Rookie GR GT3 Shakedown Points to Imminent Race Debut

Rookie Racing has begun shaking down a newly-built GR GT3 at Fuji Speedway, as the Akio Toyoda-owned team looks set to become the first team to race the car.

The bare carbon-liveried car was spotted turning laps at the Toyota-owned track on Tuesday with development driver Hiroaki Ishiura at the wheel, in what appears to be part of preparations to give the car its long-awaited race debut.

It’s understood the car is a freshly built-up monocoque that was delivered to Rookie’s factory, based adjacent to Fuji, in recent weeks.

While Toyota has always officially been tight-lipped about when and where its new GT3 challenger would race for the first time ahead of a full launch in 2027, an early debut in SUPER GT’s GT300 class with Rookie has always been a strong possibility.

This week’s shakedown strongly suggests that plans are advancing for the car to race in next month’s season-closing double-header at Mobility Resort Motegi.

Confirmation of those plans would come no later than the publication of the entry list for the two 250km races on Nov. 7-8.

Up to now, Rookie pair Ishiura and Tokiya Suzuki have raced a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, scoring a best finish of second in Round 4 at Fuji.

As previously reported by Sportscar365, Rookie is in a select club of teams with strong ties to Toyota that are set to run the GR GT3 on full-time basis next year, along with Vasser Sullivan Racing, Akkodis ASP and KCMG, ahead of a wider rollout in 2028.