Max Verstappen has indicated a desire to compete in Super GT, yet he concedes that the absence of a signature, highly prestigious race renders a one-off participation challenging to warrant.
The four-time Formula 1 titleholder recently completed initial laps in a Nissan Z GT500 vehicle at Fuji Speedway during a promotional filming session arranged by his sponsor, Red Bull.
This marked his second drive in a modern Super GT prototype, with his first experience being in a Honda NSX-GT at Motegi in 2022 during the Japanese automaker’s annual year-end celebration.
Super GT is widely regarded as the globe’s swiftest grand touring car series, where contemporary GT500 vehicles demonstrate the ability to outpace World Endurance Championship hypercars on a standard lap at Fuji.
Verstappen remarked that he thoroughly enjoyed his time driving the Nissan Z, despite significant rainfall making the circuit damp and restricting his available track time at Fuji.
“It proved to be highly enjoyable,” the 28-year-old commented just before the Japanese Grand Prix. “The only regrettable aspect was the substantial rain, which prevented me from completing numerous laps. I would have preferred to undertake additional circuits.
“Nevertheless, it’s an outstanding car and a superb series overall, and I found it to be a valuable experience piloting that vehicle, particularly experiencing the traction in damp conditions. It diverges considerably from what we encounter in Europe, and having the opportunity to operate a diverse range of automobiles is consistently beneficial.”
Verstappen has progressively sought out engagements in sportscar competitions, partly stemming from his dissatisfaction with contemporary F1 hybrid powertrains; he recently participated in the NLS2 event at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Although he is receptive to the idea of racing in GT500 vehicles, which possess considerably greater sophistication than production-derived GT3 cars, he identified Super GT’s structural setup as a primary impediment. When questioned about potentially entering a Super GT event, Verstappen responded: “It’s uncertain; I’ll have to evaluate the situation.
“It represents an excellent class of racing. My preference would be for them to feature a single, more prominent event rather than solely a championship series. If such an event existed, committing to it would be simpler; participating in an entire championship is unfeasible for me, and contesting a single race within a full championship isn’t always appropriate. Therefore, we shall observe what transpires.
“I would genuinely enjoy competing in these vehicles. They distinctly bring to mind the former DTM [Class 1] cars, which were also a pleasure to witness in action.”
The reason for Super GT’s absence of a flagship event
Super GT500
Photo by: Masahide Kamio
Verstappen’s remarks at Suzuka underscore a significant deficiency in the current organizational framework of Super GT. The 2026 season schedule comprises eight competitions held at seven distinct locations, yet these events exhibit minimal distinction from one another.
A total of six out of the eight competitions cover a distance exceeding 300km, mirroring a grand prix, concurrently, two durability challenges are set for a duration of three hours. The Sepang competition inherently distinguishes itself as the sole international event on the timetable, whereas the Fuji GT 3 Hours serves as the championship’s unofficial highlight, aligning with the Golden Week public holiday period.
Nonetheless, the championship historically featured a truly distinguished event which drew in numerous prominent figures, notably Jenson Button, the 2009 F1 title winner.
Originally established as an independent competition in 1966, the Suzuka 1000km evolved into a significant endurance classic, integrating with various global series such as the World Sportscar Championship and the FIA GT Championship. When it was incorporated into the Super GT calendar in 2006, it had already attained a strong reputation, aiding the series in achieving greater prominence.
Owing to its extended duration structure, Super GT teams were permitted to include an extra third driver, which facilitated the introduction of numerous fresh participants to the championship. During its nascent stages, it drew attention from individuals such as future F1 competitor Adrian Sutil, alongside contemporary sportscar expert Oliver Jarvis, and this pattern persisted.
However, potentially the most recognizable individual to join Super GT via the Suzuka 1000km mechanism is Button. Subsequent to his departure from F1 with McLaren, the British driver took part in the 2017 Suzuka 8 Hours, aligning with the Mugen Honda squad as their assigned third pilot.
