Arnage Racing Parts Ways With Anest Iwata

Arnage Racing has announced it will no longer participate in SUPER GT under its own name following the end of its association with Anest Iwata Racing.

For the past two seasons, Mie Prefecture-based Arnage has run a Lexus RC F GT3 under the ‘Anest Iwata Racing by Arnage’ banner in deference to its partnership with Anest Iwata, a Yokohama-based heavy manufacturing company.

However, the tie-up came to an end following last weekend’s Suzuka finale, with Anest Iwata now poised to continue racing under its own banner instead.

On Tuesday, Arnage owner Munetake Ito wrote on social media: “As of the end of the 2024 season, Arnage Racing’s participation [in SUPER GT] as a team has ended.

“We are very grateful to the fans that supported us. And to the many people that have helped us, I’d like to express my sincerest gratitude.”

“Yesterday, Arnage successfully took the first step towards the second phase.”

Masami Kunii, who is the boss of the Super Licence organization that assists with running the Anest Iwata effort, confirmed to Sportscar365 that the team will continue to be on the grid next year, but that its choice of car is undecided.

The team has struggled for performance with the RC F GT3, believed to be an ex-Emil Frey Racing chassis, over the past two seasons, scoring a best finish of seventh last year at Sugo with drivers Igor Fraga and Yuga Furutani.

However, Kunii stated that continuing with the Lexus remains a strong possibility.

It’s understood that Gran Turismo-backed Fraga is expected to stay with the team for a third season, but Furutani is poised to exit in favor of a new Japanese signing.

Arnage has been a permanent fixture of the GT300 grid since 2013, when it first entered the championship in its own right with an Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3.

Since then it has run a variety of different cars, including the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, the Ferrari 488 GT3 (in partnership with Inging), the Mercedes-AMG GT3 and, more recently, the Toyota 86 Mother Chassis car.

Arnage also runs a Mercedes-AMG GT3 on behalf of R’Qs Motor Sports, and it’s unclear whether the split with Anest Iwata will have any impact on this program.