Bingo Racing’s Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R once again surprised the field by topping the timesheets for the second time in four sessions at the Suzuka 1000km, further establishing itself as one of the key storylines heading into qualifying.

Ukyo Sasahara delivered a standout performance, posting a blistering 2:00.469 in the Bronze Cup class. This impressive time was set halfway through the 90-minute session and put him 0.392 seconds ahead of the new-generation Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, driven by Nicky Catsburg of #99 Johor Motorsports JMR team.

While Corvette stole the headlines, Ferrari again demonstrated strong one-lap pace at Suzuka 1000km. Thomas Neubauer #555 Maezawa Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 improved during the final third of the session to take third overall. Neubauer has consistently been among the fastest drivers since the weekend began, underscoring the Ferrari 296 GT3’s adaptability to Suzuka’s demanding layout.

Giancarlo Fisichella #60 LM Corsa Ferrari 296 GT3 added further weight to the marque’s challenge, placing fourth overall. His experience, coupled with Ferrari’s proven balance in both dry and damp conditions at Suzuka 1000km, suggests that the Prancing Horse could be a real contender once the grid is set and race pace becomes the priority

Porsche also remained firmly in contention during Saturday’s running at Suzuka 1000km. Harry King #61 EBM GIGA Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R led the manufacturer’s effort with a fifth-place finish, demonstrating both raw pace and the ability to adapt to changing conditions. Patrick Pilet #7 Absolute Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R followed closely in sixth, further illustrating Porsche’s depth of talent across its customer teams.

As with Friday’s Suzuka 1000km sessions, weather played a disruptive role. Rain arrived in the final 30 minutes, forcing race control to declare a wet track and halting any further improvements. By that stage, most leading times had already been set, giving added significance to those who managed to maximize the drier window.

There was also minor drama before the rain when Yusuke Yamasaki #45 PONOS Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 spun at the high-speed 130R corner. The car made light contact with the barriers, requiring a trip to the garage for repairs. Fortunately, the incident did not cause major damage, and the team is expected to be ready for Suzuka 1000km qualifying later today.

Scheduled for 5:05 p.m. JST (4:05 a.m. CEST), qualifying at Suzuka 1000km will use an average of three driver sessions to determine the starting grid. This format rewards teams with evenly balanced lineups and could shake up the order compared to outright practice pace.

RESULT: Pre-Qualifying

Photo credit: SRO/JEP Intercontinental GT Challenge