GTWC Asia powered by AWS will head to Fuji Speedway on July 11-12 for its first joint event of the 2026 season with the Japan Cup.
The SRO GT Powertour weekend will bring a packed programme to one of Japan’s most famous circuits, with 26 GT3 cars currently confirmed for Rounds 5 and 6 of the pan-continental championship. Meanwhile, the Japan Cup will add a further 17 entries for its third and fourth races of the campaign.
Although both championships will share the bill, GTWC Asia will take centre stage as its title fight continues to gather pace. With Fuji’s high-speed layout, long main straight and demanding technical sections, the weekend should offer a major test for drivers, teams and manufacturers.
Huang and Ghiretti to arrive in Fuji with 2026 GTWC Asia lead
Huang Ruohan and Alessandro Ghiretti will arrive at Fuji with momentum on their side after claiming four podiums from the opening four races.
The Absolute Racing pair currently hold a 20-point advantage over Anthony Liu in the early GTWC Asia Drivers’ standings. Their consistency has given them a strong platform, but Fuji’s double-header could still reshape the championship picture.
Huang and Ghiretti will again compete in the #911 Absolute Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, which appears in the provisional entry list as a Pro-Am entry. The line-up has already proved one of the strongest combinations on the grid, and Fuji now gives them another opportunity to strengthen their position.
Absolute Racing strengthens Porsche presence
Absolute Racing will play a major role in the GTWC Asia field at Fuji. In addition to its championship-leading #911 Porsche, the team has added two new Porsche 911 GT3 R entries for the event.
One of those cars will be shared by GTWC America front-runners Kyle Washington and Tom Sargent. They will contest the Silver-Am class in the #32 Absolute Racing Porsche, adding further international quality to an already competitive grid.
The team will also run the #918 Porsche for Bastian Buus and a driver yet to be confirmed. Therefore, Absolute Racing will have multiple cars across the field as it looks to convert Porsche’s depth into strong results at Fuji.
Strong GT3 field set for Rounds 5 and 6
The provisional GTWC Asia entry list features a varied 26-car GT3 field, with Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, BMW, Audi, Lamborghini and Nissan all represented.
Several leading teams will return to action, including Origine Motorsport, Climax Racing, Craft-Bamboo Racing, Harmony Racing, Phantom Global Racing, LM Corsa, Team KRC and TEAM 5ZIGEN. That variety should create close battles across the Pro-Am, Silver, Silver-Am, Am and Bronze classes.
LM Corsa also returns with its Ferrari 296 GT3 for Shigekazu Wakisaka and Ryo Ogawa, while TEAM 5ZIGEN will field a Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 for Takayuki Aoki and Atsushi Miyake. Meanwhile, BMW representation includes PLUS with BMW M Team Studie, GTO with KRC and Team KRC.
With such a broad mix of cars and driver pairings, Fuji should provide a strong mid-season benchmark for the championship. In addition, the circuit’s long straights and heavy braking zones could reward different strengths across the GT3 field.
Japan Cup adds domestic intrigue
The Japan Cup will also form an important part of the Fuji weekend, although GTWC Asia remains the headline attraction.
Domestically, Shinji Takei and Ukyo Sasahara arrive with a narrow one-point lead over Yuya Motojima and Yusaku Shibata after the season opener at Sugo. Takei and Sasahara will compete in the #9 BINGO RACING with LM corsa Porsche 911 GT3 R, while Motojima and Shibata will share the #24 Max Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.
The Japan Cup grid will also welcome new and returning entries. FIVESTAR with TEAM DreamDrive joins the GT3 field with Takashi Sano and Takuya Shirasaka in a Mercedes-AMG GT3, while GALAHRACING returns with its Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3. E-NEEDS RACING will also join the GT4 ranks with a Toyota GR Supra GT4 Evo II.
Four races across packed Fuji weekend
The Fuji event will feature four 60-minute races across Saturday and Sunday, split evenly between GTWC Asia and the Japan Cup.
Qualifying and all races will stream live with English and Japanese commentary on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel and official app. Alongside the GT action, Porsche Sprint Challenge Japan and the Roadster Cup will add further variety to the on-track schedule.
Away from the racing, fans will also have access to a paddock display featuring some of the world’s rarest hypercars. A fan pitwalk on both Saturday and Sunday will further strengthen the event’s festival atmosphere.
Fuji prepares for key GTWC Asia weekend
With 26 GTWC Asia cars confirmed, 17 Japan Cup entries scheduled and several support categories on the bill, Fuji Speedway is set to host one of SRO’s most varied events of the 2026 season.
For GTWC Asia, however, the weekend carries clear championship significance. Huang and Ghiretti will try to protect their early advantage, Absolute Racing will expand its Porsche attack, and several leading GT3 teams will look to halt the leaders’ momentum.
As the series reaches Rounds 5 and 6, Fuji should deliver both spectacle and substance. The grid has depth, the circuit has character, and the title fight still has plenty of room to change direction.
