Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific is delighted to have 11 entries ready for the first running of the Suzuka 1000km since 2019, with the German marque set to be the best-represented manufacturer on the grid on September 12-14.

The 49th edition of the Japanese enduro also marks the fourth and penultimate round of the 2025 SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge, in which Porsche currently sits second. Leading the charge are three Pro entries, all with very impressive driver line-ups and running re-creations of iconic past Porsche liveries.

First held in 1966, the Suzuka 1000km is one of the most revered endurance races in world motorsport. Returning for the first time in six years, this year’s edition will be the 49th in the event’s history and will give Porsche an opportunity to extend its own record of 11 outright victories.

Phantom Global Racing will take on its third Intercontinental GT Challenge event, having narrowly missed out on the podium at the 2024 Bathurst 12 Hour, as well as completing the 24 Hours of Spa in the same year. Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver Dorian Boccolacci will be joined by fellow Porsche drivers Klaus Bachler and Patric Niederhauser. The team will be tackling the event in one of Porsche’s most legendary liveries, running the ‘Pink Pig’ design that was first used on the #23 Porsche 917/20 at the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans, before returning on the race-winning Porsche 911 RSR at the same event in 2018.

Absolute Racing return to the race where it took third at its most recent running in 2019. Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and Patrick Pilet will be at the wheel of the #911 Porsche 911 GT3 R. The trio has extensive experience at endurance races around the world, and will look to add the Suzuka 1000km to their collective racing CVs in a striking yellow and black design, which has taken inspiration from the 1985 24 Hours of Le Mans race-winning NewMan Joest Racing Porsche 956B.

The third Pro entry sees Origine Motorsport make its Intercontinental GT Challenge debut. The Chinese team has impressed since forming in 2021, taking titles in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and GT World Challenge Asia, in addition to enduro wins at Sepang and Shanghai. Bastian Buus, Laurin Heinrich and former Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver Alessio Picariello make up the driver trio. They will be racing in a livery based on Porsche’s first Suzuka 1000km winning car, which featured Henri Pescarolo and Bob Wollek in their stunning Kremer Racing 935 K3 back in 1981.

Eight further Porsche cars are scheduled to take to the famous Japanese track, including six from GT World Challenge Asia. Phantom Global Racing’s second entry sees Adderly Fong join forces in the #13 car with Porsche driver Nico Menzel, who has impressed in GT World Challenge Asia this year.

Origine Motorsport also field a second car, as Kerong Li and Anders Fjordbach look to back up their Silver-Am victory from Fuji Speedway. The duo is joined by current championship leader and reigning champion Leo Ye.

Daan Arrow has enjoyed a strong season for Vollgas Motorsport, in what is only the Korean team’s second year in operation. He’s been a regular challenger in the Silver-Am Cup, and will be partnered by Phil Kim and Alex Jiatong Liang for the Suzuka event, which is the squad’s endurance race debut.

EBM’s Adrian D’Silva continues his busy 2025 campaign, which has seen him take part in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, GT World Challenge Asia and Super GT. The Malaysian driver is joined by Porsche driver Sven Müller and Harry King in the #61 Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Hiroaki Nagai and Kazuto Kotaka have tackled selected GT World Challenge Asia rounds this season, and will team up with Super GT race winner Takura Shinohara in the #18 Porsche Center Okazaki entry

The final GT World Challenge Asia entry to take on Suzuka is AMAC Motorsport. Australian duo Andrew Macpherson and Ben Porter have finished on the Am-class podium in all but one race together this season. They are joined by multiple Bathurst 12 Hour winner Grant Denyer in the #51 Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.2).

Absolute Racing will field a second car, with 2024-2025 Asian Le Mans Series champion Antares Au taking the wheel of the #93 car. He’s joined by experienced Porsche driver Richard Lietz, who has achieved an impressive six class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 2024 Carrera Cup North America champion Loek Hartog, who is also Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver.

Herberth Motorsport completes Porsche’s line-up with the #91 car as brothers Alfred and Robert Renauer team up with Ralf Bohn for the event, the very same line up that together won the 2021 Asian Le Mans Series, earning them an entry in the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Well-loved by fans and drivers, Suzuka is unique in its figure-of-eight shape, with the 5.807-kilometre circuit featuring some of the sport’s most famous corners, including the Esses, Spoon Curve and the daunting 130R. Official Practice begins on Friday 12 September, ahead of Qualifying at 17:05 local time (UTC+9) on Saturday. Finally, the six-and-a-half-hour race will get underway at 12:50 on Sunday.

