Honda Confirms IGTC Return

Photo: Honda

Honda will contest all five rounds of the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli next year, having confirmed its intention to return to the globe-trotting series.

The Japanese manufacturer will compete in the full season for the first time after missing this year’s Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour and debuting at the California 8 Hours, on account of the Honda NSX GT3 Evo not being homologated in time for the Australian round.

The car’s constructor JAS Motorsport will once again run the single full-season Pro entry on Honda’s behalf but there remains the option for additional cars joining the field on a race-by-race basis.

Extra cars competed at the Total 24 Hours of Spa and Suzuka 10 Hours this year.

“I am delighted for Honda to participate in the 2020 Intercontinental GT Challenge,” said Hiroshi Shimizu, general manager Motorsport Division at Honda Motor Co, Ltd.

“The NSX GT3 was a championship-winning car in the GT300 category in Super GT in Japan, the IMSA GTD classes in the USA and several other major series due to the effectiveness of the Evo kit introduced in 2019.

“The results of this development will be demonstrated in each country’s series in 2020 as well as in the Intercontinental GT Challenge, where the world’s top GT drivers and teams gather.”

JAS CEO Alessandro Mariani told Sportscar365 last month that the Italian company intended to return to IGTC on behalf of Honda, and that it is looking for additional customers in Europe.

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.