The Suzuka 1000km qualifying session ended with Team WRT’s #32 BMW M4 GT3 Evo securing pole position after a dominant display. Raffaele Marciello, Kelvin van der Linde, and Charles Weerts combined for a best average of 2:00.658 across the three sessions, giving them the top spot for Sunday’s Suzuka 1000km. Their effort was enough to edge out the #888 GruppeM Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo by 0.518 seconds.

Drama unfolded in Q3 as the Suzuka 1000km qualifying was twice red-flagged, setting up a last-minute shootout. Weerts delivered under pressure, clocking a 2:01.357 after traffic spoiled his earlier laps. This sealed pole for Team WRT, showing how critical every second can be in the unpredictable atmosphere of the Suzuka 1000km.

Right behind, Maxime Martin, Mikael Grenier, and Luca Stolz placed the #888 GruppeM Mercedes-AMG second, while the #14 Phantom Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II impressed by qualifying third overall. That Audi also claimed Silver Cup pole, underlining the team’s potential to disrupt the frontrunners in the Suzuka 1000km.

The #6 Origine Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R, driven by Bastian Buus, secured fourth place on the grid for the Suzuka 1000km. Patrick Pilet initially put the sister #7 car into fifth, although a red flag incident could affect its final position. For now, Origine Motorsport can celebrate placing both cars inside the top five of the Suzuka 1000km.

Bronze Cup pole went to the #21 Harmony Racing Ferrari 296 GT3, which stands to benefit from any penalties ahead and could move into the top five starting positions of the Suzuka 1000km. They will line up ahead of the #500 Team 5ZIGEN Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 and the #31 Team WRT BMW, setting up a mixed and competitive grid for the Suzuka 1000km.

One of the highlights of the Suzuka 1000km qualifying came from the #2 Johor Motorsports JMR Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Despite averaging ninth overall, Nicky Catsburg set the outright fastest lap of the day at 1:59.936, becoming the only driver to dip under the two-minute barrier. It was a glimpse of the car’s raw pace heading into the Suzuka 1000km main race.

The session was not without setbacks. Q2 was red-flagged when Kevin Tse crashed the #28 Craft-Bamboo Mercedes-AMG at the final chicane, prompting lengthy barrier repairs. Shortly before, Giancarlo Fisichella’s #60 LM Corsa Ferrari sustained front-end damage in another incident, showing how tricky the conditions were in Suzuka 1000km qualifying. These delays pushed the action well into the evening, with the final two sessions run under darkness.

Q3 added even more drama as Takuro Shinohara spun his #18 Porsche Centre Okazaki entry into the Turn 1 barriers, followed later by Pilet’s  stopping briefly at Degner. Despite these interruptions, the field managed to settle into order for Sunday’s Suzuka 1000km, where strategy, pace, and endurance will all be tested to the limit.

The Suzuka 1000km gets underway on Sunday at 12:50 p.m. JST (Saturday, 11:50 p.m. CEST), with full live coverage available on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel.

RESULT: Qualifying

 

Photo Credit: SRO/JEP IGTC | Gruppe C Photography