In the sweltering, humid heat of Mie Prefecture, Kelvin van der Linde has extended his lead in the 2025 Intercontinental GT Challenge championship with one race remaining, by winning the Suzuka 1000 Km at the wheel of the Team WRT BMW M4. The South African driver, along with teammates Raffaele Marciello and Charles Weerts, virtually dominated the Japanese classic from the outset, taking turns at the wheel to complete the xx laps required to cover the distance.
Finishing behind the WRT BMW was the Absolute Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) driven by Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, and Patrick Pilet, which in turn preceded the Johor Motorsports JMR Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3 R of Alexander Sims, Nicky Catsburg, and Scott McLaughlin.
While the lead of the race was never in doubt, the crowds filling the grandstands were still treated to overtakes, twists of fate, and incidents in a race that – particularly in its second half – was tight and fiercely contested, slowed on multiple occasions by the deployment of the safety car.
Qualifying had followed a similar pattern: dominated by the Van der Linde-Marciello-Weerts trio, but marked by several incidents, including two red flags, and variable track conditions, which changed repeatedly from wet to dry due to frequent but short showers. The constant changes meant drivers could only gather limited reference data for the race.
“The return to the calendar of a historic and prestigious race like the Suzuka 1000 Km could not have gone better, with great spectacle and excellent organisation,” commented Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activity Manager. “As for us, we are very satisfied with the performance of the P Zero DHG which, even on a track that is never kind to tyres, once again demonstrated not only great consistency but also excellent durability, contributing to the spectacle of the race. We now turn our attention to Spain for the final two races of the GTWC Europe in Valencia and Barcelona, and to Indianapolis where the final round of the IGTC will be celebrated.”
In the Japan Cup GT3 category, a rapidly growing series also supported by Pirelli, Race 1 was won by Akita and Takashi Kobayashi in the Team Upgarage Ferrari 296, while Race 2 victory went to the duo of Yorikatsu Tsujiko and Kei Cozzoli in the Ponos Racing Ferrari 296 GT3. In GT4, meanwhile, Race 1 was won by Yoshitomo Makino and Takeshi Suehiro in a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, while Race 2 saw the success of Haridarma Manoppo and Seita Nonaka in a Toyota GR Supra GT4.
