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Suzuka 1000km 2026: JMR Delivers Pro-Am Runner-Up

By snesports.co-admin 4 min read
HH Prince Jefri Ibrahim, HH Prince Abu Bakar, Ben Green
Suzuka 1000km 2026, Japan (Photo/JMR)

Johor Motorsports Racing (JMR) extended its remarkable 2026 podium streak at the Suzuka 1000, with the team's Pro-Am entry crossing the line in second place in class at Round 4 of the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli — the 50th anniversary running of the iconic Japanese endurance classic.

JMR fielded two entries across the six-and-a-half-hour, 184-lap race at the 5.807km Suzuka circuit on Sunday, held in cloudy but dry conditions after a damp start to proceedings.

The #99 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, shared by team owner His Highness Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, Tunku Panglima of Johor (HH Prince Jefri Ibrahim), his brother HH Tunku Abu Bakar Al-Haj Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, Tunku Putera of Johor (HH Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim), and Pro driver Ben Green, put in a composed and consistent run to secure the class runner-up spot.

Having qualified third in class the previous evening, Prince Jefri Ibrahim took the opening stint on a greasy Suzuka circuit. Early jockeying for position saw the car slip as low as fifth, before a strong stint from Green hauled the Corvette up to second in class before the halfway mark. From there, the trio focused on holding position and avoiding mistakes, ultimately bringing the car home in P2 in Pro-Am and 12th overall after covering 180 of the race's 184 laps, four laps down on the outright winner, with a best lap of 2:00.708. The result also secured third place in the Independent Cup standings for the crew.

JMR's second entry, the #2 Corvette Z06 GT3.R driven by Scott McLaughlin, Nicky Catsburg and Alexander Sims, was aiming to repeat the team's 2025 podium finish at Suzuka. Starting from eighth on the grid, the trio produced strong early pace and slick pit-stop work to climb into the top three and establish themselves as genuine front-runners for the remainder of the race.

Despite running among the leaders deep into the event, the all-important podium slipped away during the final hour of darkness, with the car eventually crossing the line fourth overall and in the Pro class — completing the full 184 laps just 1:07.503 behind the race winner, and setting a best lap of 2:00.618.

The Suzuka result adds another high point to what has been a breakout year for Johor Motorsports Racing. The team has claimed a top-three finish at the Bathurst 12 Hour, a runner-up result at the 50th anniversary Suzuka 1000, a standout victory at the 24 Hours of Spa, and a successful finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on its debut appearance at the French classic.

HH Prince Jefri Ibrahim reflected on a satisfying if bittersweet weekend: "Achieving P2 in the class was great and I'm incredibly proud of the whole team, but now I want to come back next year and win – we have unfinished business here! Our Pro team was very close as well, but finished just off the podium. It's not the result we wanted, but we're here to learn and I'm sure we'll come back stronger in the future." He added: "I'm incredibly proud to race alongside my brother this year, achieve multiple podiums and win the 24 Hours of Spa. He's grown as a great driver and I'm hoping we can do more in the future."

HH Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim highlighted the progress made since last year's result at the same event: "Last year we finished third here, and to go one better, to second, at the 50th anniversary of the Suzuka 1000 is an amazing achievement for the team. In 2026 we achieved a podium or a win at every Intercontinental GT Challenge event we entered."

Ben Green, making his Suzuka debut, was pleased with how the car improved as the race wore on: "It was great to finish second in the Pro-Am class and come close to the top step of the podium. Our Corvette was fantastic all race, and it just got faster and faster as the event went on. This has been a year of iconic tracks – Bathurst, Le Mans, Spa and Suzuka – and we've had podiums at almost every race."

Race Classification (Top 5 Overall & JMR Entries)

  • 1. Alessio Picariello / Laurin Heinrich / Julien Andlauer — AO by Absolute Racing (USA) — Porsche 911 GT3 R — 184 laps, 6:31:18.239
  • 2. Christopher Mies / Dennis Olsen / Frédéric — Miedecke Motorsport By Team MPC (AUS) — Ford Mustang GT3 EVO — +51.416
  • 3. Ayhancan Güven / Alessandro Ghiretti / Dorian Boccolacci — Absolute Racing (HKG) — Porsche 911 GT3 R — +59.979
  • 4. Alexander Sims / Scott McLaughlin / Nicky Catsburg — Johor Motorsports Racing – JMR (MYS) — Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R — +1:07.503
  • 5. Maxime Martin / Kakunoshin Ohta / Luca Stolz — Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing (HKG) — Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO — 1 lap down
  • 12. Prince Jefri Ibrahim / Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim / Ben Green — Johor Motorsports Racing – JMR (MYS) — Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R — 180 laps, +4 laps (2nd in Pro-Am class)

Credit Photo : JMR

JMR