Maezawa Racing confirms Japan Cup debut at Okayama

Maezawa Racing will make its SRO Motorsports Group Asia return at Okayama later this month when team owner Yusaku Maezawa joins forces with Naoki Yokomizo to contest both Japan Cup races.

The squad and Yokomizo won on their last Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS outing at the circuit 12 months ago. And the same Ferrari 488 GT3 is now heading back to the venue for Japan Cup’s season finale on August 23-25.

Maezawa is one of Japan’s most famous entrepreneurs who rose to global prominence when he spent 12 days onboard the International Space Station in late 2021. His various projects include Maezawa Racing, which contested several Fanatec GT Asia events last year before Maezawa himself began competing at the start of 2024. He has since raced in Ferrari Challenge Japan – ideal preparation for the 488 GT3 he will use for the first time competitively at Okayama.

Yokomizo, meanwhile, is Maezawa’s driver coach who was also instrumental in helping to establish the team. He has won at Okayama for the past two years, first with Yogibo Racing’s Ferrari before claiming the famous victory alongside Piti Bhirombhakdi in Race 2 last season.

Their entry is not eligible to score points at Okayama where the 2024 Japan Cup season concludes. Fanatec GT Asia also stages the penultimate two races of its campaign on the same weekend.