Porsche Carrera Cup Japan 2026 – Round 3 (Okayama) Race Report
Clear blue skies greeted Okayama International Circuit once again on Sunday, with temperatures continuing to rise throughout the morning. By the start of the formation lap at 11:40 a.m., the air temperature had reached 31°C, while the track temperature climbed to 43°C.
The starting grid was reduced to nine cars after #77 Dai Hamasaki withdrew following the incident he suffered during Saturday's Round 2 race in the Pro-Am class.
Following the formation lap, the race got underway as the starting lights went out. Pole-sitter #66 Robert de Haan, the 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland (PCCD) Champion, made another excellent start. However, #78 Iori Kimura, the 2025 PCCJ Champion, immediately challenged him into Turn 1. The battle between the German and Japanese Porsche Carrera Cup champions saw de Haan successfully defend the lead, while Kimura remained close behind looking for an opportunity.
De Haan gradually increased his pace, extending his advantage from 0.418 seconds at the end of the opening lap to 1.368 seconds by Lap 4.
Behind the leaders, #60 Reimei Ito, the 2024 PCCJ Champion, and #99 Taichi Watarai, the 2025–2026 Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East Overall Champion, engaged in an intense nose-to-tail battle for third place. The gap between them narrowed to just 0.390 seconds on Lap 3, before opening slightly by Lap 7. Watarai closed back onto Ito's rear bumper on Lap 9, but while searching for an overtaking opportunity he spun at the final corner on Lap 11, allowing Ito to pull away once again.
At the front, de Haan had built an advantage of around three seconds over Kimura before Lap 12, when the gap increased even further. Kimura, suffering from a loss of pace, eventually brought his car into the pits, promoting Ito to second place. However, with a deficit of more than seven seconds to the leader, there was little chance of challenging for victory in the remaining laps.
De Haan crossed the finish line to claim his third consecutive victory of the season.
"I'm absolutely delighted. Not only have I won all three PCCJ races so far, but I've also taken pole position, victory and the fastest lap in every race this season."
Second-place finisher #60 Reimei Ito said:
"After reviewing the areas we needed to improve with the team yesterday, I'm pleased we were able to finish second today. The car felt much better, and I'll aim to fight for victory at the next event."
Third-place finisher #99 Taichi Watarai commented:
"I'm disappointed with myself because my own mistake cost me second place today. I'll come back stronger at the next round."
With pole-sitter #77 Dai Hamasaki absent, the Pro-Am class became a head-to-head contest between #16 Hiro, the 2025 Am Class Champion, and #88 Tiger Wu, the 2023 and 2024 Am Class Champion.
However, Hiro spun on the opening lap and dropped well down the order, leaving Tiger Wu to run unchallenged. Controlling the race from the front, Wu secured his third consecutive Pro-Am class victory.
"This weekend has been fantastic, and I was certainly fortunate. I always give my best and never give up during a race. I'm happy with three wins in a row, but I'll stay focused on improving through practice and racing."
In the Am class, #17 IKEDA, fresh from his maiden PCCJ victory in Round 2, delivered another composed drive to claim back-to-back wins.
"I'm really happy to have won two races in a row. I hope to continue this winning streak and keep working toward my next goal."
#29 Kiyomin finished second in class, followed by #57 FUJIWARA in third.
Rounds 4 and 5 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan will be held at Fuji Speedway (Shizuoka Prefecture) on July 18–19, 2026. As one of the circuits most familiar to many of the drivers, Fuji is expected to provide fierce competition, with attention turning to whether a new winner can end the current winning streaks in each class.
Weather: Sunny Track Conditions: Dry Air Temperature: 31°C Track Temperature: 43°C (at race start)
