Porsche Carrera Cup Japan 2026 – Round 2 (Okayama) Race Report
The starting grid for Round 2 was determined by the fastest laps set during the official qualifying session held on the morning of May 16. Overall pole position went to #66 Robert de Haan, the 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland (PCCD) Champion, who established a new circuit record of 1:28.862. Joining him at the front were #78 Iori Kimura, the 2025 PCCJ Champion, #99 Taichi Watarai, the 2025–2026 Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East Overall Champion, and #60 Reimei Ito, the 2024 PCCJ Champion, creating a front group made up entirely of championship-winning drivers. Pole position in the Pro-Am class was secured by #77 Dai Hamasaki, while #17 IKEDA claimed pole in the Am class.
The Round 2 race got underway at 1:50 p.m. with the formation lap. After one lap to assess track conditions, the field lined up on the grid for the race start.
Pole-sitter #66 Robert de Haan made an excellent getaway, while second-place starter #78 Iori Kimura stalled at the start and was forced to stop at the pit exit. This promoted #99 Taichi Watarai to second, with #60 Reimei Ito moving into third as they pursued the race leader.
De Haan immediately demonstrated his superior pace, extending his lead to 2.101 seconds by Lap 3 and 3.386 seconds by Lap 6. Running at an exceptional speed, he lapped two Am-class competitors by Lap 10 and maintained flawless form to the checkered flag, winning by 7.687 seconds.
The reigning PCCD Champion thus secured his second consecutive PCCJ victory to open the 2026 season.
"I made a good start and was able to control the gap to second place while managing the race from the front. I'd like to thank the team for preparing such a fantastic car. Before tomorrow's race, I'll review today's performance carefully to see if there are any areas where we can improve."
Second-place finisher #99 Taichi Watarai said:
"From the team's perspective, it's great to achieve another one-two finish after the season opener. Personally, though, I'm disappointed that I couldn't stay with Robert. Our pace in the second half of the race was comparable, so I'll be aiming for the win in tomorrow's Round 3."
Third-place finisher #60 Reimei Ito commented:
"We'll review the areas that have been our weakness together with the team and prepare as well as possible for tomorrow's race."
In the Pro-Am class, second-place starter #16 Hiro took the class lead at the start, with #77 Dai Hamasaki and #88 Tiger Wu closely behind. The three drivers remained locked in an intense nose-to-tail battle throughout the race.
Applying constant pressure from third place, Tiger Wu forced Hamasaki into a spin on the final lap. Although Hiro crossed the finish line first ahead of Tiger Wu, a 10-second time penalty for a jump start was applied after the race, promoting #88 Tiger Wu to the class victory and giving him back-to-back Pro-Am wins following his success at Suzuka.
"My qualifying result wasn't ideal, so I focused on managing my pace during the race. In the end, I was also a little fortunate to take the win. I hope I can make it three in a row tomorrow."
In the Am class, veteran driver #17 IKEDA pulled away from the start to claim his long-awaited first PCCJ class victory.
"My priority was simply to avoid mistakes and drive cleanly all the way to the finish. The heat made it physically demanding, but I'm very happy to finally take the victory."
Making his PCCJ debut, #29 Kiyomin prevailed in a close battle for second place against #57 FUJIWARA.
The starting grid for Round 3, to be held on Sunday, May 17, was determined by the second-fastest qualifying laps recorded on Saturday. Pole position once again went to #66 Robert de Haan overall, #77 Dai Hamasaki in the Pro-Am class, and #17 IKEDA in the Am class.
Round 3 is scheduled to start at 11:40 a.m. on Sunday, May 17, and will run for 17 laps or 30 minutes plus one lap. The race will be streamed live on the official Porsche Japan YouTube channel.
Round 3 Live Stream Streaming begins: May 17, 11:30 a.m. (JST)
Weather: Sunny Track Conditions: Dry Air Temperature: 31°C Track Temperature: 44°C (at race start)
