Yamamoto Makes GT500 Return as Sepang Test Begins

Honda driver Naoki Yamamoto got back behind the wheel of a GT500 car for the first time since his huge accident in last year’s Sugo SUPER GT round as 2024 pre-season testing kicked off at Sepang International Circuit on Tuesday.

Yamamoto had been ruled out of action for the final two rounds of the 2023 campaign owing to the injuries he sustained last September after his Team Kunimitsu Honda NSX-GT made contact with Teppei Natori’s Kondo Racing Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3.

The two-time GT500 champion was diagnosed with an atlantoaxial subluxation (a misalignment of the first and second vertebrae) and damaged spinal cord in the wake of the incident, and had to remain in hospital for two months.

Since being released, he has appeared in public events such as the Honda Thanks Day and Tokyo Auto Salon, but Tuesday marked his first day at the wheel of a SUPER GT car since the crash.

He was at the wheel of the No. 100 Kunimitsu Honda Civic Type R-GT for the majority of the day, and set the car’s best time of 1:51.415 during the morning session.

As previously reported by Sportscar365, the Sepang test is being contested by eight GT500 cars, with a pair of Honda’s new Civics joined by three Toyota GR Supras and a trio of Nissan Zs.

It was the No. 12 Team Impul Nissan that led the way in both the three-hour morning and afternoon sessions, with Bertrand Baguette setting the best time of the day, a 1:50.597, in the afternoon.

Second-fastest was the No. 37 TOM’S Toyota on a 1:50.739, believed to have been set by Giuliano Alesi, while third-fastest was the No. 230 Nissan test car in which all four recently-announced NISMO drivers are due to share driving duties.

Katsumasa Chiyo set the No. 230’s best time, a 1:50.930, although a technical problem meant the car missed the final one hour and 45 minutes of the afternoon session.

The Kunimitsu car was the top Honda in fifth, behind the No. 19 Racing Project Bandoh Toyota that set a best time of 1:51.387 in the hands of Yuji Kunimoto.

Also of note was Nakajima Racing Honda debutant Riki Okusa racking up his first laps in GT500 machinery in the afternoon.

Testing continues on Wednesday, with a rest day planned for Thursday before action resumes on Friday and Saturday.