D’station Racing has announced that Tomonobu Fujii and Aston Martin Racing works driver Marco Sørensen will drive for the team in its return to the Autobacs SUPER GT Series GT300 class in 2024.
They will compete with the new Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo which makes its world debut in 2024. D’station has also partnered with Dunlop (Sumitomo Rubber) as its tyre supplier for the upcoming season, a tyre brand which has won three GT300 championships, most recently in 2021.
“With the acquisition of an independent team entry, we will be able to compete in SUPER GT and we would like to express our deepest gratitude to the GTA and all those involved,” said Satoshi Hoshino, owner, founder, and gentleman driver of D’station Racing. “It is very important, not only for our team, but also for NEXUS Group to compete in the most popular series in Japan as D’station Racing.
“As a team, we will continue to work together to further invigorate motorsports in Japan. With the latest Aston Martin GT3, our tyre partner Dunlop, and two experienced drivers, Fujii and Marco, we will aim to win races and fight for the series championship.”
It will mark D’station Racing’s return to SUPER GT for the first time in four years. They had introduced the second-generation Vantage GT3 to Japan in 2019, but after a difficult season, the team had to file a joint entry with Pacific Racing Team in 2020.
Returning with them is Fujii, a veteran of 16 seasons in GT300, and the 2012 championship runner-up.
Fujii has been with D’station Racing for the last seven years as both a driver and team managing director, in multiple categories including the FIA World Endurance Championship, Asian Le Mans Series, and GT World Challenge Asia. Fujii won the 2021 Super Taikyu Series ST-X (GT3) title with D’station in the previous-spec Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3.
“We will be entering SUPER GT for the first time in a while. We will race in the latest Aston Martin GT3, which I tested in England and it has great potential as it is an update to a machine that was already highly reliable,” Fujii remarked. “Marco and I were rivals in the same pit garage in the 2022 WEC season and I am happy to be able to compete alongside a great driver like him. With D’station Racing, Aston Martin Racing, and Dunlop, we will do our best to bring more excitement to SUPER GT.”
Sørensen, 33, will embark on a dual campaign in WEC and SUPER GT with D’station Racing and make his debut in the Japanese series. The Danish driver’s glowing CV includes class victories at the Daytona and Le Mans 24 Hour races, and three FIA World Endurance Championship titles in GTE competition.
“For me, to compete in SUPER GT is a dream come true,” said Sørensen. “I love Japan. I have competed in races all over the world, but I cannot wait for this new challenge in Japan.
“The new GT3 has made a definitive step in performance. I am looking forward to racing with Fujii-san who is experienced in SUPER GT and the D’station Racing staff to get the results they deserve. I am sure we can do great things together. Race fans in Japan always give me a warm welcome as well so I am looking forward to the first race in Okayama.”
He’ll be the first Aston Martin Racing factory driver to suit up for D’station Racing since Darren Turner ran for the team at the 2019 Fuji 500 Mile Race. Fellow AMR driver Nicki Thiim was contracted to drive in 2020 but had to abort a planned GT300 campaign due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kazuhiro Sasaki, D’station Racing’s general manager and Hall of Fame baseball pitcher, will continue in his role as Team Principal. “Since becoming the Team Principal in 2017, over the last seven years, we have competed not only in Japan, but expanded our program to competing in Asia, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the FIA World Endurance Championship,” Sasaki said.
“I have been to many races myself, but the allure of motorsports is very special. SUPER GT in particular is the pinnacle of this, a dramatic racing series where high-level teams and professional drivers battle against each other. It won’t be easy to win, but our team will always fight for victory. Personally, I am also looking forward to returning to the SUPER GT paddock.”
Adam Carter, Head of Endurance Motorsport for Aston Martin, remarked: “We are delighted to see our partner team D’station Racing bring the Aston Martin wings back to the Japanese Super GT Championship. D’station Racing has achieved more domestic success in Japan with Aston Martin than any other team, so we are proud to see them choose the new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 to make their return to the GT300 class of Japan’s most prestigious GT series.
“The new Vantage GT car is a clear step forward in performance, and with a strong driver line-up such as the team will have in Tomonobu-san and Marco, we’re excited to see what can be achieved in such a significant racing series.”
Driver images © Drew Gibson / Aston Martin
