GT500 Teams Set for Packed February Test Schedule

Details have emerged regarding off-season testing plans for SUPER GT’s GT500 teams, with February in particular set for a packed schedule of running.

As previously reported by Sportscar365, Sepang will play host to the first group test of the year, with eight cars (including two test cars) set to participate in the first GT500 test held outside Japan in four years on Jan. 23-27.

For virtually all of the teams not making the trip to Malaysia, the pre-season begins in earnest with two days of testing at Okayama International Circuit on Feb. 7-8.

Among the teams expected to appear at Okayama are the two-car NISMO Nissan outfit, Honda squads ARTA and Real Racing, which will be running their new Civic Type R-GTs for the first time, and Toyota flagship team TOM’S with its #36 car.

The Okayama test is likely to signify Nirei Fukuzumi and Toshiki Oyu’s first outings in the Toyota GR Supra GT500 with their new teams, Rookie Racing and Cerumo respectively, as well as a first run in a GT500 car for new ARTA signing Ren Sato.

The following week, Suzuka Circuit will play host to a test on Feb. 13-14 that will see ARTA joined on track by several Toyota teams, with Nissan skipping the test entirely.

Toyota has booked a test at Fuji Speedway on Feb. 19-20, although its proximity to the Super Formula pre-season test at Suzuka means only SARD is expected to take part. Honda’s test car is also scheduled to run.

Straight after that, Nissan’s two works NISMO cars are slated to run in a test at Mobility Resort Motegi on Feb. 21-22 alongside the Real Racing Honda.

Finally, all three GT500 manufacturers will gather for a final private test at Suzuka on Feb. 29-March 1, with all the teams that were present at Sepang expected to take part.

Cars participating at Sepang are only permitted to run for an additional eight hours (two days) on Japanese soil, and the time required to ship the cars back from Malaysia means the second Suzuka test is the only viable option for these teams.

The nine teams not present at Sepang all have 24 hours of running, to be split across three two-day tests, as usual.

Official pre-season testing, where the GT500 cars will be joined on track by the GT300s, is scheduled for March 16-17 and March 23-24 at Okayama and Fuji respectively.