SRO Motorsports Group Asia is pleased to announce the extension of an Official Safety Car Partnership with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing that will see the manufacturer supply its cars to GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS and Japan Cup throughout 2026.
The Toyota GR Supra has been on safety and formation lap duties since debuting in the role at the start of 2022. It will continue to provide the same service this year.
GT World Challenge Asia 2026 again compromises 12 one-hour races across six events. Season 8 begins at Sepang on April 4-5 before the tropical setting of Mandalika takes centre stage in May. Shanghai International Circuit returns in June following a one-year hiatus ahead of a Japanese double header at Fuji and Okayama that also features SRO’s domestic multi-class Japan Cup championship. Beijing Street Circuit rounds out the campaign in October.
There are also two more Japan Cup events, starting with Sugo’s season opener on May 16-17. Trips to the aforementioned Fuji and Okayama – events known as SRO GT PowerTour that could attract as many as 50 GT cars – then follow through the summer before champions are crowned at Suzuka in September. That particular weekend is shared with the historic Suzuka 1000km, which forms one-fifth of SRO’s globe-trotting Intercontinental GT Challenge.
The Toyota GR Supra will also perform Safety Car duties at selected SRO GT Cup events this year. The same model, albeit in GT4 trim, won the overall teams’ and drivers’ championships last season thanks to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing China and Han Lichao.
Tomoya Takahashi, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing President: “We are delighted to extend the partnership with SRO Motorsports Group for 2026 again. A total of eight rounds and 20 races will be held together with GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS and Japan Cup, and there is no doubt that SRO is making efforts and contributions to the expansion of customer motorsport in Asia. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing also wants to actively contribute to the development of customer motorsport while continuing to aim for ‘making ever-better motorsports-bred cars’, and we are very grateful to be able to support such a great series and contribute to the safe operation of the races.”
Benjamin Franassovici, SRO Motorsports Group Asia General Manager: “TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has been a trusted supplier for many years now so we are, naturally, delighted to extend the partnership into 2026. The Toyota GR Supra is a highly capable safety car that is perfectly at home marshalling our GT3, GT4 and GTC grids. That deep rooted performance was also evident during our inaugural SRO GT Cup season when the car won four of the seven races en route to championship success.”