The competition did not unfold favorably for him, resulting in a remote 12th-place finish; nonetheless, the involvement captivated him, leading him to ink a two-year agreement with Honda for full-time participation in the series. Button subsequently secured the championship alongside his co-driver Naoki Yamamoto in 2018, thereby complementing his earlier F1 achievements with a GT500 championship.
Nonetheless, this entry route into Super GT was effectively closed in 2018 when the series’ organizer, GTA, collaborated with SRO to inaugurate the Suzuka 10 Hours, an entirely new long-distance event incorporated into the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
This fresh 10-hour competition emerged as Suzuka’s singular ‘Summer Endurance Race’, diverting prominence from Super GT and establishing the Fuji Golden Week event as the championship’s unofficial premier race. Through the Suzuka 10 Hours, organizers sought to create a comprehensive international spectacle with a distinct Japanese character. Although teams from Super GT’s GT300 division were invited to participate, the structure entirely prohibited GT500 vehicles, precluding any high-tier factory participation.
The legacy of the Suzuka 1000km denomination retains considerable importance, and SRO reinstated its format last year upon Japan’s re-inclusion in the IGTC schedule. During this particular instance, Super GT’s GTA-GT300 specification vehicles were authorized to contend alongside GT3 vehicles, with their performance levels equalized across both categories.
Conversely, Super GT has persistently emphasized its global outreach. For 2025, it successfully orchestrated Sepang’s re-entry onto its schedule following an extended hiatus, with the event quickly demonstrating its effectiveness. Super GT had also previously ventured into Thailand, and both Sepang and Buriram were initially slated for the 2020 calendar before the COVID-19 outbreak interfered with planning, compelling the championship to compete solely within Japan for the subsequent half-decade.
Is a Super GT entry still feasible for Verstappen?
Super GT
Photo by: Masahide Kamio
A potential path is still available for Verstappen, presuming his earnestness regarding a Super GT participation.
After Sepang’s re-establishment on the racing calendar last year, event planners proposed the concept of a special GT500 wildcard entry for 2026. Back then, the initiative was characterized as a developing concept, with no car manufacturer yet agreeing to furnish or operate a vehicle.
Hypothetically, such an inclusion might enable Verstappen to race at Sepang from June 20-21, utilizing the brief interval between the Formula 1 events in Barcelona and Spielberg. Nevertheless, the wildcard scheme is fundamentally designed to nurture Malaysian driving prowess, implying that any participation by Verstappen would probably necessitate outside financial support – possibly from Red Bull.
Any special entry program, irrespective of Verstappen’s involvement, would additionally require collaboration from one of Super GT’s three GT500 constructors (Honda, Nissan, and Toyota) to provide and manage the vehicle. Nissan might possess available resources, having reduced its GT500 operations from four to three cars this year owing to monetary constraints. Significantly, Nissan was also Red Bull’s selected constructor for Verstappen’s evaluation drive at Fuji.
Ultimately, whether he participates in Super GT might depend on Verstappen’s protracted career trajectory in F1. The configuration of the Suzuka circuit highlights the deficiencies of the contemporary hybrid powertrain, as drivers experience speed reductions of up to 50km/h on the 130R corner because of super clipping.
Suzuka typically ranks as a preferred circuit for drivers; consequently, Verstappen’s inability to fully relish the track to his desired extent was evident in his statements. The Dutch driver confessed that he faces several significant “life” choices, given his escalating dissatisfaction with F1.
Although he appears to be accepting of the circumstances, he is simultaneously collaborating closely with Formula 1 and the FIA to revise the rules. The result of these discussions remains uncertain, as does whether the current model of vehicles can be adequately adjusted to his preferences, allowing Verstappen to complete his contractual obligations with Red Bull.
Should he continue in F1 into the next year, it is highly probable that Verstappen will engage in more sportscar racing than before, and he would find it challenging to decline the appeal of Super GT.
