Shade Toyota’s Fuji Return Confirmed After Shakedown

Toyota GT300 team Shade Racing has confirmed plans to return to SUPER GT competition in this weekend’s fourth round of the season at Fuji Speedway.

Shade was forced to miss the previous round at Sepang in late June after its No. 20 Toyota GR86 GT was damaged during a fire that occurred during a GT Entrants’ (GTE) test at Suzuka in May while Katsuyuki Hiranaka was at the wheel.

However, the damage to the car was not as extensive as first feared, with Hiroto Kaneso, the boss of the apr firm that constructs the GR86, revealing to Sportscar365 that the chassis survived largely in tact, also expressing confidence about a return at Fuji.

The publication of the entry list for this weekend’s sprint event indicated that Shade’s comeback was on course, as the No. 20 car was listed as normal with drivers Hiranaka and Eijiro Shimizu, and this was confirmed by a team statement on Wednesday.

“With the cooperation of all those involved, we have been able to prepare the Shade Racing GR86 GT that was damaged in a fire for racing again,” read the statement.

“Our comeback will take place at our home circuit, Fuji Speedway, and we are very happy to be able to once again line up on the starting grid at this special place. The schedule to repair the car was extremely tight, but somehow we were able to do so in time.

“With our feelings of gratitude towards all our supporters in our hearts, we will battle with everything we have in our comeback race.”

The team’s statement followed a shakedown run on Wednesday at Fuji with third driver Yuki Sano, who is not scheduled to compete this weekend.

Running was restricted to one hour and a single set of dry tires, with regular drivers Shimizu and Hiranaka, who are due to participate in the Saturday and Sunday races this weekend respectively, not allowed to drive during the test.