Last week, Bingo Racing announced that it will return to GT World Challenge Asia in 2024, taking part in the full four-race Fanatec Japan Cup. Team owner Shinji Takei will drive the team’s Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R, and for the opening round of the 2024 Japan Cup at Sportsland Sugo, Toyota Gazoo Racing works driver Ukyo Sasahara will join the team.
Bingo Racing confirmed its initial plans to participate in the Japan Cup on 28 December. Last season, Bingo Racing attracted a lot of attention as the only team in GT World Challenge Asia using a Callaway Corvette – one of only two remaining in active SRO competition.
The Bingo Corvette entered the June races at Fuji Speedway last year as a planned one-off entry. In Race 1, Takei and Japanese racing legend Akira Iida made history when they won the race overall. It was the C7 GT3-R’s first-ever victory in any SRO-promoted series. What’s more, it was an Am class entry that had taken down more established teams with newer cars and younger, big-name drivers from overseas.
However, in Race 2 the following day, Iida suffered a violent crash at TGR Corner, bringing an abrupt end to the team’s fairy-tale weekend. The accident left many to fear that the car would never race again, but the chassis was successfully repaired and the C7 GT3-R is once again able to participate in GT World Challenge Asia.
Takei returns to drive for the full 2024 season, now competing in the Pro-Am class. Sasahara, who drives for Toyota Team TOM’S in the SUPER GT Series and Super Formula Championships, will run the first Japan Cup-exclusive weekend at Sugo. Takei’s co-driver(s) for the remaining three rounds will be announced at a later date.
“I would like to participate in and finish all the Japan Cup races, and ultimately aim to be the champion,” said Takei. “I hope I never fly again!” he laughed.
“It may be difficult because Sasahara can only participate in one race, but we are also preparing a collaboration that will be fun and enjoyable. We will run a popular team that will make everyone cheerful and energetic, and something that will make the fans happy. We aim to be the champions.”
Sasahara, who appeared at last year’s Fuji race as the manager of Bingo Racing, added: “I am very excited to be able to race with Shinji Takei and everyone at Bingo Racing.
“Due to scheduling reasons, I can only participate in one round. But I will do my best to make as many fans happy as possible, so please come to the circuit! Thank you for your support.”
It won’t be the first time that Sasahara will have driven this Corvette, either. In November 2019, Takei and Sasahara entered the ‘GT300 Sprint Cup’ support races during the inaugural SUPER GT x DTM Dream Race at Fuji Speedway.
Not long after two strong performances in those races, plus championship titles in the Formula Regional Asian Championship and Porsche Carrera Cup Japan, Sasahara joined Honda as a factory GT500 and Super Formula driver in 2020. He transferred to Toyota Gazoo Racing and TOM’S in 2023.
Additionally, ABSSA Motorsport announced in late January that it would return to the Japan Cup, moving from GT3 to GT4 with a Mercedes-AMG GT4. Satoru Katayama, Yasuto Fukui, and Takashi Toyoda will share driving duties during the season.
