Breaking news

Super GT

Tsuchiya Super GT squad switches to Porsche

Long-time SUPER GT outfit Tsuchiya Engineering has announced it will field a Porsche 911 GT3 R in the series in 2020 after ditching its Toyota 86 MC.

Jamie Klein

Edited: Dec 5, 2019, 1:20 PM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

#9 PACIFIC Porsche 911 GT3 R: Naoki Yokomizo, Kyosuke Mineo

Tsuchiya confirmed on the occasion of last month's Motegi season finale that it was replacing its Toyota after five seasons, citing the uncompetitiveness of 'mother chassis'-derived cars compared to the FIA GT3-spec and JAF GT300 machinery against which they compete.

In 2020 the team will use the new-for-2019 Porsche 911 GT3 R that has already enjoyed success in other series, most notably the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

Only one other SUPER GT team, Pacific Racing, ran a Porsche this season, albeit the previous generation model based on the older 991-generation 911 (pictured top).

Team owner Takeshi Tsuchiya confirmed the change with a post on Facebook.

Tsuchiya wrote: "I personally am a Porsche fan, but also Porsche has a long history as a supporter of privateer teams. And honestly, for teams like our with little capital, there is only one other GT3 car besides the Porsche that can be chosen."

Tsuchiya previously campaigned a 997-generation 911 GT3 RSR in SUPER GT in 2010-11, before dropping off the grid and returning in 2015 with the Toyota.

The team's Hoppy-liveried 86 MC made its final race appearances in last month's SUPER GT x DTM Dream Race at Fuji, in the Sprint Cup event for GT300 cars.

Takamitsu Mitsui and Kimiya Sato finished 19th in this year's GT300 standings with a best finish of fourth place at Buriram (pictured below), also scoring three pole positions.

Earlier in the season the team's future was plunged into doubt after a heavy crash in the Okayama season opener left it facing a major repair bill.

Only three other teams ran 'mother chassis' cars in 2019: Team Mach (Toyota 86), Cars Tokai Dream28 (Lotus Evora) and Saitama Toyopet (Toyota Mark X).

#25 Team Tsuchiya Toyota MC86: Takamitsu Matsui, Kimiya Sato

Photo by: Masahide Kamio

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article Super GT boss keen on 'winter series' with DTM

Next article Nissan holds Fuji shootout to decide 2020 drivers

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role

NASCAR Truck

NSTR NASCAR Truck

Homestead

14 min

Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role

The surprising convergence behind F1's increasingly competitive 2026 season

Formula 1

The surprising convergence behind F1's increasingly competitive 2026 season

“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1 4 h

“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return

Myers Riley Motorsports adds Andretti alongside returning Fraga for 2027 IMSA GTD campaign

IMSA

IMSA IMSA 4 h

Myers Riley Motorsports adds Andretti alongside returning Fraga for 2027 IMSA GTD campaign

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts