Porsche Carrera Cup Japan 2026 – Round 5 (Fuji) Race Report
Following rain throughout Friday's practice sessions and Saturday's qualifying, the Fuji event continued to present challenging conditions. Although the rain had stopped by Sunday morning, parts of the circuit remained damp, creating a difficult surface for the competitors.
The formation lap for Round 5 of the PCCJ Mobil 1 Challenge began at 8:15 a.m. The starting grid had been determined by the second-fastest qualifying laps recorded on Saturday, with #60 Reimei Ito once again securing overall pole position. Pole position in the Pro-Am class went to #16 Hiro, while #17 IKEDA started from pole in the Am class.
After assessing the track conditions during the formation lap, the field lined up on the grid and the race got underway as the starting lights went out.
Pole-sitter #60 Reimei Ito made a clean start, but it was #99 Taichi Watarai, starting from second on the grid, who made the better getaway from the inside line. Watarai swept into the lead through Turn 1 and completed the opening lap with Ito and #78 Iori Kimura close behind.
At the end of Lap 1, Watarai's advantage over Ito was 0.393 seconds, with Kimura another 0.525 seconds behind. The leading trio initially ran nose-to-tail, but the gap between the leading pair and Kimura gradually increased.
Ito continued to apply pressure, setting the fastest lap of the race on Lap 5 as he searched for an overtaking opportunity. Watarai, however, responded with a consistently controlled drive, gradually extending his lead. By Lap 10, the advantage had grown to more than one second, and by Lap 14 it had increased to 3.056 seconds, seemingly putting victory beyond doubt.
However, drama unfolded at the final corner of the last lap when Watarai suddenly lost speed. Ito immediately closed onto his rear bumper, and the two cars accelerated almost side by side down the main straight. In the end, Watarai held on by just 0.086 seconds to claim his second consecutive victory at Fuji.
"I was able to control the race well from the start, although the finish was much closer than I expected. Fortunately, I managed to hold on for the win. I'll keep pushing to fight for the championship."
Second-place finisher #60 Reimei Ito commented:
"The start made all the difference today. In the end, I was just one step short. SUGO is one of my strongest circuits, so I'll make sure to come back and recover what I lost here."
After dropping well down the order following the opening-lap incident, #78 Iori Kimura produced a remarkable recovery drive to finish third overall.
In the early stages of the race, #17 IKEDA, competing in the Am class, held off the Pro-Am competitors despite the opening-lap confusion. However, during the second half of the race he was overtaken by #84 Masa TAGA and #77 Dai Hamasaki in the Pro-Am class.
As a result, #84 Masa TAGA finished fourth overall and claimed his maiden Pro-Am class victory, while #17 IKEDA finished sixth overall to record his third consecutive Am class victory.
Reflecting on his first Pro-Am win, #84 Masa TAGA said:
"The team made significant setup changes after qualifying, and the car was much easier to drive. I honestly didn't think I could win, so I'm glad I never gave up."
Am-class winner #17 IKEDA commented:
"It was great fun battling with the Pro-Am drivers today. I'll do my best again tomorrow."
Second place in the Am class went to #27 SOUICHIROU MANO, who normally competes in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Japan and was making a guest appearance in PCCJ, while #29 Kiyomin completed the class podium in third.
The starting grid for the Round 5 Mobil 1 Challenge, to be held on Sunday, July 19, was determined by the second-fastest qualifying laps set on Saturday.
Overall pole position again went to #60 Reimei Ito, with #99 Taichi Watarai lining up second and #78 Iori Kimura third. #16 Hiro secured pole position in the Pro-Am class, while #17 IKEDA started from pole in the Am class.
The Round 5 Mobil 1 Challenge is scheduled to start at 8:15 a.m. on Sunday, July 19, and will run for 15 laps or 30 minutes plus one lap. The race will be streamed live on the official Porsche Japan YouTube channel.
Round 5 Mobil 1 Challenge Live Stream Streaming begins: July 19, 8:10 a.m. (JST)
Weather: Cloudy Track Conditions: Dry Air Temperature: 27°C Track Temperature: 32°C (at race start)
