Bridgestone, Dunlop Selected as One-Make Tire Suppliers

SUPER GT has announced that Bridgestone and Dunlop have been selected as the series’ single tire suppliers for the 2027 season.

The two companies were officially revealed on Sunday morning, ahead of the fourth round of the season at Fuji Speedway, as the suppliers for the GT500 and GT300 classes respectively for the 2027, ‘28 and ‘29 seasons.

It follows the Japanese championship’s decision to end its long-running tire war that also involves Yokohama and Michelin as well as Bridgestone and Dunlop.

Bridgestone currently supplies 12 of the 14 GT500 cars, with Yokohama and Dunlop a single car each, while Dunlop was reduced to four of the 29 GT300 runners this year.

The identity of both suppliers has been an open secret in the paddock since late last year, but could not be officially announced until commercial terms were finalized.

Dunlop will also supply tires to the GT300 runners participating in next year’s Suzuka 1000km as part of the agreement revealed ahead of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa between the SRO and the GTA.

Both Bridgestone and Dunlop will supply three different tire compounds, soft, medium and hard, but the GT300 runners will only be able to choose between two compounds that are nominated for the race in advance.

The first test featuring the new one-make tires is set to take place at Fuji on Monday with feature the test car of each GT500 manufacturer, along with five GT300 runners.

Slated to take part in the test from the lower class are the No. 11 Gainer Nissan Z, the No. 60 LM Corsa Lexus LC500, the No. 61 Subaru BRZ, No. 65 LEON Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo and the No. 666 Seven x Seven Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo.

Further optional running for GT300 competitors will be held on the Mondays following the Suzuka and Autopolis rounds, with a final test for both classes to be held the day after the season finale at Motegi.

News that Bridgestone and Dunlop have won the one-make contracts means both Yokohama and Michelin will officially exit the championship at the end of the year.

Yokohama has been a fixture of the championship since its inception in 1994 as the JGTC, while Michelin has also been present for the majority of the past three decades, albeit ending its involvement in the GT500 class following the 2023 season.

It’s believed that all four of SUPER GT’s existing tire brands applied for the GT300 tender, and that the the GT500 tender only attracted one other firm besides Bridgestone, with no outside tire companies being invited to apply by the series.