Maezawa Racing has drafted in Ferrari factory driver Alessio Rovera to replace the injured Thomas Neubauer for next week’s 2026 Suzuka 1000km, the fourth round of the 2026 Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) season.
Rovera will share the No. 555 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo with Yusaku Maezawa and Naoki Yokomizo as the Japanese team targets Bronze class honours and a stronger overall result than it achieved at Suzuka last season. Neubauer had originally been named as the third driver but was forced to withdraw after fracturing his left collarbone in a cycling accident.
Maezawa Racing confirmed the change through a brief statement on social media on Friday morning, bringing in another of Ferrari’s factory drivers for one of the biggest GT endurance races of the season.
Rovera steps in after Neubauer injury
Neubauer’s withdrawal follows the cycling accident that left him with a complex fracture of his left collarbone and required surgery. The Frenchman had been due to join Maezawa and Yokomizo in the No. 555 Ferrari but will instead focus on his recovery.
Rovera provides Maezawa Racing with an experienced replacement who regularly competes in top-level endurance racing. The Italian currently races in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMGT3 category and has extensive experience in Ferrari machinery across GT and prototype competition.
His late call-up also preserves an all-Ferrari-supported element within the team’s driver line-up as Maezawa Racing prepares to challenge a large and competitive field at Suzuka.
Rovera set for first Suzuka appearance
The Suzuka 1000km will mark Rovera’s first race at the Japanese circuit and his first appearance in domestic Japanese competition outside the WEC’s annual visit to Fuji.
Despite his lack of Suzuka experience, Rovera arrives with recent IGTC mileage. He made his first appearance of the 2026 campaign at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, where he finished third with AF Corse.
That result gives him experience of the championship’s current competitive landscape before joining Maezawa Racing for another major endurance event. His role alongside Maezawa and Yokomizo will be particularly important as the team looks to combine its Bronze class ambitions with a stronger challenge in the overall classification.
Ferrari enters Suzuka fourth in manufacturers’ standings
Ferrari heads into the penultimate round of the IGTC season fourth in the manufacturers’ standings, behind Porsche, Mercedes-AMG and BMW.
The Prancing Horse will have several representatives at Suzuka, including PONOS Racing in the Pro class. The SUPER GT and SRO Japan Cup entrant will lead Ferrari’s outright challenge, while LM Corsa and the Team LeMans-operated Norik Racing squad will also campaign 296 GT3 Evos.
Maezawa Racing adds another Ferrari to that contingent, although its primary focus remains the Bronze category. With Rovera joining the line-up, the team also gains a factory driver capable of supporting its push further up the overall order.
Maezawa Racing seeks stronger result after difficult 2025 race
Last year’s Suzuka 1000km produced a difficult outcome for Maezawa Racing, with the Ferrari ending as the final classified finisher after Yokomizo crashed at 130R.
The team returns in 2026 aiming to improve considerably on that result. Alongside its stated objective of fighting for Bronze class honours, Maezawa Racing has also targeted a “strong result in the overall standings” as it tackles the Japanese endurance classic for another year.
Rovera’s arrival gives the squad an experienced replacement at short notice and allows it to maintain those ambitions despite losing Neubauer. The Italian will now make his Suzuka debut alongside Maezawa and Yokomizo as Ferrari looks to strengthen its position during the penultimate round of the IGTC season.
