2023 SUPER GT Okayama 300km Entry List Published

Earlier this week, the GT Association (GTA) published the entry list for the Okayama GT 300km Race, the first round of the 2023 Autobacs SUPER GT Series, which takes place next week on 15-16 April.

Okayama International Circuit has hosted 11 of the last 14 opening rounds since 2009, establishing this tough and technical circuit in west Japan’s Chuugoku region as the traditional venue to kick off the new SUPER GT season. It marks the 25th anniversary of the series’ first visit to the former Formula 1 Pacific Grand Prix venue – when the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship held their post-season All-Star Race at what was then known as TI Circuit Aida in 1998.

The full field of 42 cars are present for next weekend’s race – consisting of 15 GT500 cars, and 27 GT300 cars.

One year ago, Kazuya Oshima and Kenta Yamashita of TGR Team Eneos ROOKIE became the first GT500 team and driver combo to win the opening round in back-to-back years since Masahiko Kageyama did so in 1995, driving for Hoshino Racing (Team Impul). And in GT300, Kiyoto Fujinami and João Paulo de Oliveira did the same for Kondo Racing, winning their class at the opening round in consecutive seasons before going on to win the GT300 championship at the end of 2022. It was the first time that the same teams and drivers in both classes won the first race in back-to-back seasons.

But this year could be very different. 22-year-old series sophomore Teppei Natori has taken Fujinami’s place alongside Oliveira in the #56 Realize Nissan Mechanic Challenge GT-R NISMO GT3, and while GT500 winners Oshima and Yamashita are back aboard the #14 Eneos X Prime Toyota GR Supra, Yamashita is also coming off a back injury which put him on the sidelines for two months.

This season will also introduce a new variable as SUPER GT introduces renewable, carbon-neutral fuel (CNF) for the first time. At Okayama, the GT500 class will be the first category to race with the new cellulose-based CNF supplied by ETS Racing Fuels.

In GT300, there is only one change to the regular season entry list that was first published on 20 February. The #30 apr Toyota GR86 will have an all-pro driver line-up comprised of two-time series champion Manabu Orido and 27-year-old Yuta Kamimura, who replaces their gentleman driver Hiroaki Nagai.

There’s also been sweeping changes to the Balance of Performance compared to the 2021 and 2022 Okayama races. The circuit-specific measures used to curtail speeds in both classes will no longer be used, including the smaller fuel flow restrictors in GT500 and the additional “Special BoP weight” in GT300.

Not accounting for the Special BoP weight, the FIA GT3 cars are generally lighter but less powerful than they were in last year’s race, while the GTA-GT300 vehicles are heavier but more powerful. GT300’s sole remaining Mother Chassis vehicle has had no change in power, but a significant weight reduction from last year.

Also, the requirement to change all four tyres during routine pit stops is no longer in effect this year. This change is made with SUPER GT’s efforts towards sustainability and encouraging tyre manufacturers to make longer-lasting tyres in mind – but it will also have a sporting impact, with alternate tyre strategies now back in play for teams to gain track position in the first race of the season.

GT500 Class

GT300 Class

Feature image © GTA