The provisional entry list for the 6 Hours of Fuji has been released featuring 36 cars across the Hypercar, LMP2 and GTE-Am classes, including an absence from Glickenhaus Racing.
The penultimate round of the 2023 World Endurance Championship season will take place at Fuji Speedway on 10 September, with 36 entries expected to participate.
This year, due to the increased number of Hypercar entries, a number of teams will face their debut at the Japanese circuit whilst some teams look to build on last year’s efforts.
Hypercar – 12 entries
Toyota GAZOO Racing retained a strong record at their home circuit with eight wins since the first WEC season in 2012.
Their race last year featured a dominant performance to finish 1-2 after a race absence from Fuji since the 2018-19 Super-Season.
Currently, their #8 GR010 Hybrid leads the championship ahead of their #7 sister car.
For Peugeot, it was just their second race last year at Fuji. They encountered issues regarding reliability, such as gearbox problems, which put them out of podium contention.
Following their maiden podium finish at Monza, they look to add success with their two Peugeot 9X8s.
Glickenhaus Racing are absent from the list, taking the overall entry count to 36. This is in regards to high shipping costs as they face funding challenges for their Hypercar program.
Vanwall lacked the pace to compete against their rivals at Monza, so will be hoping to make up ground and find pace in Japan.
With drivers Esteban Guerrieri, Tristan Vautier, and João Paulo de Oliveira, they plan to redeem themselves as the sole non-hybrid in the competitive Hypercar field.
Porsche Penske Motorsport, and their two customer teams JOTA and Proton Competition, will all debut the Porsche 963 at the circuit.
With all four Porsches, they look to challenge the likes of Toyota for the win.
This year’s Le Mans winners, Ferrari AF Corse, aim to continue their strong debut season with their two 499Ps.
Cadillac’s #2 V-Series.R will make its Asian debut in the hands of Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, and Richard Westbrook.
Photo Copyright: 2023 FIA WEC / FocusPackMedia – Marius Hecker
LMP2 – 11 entries
Two main title protagonists currently emerge as the #41 Team WRT and the #34 Inter Europol Competition, the former team finishing on the podium and the latter winning Le Mans earlier this year.
A list of familiar names continue their 2023 LMP2 campaigns, some having just raced in the 4 Hours of Le Castellet of the ACO’s feeder series, the European Le Mans Series.
The #41 lead the Teams’ Standings on 110 points as the Polish outfit trail on 100.
Alpine, United Autosports, Prema Racing and Team WRT are predominant teams who each run two Oreca 07-Gibsons.
The #22 United sits third in the Teams’ Standings ahead of the #23 United, who are trailed by the #36 Alpine who sit fifth. WRT’s #31 Oreca 07-Gibson is seventh in the order whilst both Premas sit eighth and ninth, and the #35 Alpine in 11th and last in the standings.
LMGTE-Am – 13 entries
The GTE-Am class will make its final appearance in Japan as the LMGT3 formula will replace the outgoing package for 2024, when it will debut at Fuji on 15 September.
Corvette Racing made their first Fuji appearance in last year’s now-defunct GTE-Pro class. Their expertise continues to this year, where they will race their C8.R after winning the Teams’ Championship at Monza.
The #777 D’station Racing outfit will be racing on their home circuit for the second time in their Aston Martin Vantage GTE.
Their Monza race featured an early retirement after the #8 Toyota of Sebastien Buemi made contact into the Ascari Chicane and their #777 hit the barrier and suffered terminal damage into the gravel trap.
Last year the #777 finished on the podium and this year, Casper Stevenson and his two Japanese teammates aim to repeat the feat.
Another notable name include the Iron Dames who are yet to score a podium finish despite showcasing strong qualifying efforts in the hands of Sarah Bovy, partly due to ill timing of safety car and caution periods.
Porsche are most represented in GTE-Am with five 911 RSR GTEs, followed by four Ferrari 488 GTEs, three Aston Martins, and Corvette’s single C8.R.
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