Dorian Boccolacci, Phantom Global Racing: “It’s great to be racing with Phantom Global Racing again in Asia and to be part of this excellent Pro line-up, especially in such an iconic livery! Klaus and Patric are two brilliant drivers and I’m confident that we can push each other to achieve positive results at this event. We’ve been doing a lot of simulation preparation so now I’m just excited to get out on-track.”

Klaus Bachler, Phantom Global Racing: “I’m looking forward to racing at Suzuka again as it’s an amazing circuit, which I first drove two years ago in GT World Challenge Asia. We’ve got a great car and driver line-up as we look to add more history to the already legendary livery that we’re racing in.”

Patric Niederhauser, Phantom Global Racing: “It’s an honour to race in the colours of the ‘Pink Pig’ as it’s such an iconic car within the Porsche family. It’ll be the first time that I’ve shared the Porsche 911 GT3 R with Dorian and Klaus, but they are two fast drivers who I’m excited to team up with. We know we have what it takes to achieve a great result in Suzuka next month.”

Laurens Vanthoor, Absolute Racing: “I’m really looking forward to it. Japan, and especially Suzuka, is always a fantastic place to visit, so it’s a great event to be part of. We’ll have a special livery, which makes it even more exciting. Suzuka is an iconic circuit and with Kevin and Patrick alongside me, I think we have everything in place to achieve a good result. It’s a trip and a race I’m genuinely excited about, and hopefully, we’ll enjoy some success.”

Kévin Estre, Absolute Racing: “I’m hugely excited to the Suzuka 1000km. I’ve raced there once before, and it was fantastic to drive on such an amazing track. The result wasn’t great, so I’m hoping we can do better this time. With Patrick, Laurens and Absolute Racing, I’m confident we have a strong team to achieve something special, though the competition will certainly be tough. I’m also excited to drive this car with its iconic livery. Let’s aim to write another chapter in Porsche’s history with this striking design.”

Patrick Pilet, Absolute Racing: “I’m super excited to race at Suzuka. It will be my first time competing in this event. I love this track and have great memories there. Driving alongside Laurens and Kevin is absolutely perfect as we all work really well together. The goal is clear, we want to win this race, especially with Absolute Racing and the strong line-up of drivers, engineers. I’m really motivated and confident that we have a great chance to achieve an excellent result.”

Bastian Buus, Origine Motorsport: “I’m really excited to join the squad for the Suzuka 1000km! It’s great to be competing in another Intercontinental GT Challenge round in the Asia-Pacific region, after taking on Bathurst 12 Hour in 2024. We’ve got a strong line up, a stunning livery and we’re more than ready for the challenge. I can’t wait to work with Alessio, Laurin and the whole team at this incredible event, where we’ll aim for a strong result.”

Laurin Heinrich, Origine Motorsport: “It’s great to be back with Origine Motorsport, who gave me my Asian debut last year. It feels special to join them again for such an iconic event and to be teaming up with two excellent teammates from the Porsche Motorsport family in such a legendary livery. Suzuka was a successful circuit for us during the 2024 GT World Challenge Asia season, so we’re confident of achieving our goal.”

Alessio Picariello, Origine Motorsport: “I’m delighted to be taking part in such a famous race like the Suzuka 1000km with Origine Motorsport and two top teammates. It’s a legendary event, and we’ve got the privilege of tackling it with the 1981 winning livery. I can’t wait to get out on track and deliver a strong performance.”

Adderly Fong, Phantom Global Racing: “I feel very privileged to be representing the squad in the #13 Porsche 911 GT3 R. We’ve got a strong driver line up and I’m excited to learn off Nico as well. I finally felt like I found a good rhythm at Suzuka last year so I’m looking to find even more speed this time around.”

Leo Ye, Origine Motorsport: “I’m excited to be part of this historic race and compete alongside Anders and Kerong for the first time. I’m looking forward to working with them and we’re aiming for a strong result.”

Anders Fjordbach, Origine Motorsport: “Suzuka 1000km is definitely a bucket list race so I can’t wait for it! It’s great to be sharing the car with Leo as well as my GT World Challenge Asia teammate Kerong!”

Kerong Li, Origine Motorsport: “It’s one of the biggest events of the year in the Asia-Pacific region so I feel very proud to be taking part. We’ve got an excellent line-up and I believe that we can fight for the class victory.”

Phil Kim, Vollgas Motorsports: “I’ve got high expectations for my first race in a GT3 car, after doing some events in other categories in Japan. I’ve experienced Suzuka before, and I’ll make sure I get up to speed quickly to deliver a strong performance.”

