Toyota dominates morning of testing at Fuji and Nissan Z surprises with strong pace in afternoon simulation

The Fuji race track was the scene of intense activity this Thursday, February 20th, marking the second day of manufacturer testing for the Super GT GT500 class. With cloudy weather conditions and low temperatures, ideal for engine performance and aerodynamic grip, 11 machines took to the track to refine the settings before the official start of the season. The activities were divided into two distinct periods, allowing teams to work on both pure speed in running laps and consistency in race pace.

The morning session stood out for its absolute drive for performance, with teams taking advantage of the cold air to record the fastest times of the day. Já the afternoon was dedicated to long simulations, where tire management and fuel consumption became the strategic priorities of the manufacturers involved.

Toyota supremacy in the morning session

During the morning activities, Toyota Gazoo Racing demonstrated the strength of the GR Supra model. The TGR Team au TOM’S team was the undisputed protagonist, setting the best time of the day with a time of 1min25s814. Utilizando Bridgestone tires, car number 36 showed superior balance in the high-speed curves of

Toyota’s double was confirmed with the performance of TGR Team KeePer CERUMO. Car number 38 recorded 1min26s596, securing second position on the timesheet. Essa consistency between cars from the same manufacturer suggests that the updated GR Supra aerodynamic package for the 2026 season is delivering the results engineers expected in terms of qualifying speed.

Honda also showed competitiveness with its new model, the STANLEY HRC PRELUDE-GT. The STANLEY KUNIMITSU team secured the third best time of the morning, clocking 1min26s637. The performance of the Prelude-GT, which replaces the old Civic in the category, is closely watched, indicating that the automaker’s platform transition is progressing solidly against veteran rivals.

Nissan leads in afternoon race pace

The scenario changed drastically in the afternoon, when the teams’ focus turned to durability and constancy. Foi at this point Nissan showed its weapons, with the TRS IMPUL team taking the lead of the session. Pilotando o

The afternoon session was characterized by long stints, with several teams surpassing the 100 lap mark completed throughout the day. The main objective was to evaluate the degradation of rubber compounds and the behavior of the chassis with a full tank of fuel, crucial data for pit stop strategies in the long-duration stages that make up the calendar.

Just behind Nissan, Toyota performed well again with the DENSO KOBELCO SARD team, which had the second best time of the afternoon (1min27s038), followed by ENEOS X PRIME (1min27s218). The proximity in race simulation times suggests an extremely competitive championship, where tire management will be as decisive as raw speed.

Final preparations for the season

The tests at Fuji serve as a vital barometer for the big three automakers — Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Além of the leaders, other teams worked on specific development programs. ARTA MUGEN, with the Honda Prelude-GT number 16, focused on fine suspension adjustments, while KONDO Racing worked on validating new components for the Nissan Z.

With the end of this manufacturer test, attention now turns to the official tests organized by the event promoter. Official activities are scheduled to begin in March, passing through the circuits of Okayama and again Fuji, where all teams on the grid, including the GT300 class, will be present for the final confrontation before the opening of the championship.

Data collection over these two days at Fuji provides engineers with enough material for the final modifications before the cars are approved. The technological battle between the GR Supra, the new Prelude-GT and the Nissan Z promises to be one of the fiercest in recent years, with each factory exploring different limits of the current technical regulations.