2016 Super GT Series


Image:No.39 DENSO KOBELCO SARD RC F at 2016 International Suzuka 1000km.jpg|thumb|250px|2016 GT500 champions, #39 Denso Kobelco SARD Lexus RC F.
Image:No.25 VivaC 86 MC at 2016 International Suzuka 1000km.jpg|thumb|250px|2016 GT300 champions, #25 VivaC Team Tsuchiya Toyota 86 MC.
The 2016 Autobacs Super GT Series was the twenty-fourth season of the Japan Automobile Federation Super GT Championship including the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship era, and the twelfth season under the name Super GT. It was the thirty-fourth overall season of a national JAF sportscar championship dating back to the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship. The season began on April 10 and ended on November 13, after 8 races.

Schedule

RoundRaceCircuitDate
1Okayama GT
300 km

Calendar changes

  • The Super GT in Kyushu 300km at Autopolis was scheduled for May 22nd as the third round of the season but was subsequently cancelled in the aftermath of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. On May 20, series organizers announced that the final weekend at Twin Ring Motegi would host two 250 kilometer races, with the race on Saturday being promoted as "Round 3" of the championship as it replaces the Autopolis race.
  • The SUGO GT 300km was brought forward to July from its previous date in September.
  • The overseas round at Buriram, Thailand was moved from its 2015 date of June to October. The series first visited the circuit in October 2014.

Driver changes

Vehicle changes

Driver Changes

GT500

Toyota:
  • * Petrochemical company WAKO's replaced Eneos as the title sponsor of Team Le Mans. Andrea Caldarelli switched from the KeePer TOM's team to the Wako's LeMans team.
  • * Three-time GT500 champion Juichi Wakisaka announced his retirement from racing at the Toyota Gazoo Racing press conference on February 4. He will stay in the series as the team principal of Lexus Team Wako's LeMans. Yuji Kunimoto moved over from Team LeMans to drive for the WedsSport BANDOH team fill the seat from Wakisaka.
  • * Two-time and defending 1000 km Suzuka winner James Rossiter switched from the Petronas TOM's team to the KeePer TOM's team. Reigning Japanese Formula 3 champion Nick Cassidy joined the number 36 TOM's team. He was the first driver from New Zealand to race in the series since Mark Porter in 1998. Au replaced Petronas as the title sponsor of the number 36 TOM'S RC-F.Honda:
  • * Takashi Kogure and Hideki Mutoh swapped seats within the Honda fleet. Mutoh moved to Drago Modulo Honda Racing alongside Oliver Turvey, while Kogure joined Koudai Tsukakoshi at Keihin Real Racing.Nissan:
  • * Katsumasa Chiyo stepped up to the GT500 class for 2016 driving for MOLA, after helping GAINER secure their first GT300 championship last season.
  • * Masataka Yanagida moved from MOLA to Kondo Racing, his third different team in four seasons.
  • * Forum Engineering took over from D'Station as the title sponsor of Kondo Racing. Former GT500 champion Michael Krumm had no plans to race in Super GT in 2016 after competing for Kondo Racing last season.

GT300

Mid-season changes

Results

RoundCircuitDateClassPole positionRace winner
1

Championship standings

;Scoring system
Position1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10thPole
Points20151186543211
Suzuka251813108654321