@Subaru: 2026 SUBARU Motorsport Activities000365

2026 SUBARU Motorsport Activities

Tokyo, January 9, 2026 — Subaru Corporation and its motorsport subsidiary Subaru Tecnica International Inc. (STI)^*1 announced an overview of motorsport activities for 2026.

SUBARU BRZ GT300*2	SUBARU WRX NBR CHALLENGE 2026

SUPER GT Series
Subaru/STI will continue to compete in the GT300 class of the SUPER GT Series with the SUBARU BRZ GT300 race car. Since switching to the Subaru BRZ in 2012, this marks the 15th consecutive season of participation. The Team General Manager will be Masahiro Ozawa, team operations will be managed by R&D SPORT^*3, and Minoru Sawada from R&D SPORT will serve as Team Manager. Takuto Iguchi and Hideki Yamauchi will be driving for the team, with Shunji Okumoto as the reserve driver.
The SUBARU BRZ GT300 will be equipped with a newly developed 3.0L horizontally opposed 6-cylinder twin-turbo engine, replacing the long-serving EJ20 engine that concluded its run in 2025. The increased engine displacement and cylinder count enhance the engine performance, while further refining the Subaru BRZ’s renowned cornering capabilities to elevate competitiveness.
For 2026 season, Subaru will pursue further enhancements in speed, with the aim of winning the season championship.

Nürburgring 24-Hour Race
Subaru/STI will compete in the SP4T^*4 class at the 54th Nürburgring 24-Hour Race (Germany, May 14-17). The Team General Manager will be Masuo Takatsu, with Takuya Sawada as Team Manager, Naoki Shibuya as Technical Director, Ryuta Miyazawa as Chief Engineer, and Wataru Kikuchi as Chief Power Unit Engineer. Carlo van Dam (Netherlands), Kota Sasaki (Japan), Takuto Iguchi (Japan), and Rintaro Kubo (Japan) will be driving for the team.
The SUBARU WRX NBR CHALLENGE 2026 has increased its maximum output by 6.5% compared to last season. Also, the race car adopts enhanced ABS control unit to improve handling stability, as well as new aero mirrors to enhance cornering performance. Subaru aims to finish at the top, not only in the SP4T class but also including the higher-tier SP8T class.

Japanese Rally Championship
As similar to last year, Subaru/STI will be supporting on team operation and car development of SUBARU TEAM ARAI which will participate the race with driver Arai Toshihiro. Moreover, in pursuit of a return to the podium, Subaru/STI is undertaking the development of a markedly enhanced machine, scheduled for introduction during the season.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GR86/BRZ Cup
Subaru/STI will cooperate with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and support the event operations for the 2026 season. Also, STI will dispatch its technical service team and provide technical support for the Subaru BRZ Cup Car Basic drivers at TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GR86/BRZ Cup race.

Super Taikyu Series
Subaru will continue to participate in the Super Taikyu Series ST-Q class of the 2026 season, with the aim of developing human resources and advancing technology. The team will be led by Masahito Motoi as Team Representative, with Susumu Ito as both Team Manager and Chief Engineer. The driver lineup includes Takuto Iguchi, Hideki Yamauchi, and Subaru employee drivers.
The new race car making its debut this season has been produced based on the same philosophy as the Performance-B STI concept showcased at the Japan Mobility Show 2025—creating vehicles that offer more accessible driving enjoyment by combining existing Subaru assets. By thoroughly refining this machine in the racing environment, Subaru will continue to apply the knowledge gained to future vehicle and parts development, further enhancing the unique driving enjoyment that only Subaru can offer.
The power unit is an FA24 direct-injection turbocharged horizontally opposed engine, which aims to increase output while achieving cleaner and more efficient combustion, with a strong focus on improving environmental performance. The race car will continue to use ENEOS “Low-Carbon Gasoline (E20)” as its fuel. In the chassis, the suspension has been optimized with consideration for its layout, and the body has been designed based on rigidity analysis to achieve a machine with more ideal vehicle dynamics. Also, Subaru has further strengthened collaboration with its aerospace and aerodynamic teams, adopting recycled carbon materials while pursuing further aerodynamic improvements.

All-new race car for Super Taikyu Series 2026

Participation of Service Technicians of Subaru dealerships
Subaru has had service technicians from Subaru dealerships around Japan participate in motorsport races since 1990, a unique initiative aimed at delivering “Enjoyment and Peace of Mind” to customers by enhancing the technical skills of its service technicians. In 2026, service technicians will join the teams to support the races in the Nürburgring 24-Hour Race, the Japanese Rally Championship, and the GR86/BRZ Cup.

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