Alex Jiatong Liang, Vollgas Motorsports: “It’s a real pleasure for me to compete in Suzuka 1000km with Vollgas Motorsports. I would like to thank the team for this incredible opportunity and I’m looking forward to achieving the best result possible with the crew.”

Daan Arrow, Vollgas Motorsports: “Suzuka 1000km has been a dream of mine since childhood when I first discovered the event. I’m proud to take on this legendary track with Vollgas Motorsports as the squad makes its endurance debut. I’m hoping that my experience in this format will help us deliver a positive performance as we aim for a class podium.”

Sven Müller, EBM: “I’m looking forward to Suzuka 1000km as it’s a track I know very well from my time in Super GT. I’ve driven with EBM before at Bathurst 12 Hour and I’m exciting to be racing together again. I’ve competed alongside Harry in previous events, and it’ll be the first time with Adrian as we form a strong line-up. It’s a special circuit for me personally and I know we can achieve a great result.”

Harry King, EBM: “I’m delighted to be welcomed back into IGTC for the Suzuka 1000km, as it’s such a special and unique event. I think everyone involved is excited for its return and I’m looking forward to working with Sven Muller again, and the experienced Adrian D’Silva for the first time.”

Hiroaki Nagai, Porsche Center Okazaki: “I’m excited to be competing at Suzuka 1000km for Porsche Center Okazaki! I’ve raced with Kotaka before, and I’m pleased to be sharing the car with Shinohara for the first time. I’ll work together with my teammates and the squad to push us as far up the order as possible.”

Kazuto Kotaka, Porsche Center Okazaki: “The performance of our #18 Porsche 911 GT3 R has been improving throughout the GT World Challenge Asia campaign, so we’re hopeful heading to Suzuka. I’ll do my best to help push the team forward together with Nagai and Shinohara.”

Takuro Shinohara, Porsche Center Okazaki: “I’m truly happy to compete with Porsche Center Okazaki next month in Suzuka, and extremely grateful for the opportunity. This will be my first time driving this car so preparation will be key to ensure we get up to speed as quickly as possible during the event.”

Antares Au, Absolute Racing: “Suzuka 1000km is an historic race and I’m excited to be part of its return to IGTC. I raced at this legendary circuit in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia in 2019 and I’m excited to return in the Porsche 911 GT3 R. Together with Richard, Loek and Absolute Racing, we have a great team and look forward to being competitive in the Bronze class!”

Richard Lietz, Absolute Racing: “I’m delighted to be part of the team to take on Suzuka – it will be my first time at this iconic circuit. I’ll prepare myself in the simulator and do my best to play my part for the squad. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we’ll give our all the achieve a strong result.”

Loek Hartog, Absolute Racing: "Racing in Japan has always been a childhood dream, and to now line up for the legendary Suzuka 1000km is incredibly special. I’ve followed this event for years, and it’s surreal to now be a part of it, especially alongside Antares and Richard, whose experience speaks for itself. It’s my first time working with Absolute Racing as well, and I’m excited to work with a team with such a strong reputation. We’re here to give it everything and go for the class win."

Fabien Fior, Absolute Racing Team Principal: “We are delighted to return to Asia’s premier GT3 endurance race with Porsche. We have two excellent line-ups, each with ambitious goals. Competing with a trio of world-class drivers, in collaboration with Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific and under an iconic Porsche customer racing livery, gives the team tremendous motivation. At the same time, we will field one of the most ambitious Pro-Am line-ups, featuring the reigning Independent Cup winner from the Intercontinental GT Challenge. Suzuka holds special memories for Absolute Racing, and we are fully committed to building on our past successes and delivering a strong performance once again.”

Steve Bugatto, AMAC Motorsport Team Principal: “We’re thrilled to be heading back to Suzuka as it’s one of the world’s most challenging and rewarding tracks, and the atmosphere around this event is second to none. We’ve learned a lot since 2019 and we’re returning better prepared, more focused, and eager to showcase the strength of our team and Porsche machinery.”

Alexandre Gibot, Managing Director Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd.: “We’re delighted to confirm a stunning 11 Porsche entries who will take on the historic Suzuka 1000km. We’ve already announced three excellent Pro line-ups who will be aiming for overall victory, alongside our further eight cars. The last time we were here we supported one of our customers onto the podium, and we’re back to challenge for more this time. To be the most represented manufacturer shows that our customers are passionate and committed, but also feel supported by Porsche to tackle these challenging events. We’ve achieved a record-breaking 11 victories in this enduro, and we’re aiming to extend that next month.”