SUPER GT Rd.6 SUGO: Long-awaited redemption as car No.17 claims first victory in four years
Redemption at long last came in the sixth round of the 2026 AUTOBACS SUPER GT Championship, the SUGO GT 300km RACE, held at Sportsland SUGO on September 19-20.
Despite carrying a 50kg success ballast, the Astemo HRC PRELUDE-GT secured second place in qualifying. For the race, the team carefully assessed the changing track conditions and elected to start on dry tires.
Rookie driver Yuto Nomura took the opening stint and delivered a determined performance in difficult conditions, maintaining a competitive position before handing the car over to Koudai Tsukakoshi. Following a swift pit stop and a strong out lap, Tsukakoshi moved into the lead and steadily increased the gap to the chasing cars. After completing all 84 laps, Car No.17 crossed the finish line first to secure the team's first victory since 2022.
Sportsland SUGO holds special significance for the team. In 2023, Car No.17 took the checkered flag first but was later disqualified following post-race inspection, denying the team a hard-earned victory.
Three years later, the team returned to the same circuit and finally achieved redemption. The win marked Tsukakoshi's first victory in four years and Nomura's first SUPER GT GT500-class victory in his rookie season.
September 19 (Sat.): Official Qualifying / Weather: Cloudy / Track: Dry
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With unstable weather forecast throughout the weekend, official practice began on a wet track following earlier rainfall. Despite a red-flag interruption, the team steadily refined the car setup ahead of qualifying.
Tsukakoshi drove in Q1 and advanced with the third-fastest time. In Q2, Nomura delivered an outstanding final lap, narrowly missing the overall fastest time and securing second place on the grid despite the car's 50kg success ballast.
As a result, Car No.17 earned a front-row starting position for Sunday's race.
September 20 (Sun.): Final / Weather: Cloudy / Track: Wet to dry
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Approximately 800 Astemo employees and their family members, primarily from operations in Miyagi Prefecture, gathered at Sportsland SUGO to support the team on race day. The grandstands were filled with Astemo red as CEO Inoue-san and CFO Kayano-san joined employees at the circuit, encouraging the drivers and team members while cheering them on throughout the race.
Light rain before the warm-up session left damp patches on the track, but the team anticipated improving conditions and confidently selected dry tires.
Starting from the front row, Car No.17 began the race under Safety Car conditions. Green-flag racing commenced on lap five. Nomura closely followed the No.64 Modulo HRC PRELUDE-GT during the opening stint and demonstrated impressive composure on the challenging track surface. Although he dropped to third on lap 17, Nomura successfully maintained his position and handed the car over to Tsukakoshi.
A Safety Car was deployed on lap 27 following an incident involving a GT300-class car and the No.16 ARTA MUGEN HRC PRELUDE-GT. Immediately after racing resumed on lap 33, Car No.17 completed its pit stop and driver change. Thanks to impeccable pit work and Tsukakoshi's exceptional out lap, the team gained track position over its rivals.
By lap 53, after all competing cars had completed their pit stops, Car No.17 had moved into the lead and taken control of the race.
Tsukakoshi then expertly managed tire performance while maintaining a strong pace. As the final laps approached, he gradually extended his advantage and ultimately brought the car home first after 84 laps to secure a memorable victory.
Following a second-place finish at the previous round in Suzuka, Car No.17 took the next step at SUGO by capturing its long-awaited win. The victory reflected the collective efforts of Nomura, Tsukakoshi, the entire team, and the Astemo supporters (including CEO Inoue-san and CFO Kayano-san, who cheered from the circuit).
It was truly a victory achieved through the spirit of "One Astemo, One Team."
The result moves Car No.17 up to second place in the championship standings, keeping the team's title challenge firmly on track with three rounds remaining.
■Comments from Team Director and Drivers
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- Team Director: Katsutomo Kaneishi
The car showed strong performance from the very first practice session, which gave us confidence heading into qualifying.
We asked Koudai to handle Q1 despite having completed only two runs during the morning session. True to form, he delivered an outstanding lap as our lead driver and handed the car over to Yuto in third position. Yuto then produced another excellent qualifying run in Q2, securing second on the grid despite carrying the 50kg success ballast.
Yuto took the start of the race and did an excellent job managing the tires under very challenging conditions. He carefully protected the car and successfully handed it over to Koudai. For Koudai's stint, we selected a slightly more durable tire compound, and his tire management was exceptional. He maintained a strong pace throughout the race and drove a dominant race to secure a well-deserved victory.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Astemo, Honda, HRC, Bridgestone, everyone involved with the team, and all of our fans for their continued support. Thanks to that support, we were able to achieve this victory.
This result moves us up to second place in the championship standings and puts the title within reach. We will continue to fight hard and aim for strong results in the remaining three rounds of the season.
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- Driver: Koudai Tsukakoshi
From the very first laps, I had a good feeling with the car. Although the weather conditions were somewhat unpredictable throughout the weekend, we were able to complete our planned program without any major issues.
I was responsible for Q1, and the car felt strong, which allowed me to push with confidence and hand over to Yuto for Q2. In the race, I received valuable tire feedback from Yuto's stint and used that information to manage my tires in the second half of the race. Thanks to that, we were able to take the victory.
There have been some frustrating races this season, but as Car No.17, we have remained focused and continued building step by step without losing sight of our goals. I'm very pleased that we were finally able to turn those efforts into a result.
The second half of the season is expected to be highly competitive, but we will continue to stay focused, trust our process, and keep fighting strongly in the remaining races.
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- Driver: Yuto Nomura
I’m thrilled to have earned my first-ever victory at SUGO!
We carried strong momentum from qualifying into the race weekend. During my stint, I was able to maintain a very good pace in the early stages, but tire management became increasingly challenging through the middle and latter parts of the stint. Fortunately, the Safety Car was deployed at just the right time, and we were able to make the most of that opportunity to gain track position.
From that point onward, the race unfolded in our favor, and we were able to maintain the momentum all the way to victory.
This win has significantly boosted our position in the championship standings, which is very encouraging. With three rounds remaining, we will continue to push hard, deliver strong performances, and fight for another victory at the next race.
