Suzuka 1000KM: Team 5ZIGEN Leads First Dry Pre-Qualifying Session

The 2026 Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) Suzuka 1000KM moved into Pre-Qualifying on Saturday morning, giving teams their first look at Suzuka Circuit in dry, cloudy conditions after two wet Paid Test Sessions and a dry Night Practice on Friday evening.

Katsumasa Chiyo set the tone early, putting the #500 Team 5ZIGEN Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 on top with a 1:59.908 in the 21st minute — the only lap of the weekend so far to dip under the two-minute mark. The session was interrupted not long after when Atsushi Tanaka spun the #360 Runup Sports Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 into the barrier at 130R, damaging the car and triggering a 16-minute red flag while repairs were made. Once the session resumed under green, no one came close to touching Chiyo’s benchmark.

The closest challenge came from #555 Maezawa Racing, where Alessio Rovera brought the Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO home just 0.202 seconds adrift with a 2:00.110. #45 PONOS RACING slotted into third only two-thousandths further back at 2:00.112, ahead of #7 Absolute Racing in fourth (2:00.308) and #64 Miedecke Motorsport By Team MPC in fifth, courtesy of Christopher Mies’ 2:00.462.

Further down the order, #9 Bingo Racing with LM Corsa headed the Bronze Cup as the class’s fastest entry in sixth, with #80 LM Corsa and #81 Team Daishin following in seventh and eighth. #77 Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing rounded out ninth, while #75 Express closed out the top 10.

Elsewhere, #8 AO by Absolute Racing’s Porsche, driven by Alessio Picariello, was 11th at 2:00.899, just ahead of the Bronze Cup Porsche of High Class Racing in 12th. #60 LM Corsa emerged as the fastest Pro-Am entry in 15th, and #99 Johor Motorsports Racing – JMR rounded out the notable names in 17th with a 2:01.120.

#72 Harmony Racing spun but kept it out of the barriers and rejoined, while #2 Johor Motorsports Racing – JMR wasn’t as lucky, sliding into the gravel after its own spin.

A number of drivers also had lap times deleted for track limits infringements, including single deletions for cars #2, #5, #7, #9, #18, #60, #72, #91 and #93; two deletions apiece for #64, #69, #89, #500 and #555; and three deletions each for #86 and #99.

Qualifying is set to begin at 17:40 local time.