The opening SUPER GT pre-season test at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia concluded with Honda and Team Kunimitsu claiming the fastest time. Tadasuke Makino posted a lap time of 1:48.911 on the morning session, narrowly surpassing Naoki Yamamoto’s previous best time of 1:48.996. The No. 3 NISMO Nissan Z, driven by Atsushi Miyake, finished second with a time of 1:49.051, just 0.150 seconds off the pace.
The top three positions were completed by Giuliano Alesi in the No. 37 TOM’S Toyota GR Supra, who set a time of 1:49.112. Two more Nissans, the No. 24 Kondo Racing car and the No. 12 Team Impul car, finished in the top five.
Several notable drivers and teams participated in the test, including defending GT500 champions Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita, who drove the No. 90 Toyota test car. Rookie driver Sacha Fenestraz, who is switching from GT300 to GT500, made his first laps in a GT500 car since December 2023. Hibiki Taira, a Toyota GT300 driver, also drove the No. 14 Rookie GR Supra, marking his first experience of a GT300 car.
The test was wrapped up with attention now turning to the first of two domestic makers’ tests at Okayama International Circuit on February 12-13, followed by another test at Fuji Speedway on February 27-28. The GT300 field will have its first test of the pre-season at Fuji on February 6-7, which will be followed by another test at Okayama on February 20-21.