Porsche is set to be the best-represented manufacturer on the grid of this year’s Suzuka 1000km on 11-13 September, with 10 Porsche entries, including two in the Pro class, tackling the iconic enduro in the fourth round of the 2026 Intercontinental GT Challenge season.
The marque’s two Pro cars have already been announced. AO by Absolute will field Laurin Heinrich, Julien Andlauer and Alessio Picariello in the #8 Porsche 911 GT3 R. All three have driven for AO Racing in the past, with Heinrich claiming the IMSA SportsCar Championship GTD Pro title with the outfit in 2024. Andlauer teamed up with Heinrich at selected events that year, and has since moved into the Porsche 963, taking victories at Daytona and Sebring, also alongside Heinrich. Meanwhile, Picariello claimed a GTD Pro second-place finish for the squad at the 2026 12 Hours of Sebring, and has a strong relationship with Absolute Racing, most recently securing a podium during the FIA GT World Cup Qualification Race at last year’s Macau Grand Prix.
The second Pro car features Ayhancan Güven, Dorian Boccolacci and Alessandro Ghiretti as Absolute Racing enters the #7 Porsche 911 GT3 R. Reigning Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) champion Güven has competed with the outfit, taking sixth in the 2025 Bathurst 12 Hour. Former Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver Boccolacci secured a podium finish for the team at the 2024 Sepang 12 Hours, while Ghiretti currently races for the Shanghai-based squad in GT World Challenge Asia, leading the championship at the midway stage.
In the Pro-Am category, Tsunami RT enters its third event of the 2026 Intercontinental GT Challenge season, after racing at both Bathurst 12 Hour and 24 Hours of Spa. Johannes Zelger, who is competing in the Independent Cup, and Fabio Babini were part of the crew who took a Pro-Am fourth at Spa-Francorchamps in June and will be joined for this round by Daniel Gaunt. The trio has raced together in the past during the 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series campaign as well as at the 2026 24H DUBAI.
A fiercely competitive Bronze class sees seven Porsche 911 GT3 R entered, with Porsche Center Okazaki sending two cars as all four drivers who have represented the outfit in GT World Challenge Asia so far this season feature. Super GT300 race winner Hibiki Taira will partner the regular #18 duo of Hiroaki Nagai and Kazuto Kotaka, while Kiyoshi Uchiyama, Tsubasa Kondo and Yuta Kamimura team up in the #25 entry.
Bingo Racing with LM corsa’s Shinji Takei and Ukyo Sasahara will contest both the Suzuka 1000km and SRO Japan Cup across the weekend of 11-13 September. The pair currently sits third in the SRO Japan Cup GT3 drivers’ standings at the halfway point of the season, with another round later this month at Okayama before the season finale at Suzuka. For the iconic enduro, they’ll be joined by 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup Japan champion Reimei Ito.
The other entries will also be looking to score points for their nominated FIA Bronze-graded drivers in the Intercontinental GT Challenge Independent Cup.
Kerong Li currently leads the way after scoring maximum points in Bathurst and at the Nürburgring before a second-place finish at Spa. He’ll once again be racing for High Class Racing alongside Anders Fjordbach and for this round is joined by two-time Asian Le Mans Series GT champion Joel Sturm in the #86 entry.
Current Porsche ARbox Carrera Cup Asia Masters class titleholder Adrian D’Silva partners up with Mathieu Jaminet, who previously competed in this event back in 2018, and 2025 GT World Challenge Asia Drivers’ champion Leo Ye for EBM in the #61 Porsche 911 GT3 R.
After trips to Bathurst and Spa, Herberth Motorsport makes its third appearance in the series this season. The German outfit names the same line-up which claimed a Bronze class fourth at the unforgiving Mount Panorama Circuit, as Ralf Bohn pilots the #91 car alongside Robert and Alfred Renauer.
Finally, 2025 Michelin 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS victors Jonathan Hui and Chris Froggatt join forces with two-time GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup champion Eddie Cheever III for Ziggo Sport Tempesta Racing.
This year marks the 50th running of the Suzuka 1000km and an action-packed weekend awaits next month, with SRO Japan Cup and Porsche Carrera Cup Japan both on the support bill of the iconic enduro.
Suzuka International Racing Course is loved by fans and drivers, with its unique figure-of-eight shape. The 5.807-kilometre circuit features some of the sport’s most famous corners such as the Esses, Spoon Curve and the formidable 130R.
Practice kicks off the weekend’s proceedings on Friday 11 September, before qualifying gets underway from 17:35 local time (UTC+9) on Saturday. It’s then lights out for the gruelling six-and-a-half-hour race at 12:50 on Sunday, as the drivers and teams will be tested into the evening and beyond.
Laurin Heinrich, AO by Absolute: “Reuniting with AO was always on my mind ever since I did my last event with Rexy! I’m excited for this opportunity to finally fulfil that dream and what a race to do it at. Suzuka has always been one of my favourite tracks and together with my two former Rexy teammates, I’m confident we will be a competitive trio in this demanding enduro.”
