McLaughlin fourth in Suzuka 1000km

Kiwi IndyCar driver Scott McLaughlin along with co-drivers Alexander Sims and Nicky Catsburg (Johor Motorsports Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3) have finished in fourth place at the Suzuka 1000 50th Summer Endurance Race in Japan. AO by Absolute Racing gave Porsche its first Suzuka win in more than 30 years as its crew of Julien Andlauer, Alessio Picariello and Laurin Heinrich charged to victory at the penultimate round of this year’s Intercontinental GT Challenge.

Brendon Leitch (NZ) and co-drivers Song Jiajun and Liu Kaishun (Harmony Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO) started in 16th (eighth in the Bronze Class) and finished 17th overall and eighth in Class.

**Scott McLaughlin (Johor Motorsports Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3) Suzuka 1000 – photo Jacob Suter Photography**

Kiwi Daniel Gaunt in the Tsunami RT Porsche 911 GT3 R with co-drivers Johannes Zelger and Fabio Babini started 26th overall (fourth in the ProAm Class) and came home 24th overall and fifth in Class.

The Absolute Racing Porsche took the lead at half distance thanks to a breathtaking performance from Heinrich, who passed the PONOS Ferrari, his Absolute team-mate Dorian Boccolacci, Nicky Catsburg’s JMR Corvette and then Chris Mies’ Miedecke by Team MPC Ford Mustang within a 45-minute spell. The AO/Absolute crew then remained out front as darkness fell before ultimately taking the chequered flag 51 seconds clear of the Mustang.

**Brendon Leitch (Harmony Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO) Suzuka 1000 – photo Jacob Suter Photography**

It marked Porsche’s ninth IGTC win – and the second in succession following Lionspeed’s victory at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa – as well as the brand’s 12th at this event, albeit first since SRO Motorsports Group’s maiden appearance with BPR in 1994. Andlauer, Picariello, Heinrich and the team also became first-time outright race winners in IGTC.

The pole-starting Miedecke/MPC Mustang shared by Mies, Dennis Olsen and Frederic Vervisch handed Ford its best-ever IGTC result, while Absolute’s other 911 of new lap record holder Ayhancan Güven, Dorian Boccolacci and Alessandro Ghiretti finished third to move Porsche within touching distance of Intercontinental’s manufacturers’ crown. Only a refuelling issue prevented a possible one-two finish.

JMR’s McLaughlin, Catsburg and Alexander Sims – who’d brought the Z06 GT3.R back into podium contention during his mid-race stint – finished fourth and last of the runners on the lead lap.

There’s now a four-week before Indianapolis stages Intercontinental’s 2026 showdown on October 8-10.