SRO Motorsports Group Asia has confirmed an extension of its Official Safety Car Partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing for the 2026 GT World Challenge (GTWC) Asia and Japan Cup seasons. The partnership continues a relationship that began in 2022, when the GR Supra first took on safety car duties across SRO’s Asian GT championships.
Since its debut in the role at the start of the 2022 season, the GR Supra has led the field during safety car periods and formation laps across SRO’s Asian GT competitions. That responsibility will continue in 2026 as the championship maintains its growing international calendar. The GR Supra will also appear at selected rounds of the SRO GT Cup, further expanding its presence across SRO’s regional events.
Expanded calendar for 2026 GTWC Asia; Japan Cup schedule adds more events with Toyota Safety Car to feature
The 2026 season of GT World Challenge Asia will feature 12 one-hour races across six events.
The championship begins at Sepang International Circuit on April 4–5 before heading to the Indonesian venue of Mandalika International Street Circuit in May. After that, the series returns to Shanghai International Circuit in June following a one-year absence. The season then moves to Japan for a double-header at Fuji Speedway and Okayama International Circuit. Finally, the campaign concludes in October at the Beijing Street Circuit.
Alongside the GT World Challenge Asia season, the Japan Cup will also run several standalone events.
The championship opens at Sportsland Sugo on May 16–17. From there, competitors will race at Fuji and Okayama as part of SRO’s GT PowerTour weekends, events that could attract up to 50 GT cars across multiple classes.
The season finale will take place at Suzuka Circuit in September. That event shares the weekend with the historic Suzuka 1000km, which forms part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
Toyota highlights customer motorsport growth
Toyota’s involvement in SRO Asia’s racing ecosystem extends beyond safety car duties. Last season, the GT4 version of the GR Supra secured both the teams’ and drivers’ championships in the SRO GT Cup thanks to Toyota Gazoo Racing China driver Han Lichao.
This success highlighted the car’s competitiveness in addition to its operational role in the championships.
Toyota Gazoo Racing president Tomoya Takahashi emphasised the importance of supporting customer racing programmes in Asia.
“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, General Manager of SRO Motorsports Group Asia, welcomed the continuation of the collaboration.
“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.”
With the partnership extended for another season, the GR Supra will remain a familiar sight at the head of the field as SRO’s Asian championships continue to grow across the region.
