rikuto Kobayashi delivered a stunning performance on Saturday, April 11, 2026, to secure pole position for the season-opening Okayama GT 300km Race. The No. 38 KeePer Cerumo Toyota GR Supra team’s objective was to capitalize on their strong pre-season form, and Oyu did exactly that by clocking a blistering 1:17.352 in the final seconds of Q2. This effort narrowly edged out the defending champions, Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita, by just 0.065 seconds, leading an all-Toyota top three on the grid.

The qualifying session was marked by both tactical precision and high-speed drama. Kenta Yamashita had originally set the pace in Q1, but the Cerumo pair proved more consistent across both sessions to snatch the top spot. The highest-placed non-Toyota was the No. 17 Astemo Prelude-GT, with Koudai Tsukakoshi putting the new Honda in fourth place. However, it was a difficult session for the No. 8 ARTA Prelude, as Hiroki Otsu suffered a head-on collision with the tire barriers at Turn 11; fortunately, Otsu was uninjured, though the car will start from the rear of the field. In the GT300 class, D'station Racing took a commanding pole with their Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, as Tomonobu Fujii and Charlie Fagg outpaced the field to secure the first class-pole of the year.

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