Super GT Malaysia 2025 Rocks SIC After Decade-Plus Hiatus

After a decade-plus absence, Super GT roared to life once more at the PETRONAS SIC last weekend. Pictured above were the premier GT500 class' pack.

Super GT, Japan’s national-level Super GT racing championship, widely touted as the region’s premier GT-racing championship, marked its long-awaited return to Malaysia at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit (SIC) last weekend.

Organised and promoted by Haro Sports & Entertainment Sdn Bhd under the ‘Super GT Malaysia 2025 Festival' banner, it stood as the series’ third round of its current 2025 season, and the series’ sole overseas fly-away event too.

Besides the GT500 class' silhouetted prototypes, the GT3-spec machines of the GT300 class also raced concurrently in Saturday's 300 KM-long Main Race.

Fans in attendance were treated by the sights and sounds of the series's signature GT500 and GT300 race machines battling on track. Adding to which were the presence of Malaysian wildcard drivers Jazeman Jaafar and Adrian D’Silva in the GT300 class piloting machines fielded through the renowned Earl Bamber Motorsports (EBM) firm.

Fuelling the on-track action further were both the GR86 Cup Malaysia and TGR Vios Challenge 2025 one-make racing series support events. The former marked its debut last weekend and featured local seasoned professionals like Tengku Djan Ley, Keifli Othman, Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, as well as celebrities like Zizan Razak, competing.

Fuelling the on-track action further was the debut of the GR86 Cup Malaysia one-make series that's also organised by promoters Haro Sports & Entertainment.

Off-circuit, promoters Haro Sports & Entertainment had partnered with Trumpet International to bring the latter’s signature annual Nihon Matsuri Japanese cultural festival to the circuit’s Mall Area. This delighted race fans with a wide variety of Japan-themed lifestyle activities plus a myriad of food & beverage too.

Unlike other race weekends, Super GT kicked off with Practice sessions on Thursday, followed by Practice and Qualifying sessions on Friday before culminating with the 300 KM-long Main Race on Saturday afternoon.

The Pitwalk session held on Friday and Saturday brought fans closer to their favourite teams, machines, drivers, as well as the series' renowned 'Race Queens'.

Slightly early event running aside, what’s unique to Super GT too is its signature ‘Pit Walk’ tour for Grandstand ticket holders held on Friday evening and Saturday noon. This brought fans closer to their favourite teams, machines, drivers, as well as the series’ renowned ‘Race Queens’.

Another unique fan favourite affair were the ‘Circuit Safari’ sessions held on Thursday and Friday. Fans were able to ‘tour’ the 5.5 KM-long SIC aboard a tour bus during an active Practice session, thus granting them a unique experience seeing both GT500 and GT300 racecars on-track in action up-close.

Another fan-favourite aspect of Super GT - the series' renowned 'Race Queens'.

Saturday’s main race itself proved sensational. Taking a surprise yet deserving victory in the premier GT500 class was the No. 37 Deloitte TOM’S GR Supra machine piloted by Ukyo Sasahara and Frenchman Giuliano Alesi.

In the GT300 class, it was the pole-starting No. 18 UPGARAGE Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo machine driven by Takashi Kobayashi and Yuto Nomura that secured a class win.

Malaysian GT300 wildcard drivers Jazeman Jaafar (fourth from right) and Adrian D'Silva (third from left) with VIPs in the Earl Bamber Motorsports (EBM) garage.

Jazeman had elected to pilot an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo whilst Adrian instead raced a Porsche 911 GT3 R (right), and both machines were prepped and managed by Earl Bamber Motorsports (EBM).

Whilst here, both local wildcards Jazeman and Adrian also crossed the finish line in their respective Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo and Porsche 911 GT3 R machines from EBM.

L-R: Winning in the GT500 class was the No. 37 Deloitte TOM'S GR Supra with drivers Ukyo Sasahara and Giuliano Alesi. In GT300, victory was claimed by the No. 18 UPGARAGE Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo piloted by Takashi Kobayashi and Yuto Nomura.

Despite the 12-year long absence, the warm reception given by avid fans that attended last weekend ought to be a clear enough signal that Super GT never lost its first overseas ‘home’ that it established some 25 years ago. As a refresher, the series first debuted overseas right here in Malaysia when it was still known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship.

With Haro Sports & Entertainment granted a GT500 wildcard slot for next year’s edition, we can certainly expect the series’ sole overseas fly-away event to kick into high-gear too.