Japan’s Summer Endurance Race reverts to classic 1000-kilometre distance
2025 calendar returns to five events
Intercontinental GT Challenge will finally return to Japan in September 2025 when SRO Motorsports Group revives the historic Suzuka 1000km.
Asia’s re-addition to the calendar also increases the number of IGTC events to five across four continents. Europe, America and Australia currently host four races between them and will continue to do so next year when Intercontinental celebrates its 10th season.
SRO’s founder and CEO, Stephane Ratel, revealed the news and wider calendar at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa’s annual press conference yesterday.
The globe-trotting GT3 campaign begins, as is tradition, with the Bathurst 12 Hour in Australia on February 2 before two European twice-around-the-clock races – the ADAC Ravenol 24h Nurburgring and CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa – take place on consecutive weekends towards the end of June. The Indianapolis 8 Hour Presented by AWS closes out the year on October 4.
But before that it’s Suzuka and the revival of an event not staged in any capacity since 2018 and ‘19. Then, a race first held in 1966 and known across Japan as the Summer Endurance Race was run to a 10-hour duration. It will now revert to the format used in 44 of its 48 previous editions.
The 1000-kilometre contests in 1994-98 also featured SRO’s involvement, first via its BPR Global GT Series and then the FIA GT Championship.
As in the 1990s and late 2010s Japanese entries will be encouraged to join their international counterparts at a high-level domestic event with world-class team, driver and manufacturer representation. SRO will also manage all organisational, technical and sporting aspects of the event, just as it already does in Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS.
Japan has a strong GT3 presence thanks to its domestic Super GT and Super Taikyu championships, as well as the continental Fanatec GT Asia which currently counts seven Japanese teams amongst its full-season total. Meanwhile, SRO’s newly standalone Japan Cup has added further depth this year.
Precise plans are still to be finalised. But Japan Cup is currently envisaged as chief support to the Suzuka 1000km, which – as in IGTC’s two previous appearances there – will run through dusk and into the night. Fanatec GT Asia’s teams, meanwhile, will be encouraged to represent their manufacturer on the global stage by contesting the main event.
Stephane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group Founder and CEO: "The Suzuka 1000km’s return is fantastic news for IGTC and GT racing generally. It’s true that an event in Asia is essential for Intercontinental’s long-term health. However, only Japan’s Summer Endurance Race has the combination of heritage, significance and circuit to fulfil the brief. Now, after six years away and as a former 1000km competitor myself, I am truly delighted to confirm this race will not only be revived but also feature its iconic 1000-kilometre distance once again.
“I would like to thank Suzuka’s owners, Honda Mobilityland, for trusting SRO to do the 1000km’s name and history justice.”
2025 INTERCONTINENTAL GT CHALLENGE CALENDAR
Jan 31 – Feb 2 | Bathurst 12 Hour, Australia
June 20-23 | ADAC Ravenol 24h Nurburgring, Germany
June 26-29 | CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, Belgium
September TBC | Suzuka 1000km, Japan
October 2-4 | Indianapolis 8 Hour Presented by AWS, USA