Alessio Picariello, AO by Absolute: “I’m delighted to be racing Bushi Rex in Japan! This is a truly special project and being part of it through the collaboration of two teams that I genuinely enjoy working with makes it even more meaningful. Together alongside Julien and Laurin, we have a strong car and everything it takes to fight at the front. I’m looking forward to competing with the whole squad and taking on this iconic event. We’ll do everything we can to bring home a positive result.”
Julien Andlauer, AO by Absolute: “I can’t wait to be back with the AO team and to race Bushi Rex. This will be my first time at Suzuka, and I’ve wanted to do this race for a very long time. I’m super excited to compete there alongside such a great crew and amazing teammates, as I know everyone very well. I love the country as much as the racing, so I’m very much looking forward to it.”
Ayhancan Güven, Absolute Racing: “I’m very happy to be joining Absolute Racing for this year’s Suzuka 1000km. Racing there has always been a dream of mine, so I’m incredibly excited to experience the circuit for the first time. We have a strong car with Porsche, an excellent team, and a competitive driver line-up, so our goal is to fight for the win.”
Dorian Boccolacci, Absolute Racing: “I’m delighted to be back with Absolute Racing and this time competing at the Suzuka 1000km. My first experience in Asia and driving the Porsche 911 GT3 R was with the team at the 2024 Sepang 12 Hours. I’ll always be grateful for that, so it’s very special to be returning for such an iconic event. Suzuka is an incredible track with a lot of character, very technical and challenging, and one that every driver enjoys. We have a strong line-up, a very experienced team of engineers and mechanics, and I’m confident we have everything we need to fight at the front. I also love going to Japan as the culture and passion for motorsport there is incredible. It’s always a pleasure to race in front of the fans and I’m excited to be part of this iconic enduro once again.”
Alessandro Ghiretti, Absolute Racing: “I’m very proud and happy to be racing at this year’s Suzuka 1000km with Absolute Racing. I know the circuit well and enjoyed my trip there during the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season, scoring two victories that weekend. With Ayhancan and Dorian as my teammates, I know that a strong result is possible. A massive thanks to the team for giving me this incredible opportunity and I’m excited for the challenge.”
Daniel Gaunt, Tsunami RT: “I’m excited to race in Japan with the team in the Porsche 911 GT3 R. It promises to be an amazing weekend and we’ll aim to achieve the best performance possible.”
Johannes Zelger, Tsunami RT: “I’m delighted to be racing in Japan with Fabio and Daniel! It’s going to be a great weekend around the iconic and legendary Suzuka International Racing Course.”
Fabio Babini, Tsunami RT: “This will be my first time at the Suzuka 1000km and I’m looking forward to experiencing it with Johannes, Daniel and the whole team. After our result at the 24 Hours of Spa, I can’t wait to be back racing in another Intercontinental GT Challenge round.”
Kerong Li, High Class Racing: “I’m really looking forward to returning to Suzuka for the 1000km. It is an incredible circuit with so much history and it is exactly the kind of challenge that makes endurance racing special. Together with Porsche and High Class Racing, we have a strong car and the focus will be on executing a clean and consistent race. Suzuka demands precision from every driver, so preparation and teamwork will be key, but I’m confident we can be competitive.”
Joel Sturm, High Class Racing: “I’m very excited to make my first appearance with High Class Racing at Suzuka. It’s a fantastic event to join the programme for and getting behind the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 R at such an iconic circuit is something I’m really looking forward to. There will be a lot to take in, but I know the environment around High Class Racing is very professional, and my focus will be on getting up to speed quickly, supporting Kerong and Anders, and helping deliver the best possible result.”
Anders Fjordbach, High Class Racing: “The Suzuka 1000km is a major event and one we are all looking forward to. Suzuka is a circuit that rewards experience, discipline and good race execution, which makes it a great fit for endurance racing. With Kerong, Joel and myself sharing the Porsche 911 GT3 R, we have a strong driver line-up and the objective is to represent High Class Racing and Porsche in the best possible way. It will also be great to welcome Joel for his first race with us and I’m confident he will fit in quickly.”
Jonathan Hui, Chris Froggatt, Eddie Cheever III, Ziggo Sport Tempesta Racing: “We’re very much looking forward to returning to Suzuka for the 1000km with Ziggo Sport Tempesta Racing. It’s a circuit and event that we already know well, but this year will be particularly special as it marks our first time competing here with Porsche. We’re excited to build on our previous experience at Suzuka and get to grips with the car around such an iconic circuit. With the support and experience of Herberth Motorsport behind us, we feel we have a strong opportunity and are looking forward to working together throughout the event and pushing for the best possible result.”
Alexandre Gibot, Managing Director Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd.: “We’re pleased to confirm 10 Porsche entries for the 50th edition of the Suzuka 1000km next month. We’ve already announced our two competitive Pro line-ups and it’s fantastic to see a further eight cars taking on this special event. We enjoyed success last year by claiming second and fourth overall as well as the Bronze Cup, and we’re ready to challenge for more. We’re once again the most represented manufacturer on the grid and will be aiming to contribute valuable points in the fight for the Intercontinental GT Challenge Manufacturers’ Championship. We can’t wait to get out there next month and support all our customers as we chase success in this race.”
