The 2025 Suzuka 1000km delivered another chapter of high drama, strategy, and endurance as Team WRT secured a dominant victory in round four of the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli. The No. 32 BMW M4 GT3 Evo, driven by Kelvin van der Linde, Raffaele Marciello, and Charles Weerts, led 163 of the 170 laps to claim BMW’s third IGTC victory of the season.

Ahead of the Suzuka 1000km, Balance of Performance (BoP) adjustments added intrigue. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R carried an additional 20 kg, the Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R received +10 kg, and the Porsche 911 (992) GT3 R was given +5 kg. On the other hand, Mercedes-AMG shed 10 kg, while Nissan lost 5 kg. Power adjustments also reshaped the competitive order: Porsche benefited from a larger restrictor, BMW gained mid-to-high RPM performance, Ferrari received a low-end torque boost but suffered reduced high-end power.

The race began with controversy as polesitter Kelvin van der Linde in the #32 WRT BMW followed the Pace Car immediately, drawing attention for jumping the timing. Behind him, Cheng Congfu in the #14 Phantom Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II attempted to challenge Maxime Martin’s #888 GruppeM Mercedes-AMG but found himself sandwiched between two Porsches—Laurens Vanthoor’s #7 Absolute Racing 911 GT3 R and Alessio Picariello’s #6 Origine Motorsport entry. Contact left Vanthoor’s NewMan-liveried Porsche with front-end damage.

Silver Cup contention quickly heated up as Yu Kanamaru in the #500 Team 5ZIGEN Nissan pressured Congfu, while Ukyo Sasahara’s #9 Bingo Racing Callaway Corvette surged into the Bronze Cup lead. The #33 Vollgas Porsche picked up a 10-second penalty for procedural errors, and soon after, a Full Course Yellow was deployed when Li Kerong spun the #86 Origine Porsche into the gravel at Degner.

When racing resumed, Van der Linde and Martin pulled clear, opening a gap to Vanthoor, Picariello, and Silver Cup leader Congfu. Augusto Farfus in the #31 WRT BMW climbed to sixth, while further back, Klaus Bachler’s Pink Pig-liveried Phantom Global Porsche executed a bold move on Scott McLaughlin’s #2 Johor Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R.

The middle phase of the Suzuka 1000km was marked by relentless battles, pit lane drama, and penalties. Charles Weerts took over from Van der Linde and maintained WRT’s lead, but Mikaël Grenier in the #888 GruppeM Mercedes-AMG found himself under increasing pressure from Kevin Estre in the Absolute Porsche. Estre eventually forced his way past with contact, earning a five-second penalty for avoidable contact.

Meanwhile, Cheng Congfu revealed the Phantom Audi had been leaking oil from the start, which ultimately caused a fire and forced retirement despite running fifth overall and leading Silver Cup. Elsewhere, the Phantom Porsche lost significant time in the pits due to fueling issues, while the Vollgas Porsche collected multiple penalties, including a drive-through for contact with the PONOS Ferrari.

Raffaele Marciello extended WRT’s advantage during his stint, building a lead of nearly half a minute over Laurin Heinrich in the Kremer Porsche. Behind them, Patrick Pilet and Luca Stolz battled for podium contention, with Max Hesse, Alexander Sims, and Maximilian Götz filling the top seven.

As the clock wound down, more drama unfolded. Kei Nakanishi crashed the Pro-Am leading Ferrari at Degner, while the Bingo Callaway Corvette ground to a halt at the chicane, bringing out another Full Course Yellow. Yusuke Yamasaki’s Ferrari was later spun by Liang Jiatong’s Vollgas Porsche, adding to a chaotic sequence of neutralizations.

Despite traffic and interruptions, WRT’s rhythm remained unbroken. With 91 minutes left, Van der Linde returned to the cockpit and comfortably controlled proceedings. Even as rivals Estre, Heinrich, Buus, and Catsburg tried to mount pressure, the BMW squad managed their pace and strategy flawlessly.

After six grueling hours, the #32 WRT BMW of Van der Linde, Marciello, and Weerts crossed the line 13.647 seconds clear of the #7 Absolute Racing Porsche of Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, and Patrick Pilet. Completing the overall and Pro podium was the #2 Johor Motorsports JMR Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Alexander Sims, Scott McLaughlin, and Nicky Catsburg—an impressive result given their pre-race BoP handicap.

With this Suzuka 1000km result, the championship picture has shifted significantly. Kelvin van der Linde now takes over as the new points leader on 85, marking an important milestone in what has been a consistent season so far. His teammate Raffaele Marciello sits just behind on 80 points, keeping the title fight very much alive. Augusto Farfus, meanwhile, remains in close contention with 74 points, ensuring that the championship battle is far from settled. The Suzuka 1000km has therefore not only delivered drama on track but also tightened the fight at the top of the standings heading into the crucial next rounds of the season.

 

Class Winners

Bronze Cup: The #10 Absolute Racing Porsche of Richard Lietz, Antares Au, and Loek Hartog claimed class honors, finishing fourth overall and on the lead lap. The Kang’s Racing BMW finished second, with Herberth Motorsport’s Renauer brothers completing the podium.
Silver Cup: Victory went to the #500 Team 5ZIGEN Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 of Yu Kanamaru, Takayuki Aoki, and Yuya Motojima, finishing 15th overall.
Pro-Am Cup: The #28 Craft-Bamboo Mercedes-AMG of Jonathan Hui, Kevin Tse, and Ben Barnicoat bounced back from qualifying woes to take the win, after Tse’s crash in qualifying had initially set them back.

The Suzuka 1000km once again proved why it remains one of the crown jewels of endurance racing. Team WRT executed to perfection, blending speed, consistency, and flawless pit work to take a commanding win. With BMW now firmly in the hunt for the IGTC title, the championship picture heads into its final rounds wide open.

RESULT: Race

 

 

Photo Credit : SRO/JEP | Gruppe C Photography | BMW Motorsport