Toyota’s Ishiura to Step Down from GT500 at End of Season

Long-time Toyota SUPER GT driver Hiroaki Ishiura will step down from his GT500 drive at the end of the current season, the Japanese manufacturer has announced.

The news was announced on Friday ahead of next week’s fourth round of the season at Fuji Speedway, where Ishiura will continue what has now become his farewell season in the series’ top class alongside Toshiki Oyu with the Cerumo Toyota team.

It brings down the curtain on an 18-year spell in the GT500 ranks with Toyota that has yielded seven wins, and a best championship placing of third in 2012.

Ishiura previously won the GT300 title in 2007 driving a Toyota MR-S for the apr team before stepping up to GT500 with the brand the next year.

The 44-year-old commented: “Starting with ‘Morizo-san’ [Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda], I have to thank many people, including everyone at Toyota, TGR-D, my teammates, team staff, sponsors, and the fans that have supported me for being able to run in the top-level category that is the GT500 class for the past 18 years. I am truly grateful.

“This decision wasn’t easy, but I felt it was time to bring this era to a close, and before the this season began I decided to stop driving in GT500 after this season.

“I’m truly grateful for this stage, where I have experienced many joys and frustration and have continued to learn until now. But my passion for motorsport remains unchanged, and from now on I want to stay involved in different ways and continue driving.

“It’s possible we may see each other again next year in another category.

“I want to savor these remaining races in GT500 one by one and give it my all. I want to aim for the championship to close out the season in the best possible way.

“I would appreciate your support until the end.”

After winning the 2007 GT300 title alongside Kazuya Oshima, Ishiura made his GT500 debut with Tsuchiya Engineering in 2008 before transferring to Team Kraft, where he would be reunited with Oshima and score his first top-class win at Suzuka in 2009.

However, his best season in terms of championship ranking would come in 2012 after moving to SARD, as he and Juichi Wakisaka finished third overall.

Ishiura switched to Cerumo in 2015 and has stayed with the team ever since, initially forming a strong partnership with Yuji Tachikawa that yielded three victories before the team’s fortunes slumped with the switch to the GR Supra in 2020.

After Tachikawa retired at the end of 2023, Ishiura was partnered with Oyu, with whom he ended an six-year win drought for Cerumo earlier this year at Fuji.

The pair sit third in the current championship standings, 15 points behind TOM’S duo Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita.

Outside of SUPER GT, Ishiura is a two-time champion in Super Formula, Japan’s top single-seater category, and serves as team director in the series for Rookie Racing, the team owned by Toyoda, having retired from driving at the end of 2020.

He was a regular presence at the Nürburgring 24 between 2012 and ’15, and made his return to the Eifel classic this year after a decade away with Toyota and Rookie Racing.

Ishiura was also supposed to be part of Toyota’s lineup for its return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2012 until he was ruled out due to suffering back pain while testing.