Domestic GT500 Pre-Season Tests Reduced for 2025

SUPER GT has cut back on the number of domestic pre-season tests for GT500 teams in a bid to help address the disparity between Bridgestone and its rival tire makers.

A total of eight so-called makers’ test days are set to be available to Toyota, Honda and Nissan over the course of the next two months, prior to official testing in March.

Like last year, four days of running will be held at Sepang International Circuit on Jan. 19-20 and Jan. 22-23 (with a rest day on Jan. 21) and will serve as preparation for SUPER GT’s first overseas race in six years at the Malaysian venue.

However, there will then only be a further two tests on Japanese soil, at Okayama International Circuit on Feb. 12-13 and at Fuji Speedway on Feb. 27-28.

The majority of GT500 teams look set to participate in the Sepang test, with as many as nine of the 15 race cars slated to be present, three from each manufacturer.

Of these, only the Dunlop-shod Nakajima Racing Honda Civic Type R-GT and the two Yokohama cars, the Racing Project Bandoh Toyota GR Supra and the Kondo Racing Nissan Z NISMO, will be eligible to run at Okayama and Fuji in February.

This is understood to be a measure to in effect limit the Bridgestone-shod cars to four days of pre-season running, down from six days in previous years.

As such, the test involving all GT500 cars held at Suzuka in early March has been axed.

While sea-freight is generally favored for the Sepang test, Dunlop Japan motorsport manager Yoshi Yasuda confirmed plans to Sportscar365 to air-freight the Nakajima Honda back to Japan in time for the two domestic tests in February.

Meanwhile, Yokohama SUPER GT development manager Takayuki Shiraishi told Sportscar365 that its participation in the Okayama test is uncertain owing to its proximity to pre-season testing for Super Formula, for which it is the sole supplier.

Of the Bridgestone teams, TOM’S (car No. 37) and Rookie Racing, ARTA (car No. 16), Team Kunimitsu, NISMO (car No. 3) and Team Impul are all set to be in action at Sepang.

Cerumo, SARD and Real Racing will likely kick off their test schedule at Okayama in February along with the respective second cars from TOM’S, ARTA and NISMO.

SUPER GT has yet to announce the dates of its two official tests, although it is thought likely they will be held in late March at usual venues Okayama and Fuji.