Three months after a crash at Autopolis wrote off their Mercedes-AMG GT3, ended their 2021 Super GT season, and threatened their future in the series, pro-am GT300 team R’Qs Motor Sports have confirmed their entry into the 2022 Autobacs Super GT Series.
R’Qs made their announcement on Saturday following a test at Suzuka Circuit. The driver lineup remains unchanged, consisting of owner/driver Hisashi Wada and team mate Masaki Jyonai. This will be their 13th consecutive season as a driver pairing, going back to R’Qs Motor Sports’ first season in 2010. They will also be the oldest lineup in the GT300 field, with both Wada and Jyonai turning 60 during the upcoming season.
During their Super GT tenure, R’Qs Motor Sports have only finished in the top ten three times, with their last points-paying finish coming at Sportsland Sugo in 2015. Their best finish in five races last season was 20th in the opening round at Okayama.
A heavy shunt for Wada during the sixth round at Autopolis took them out of the remainder of the season, and there were concerns that they would not return for 2022. But thanks to the support of their personal sponsors, and a big assist from fellow Mercedes-AMG privateers Arnage Racing, R’Qs will be back to compete next season.
Arnage Racing brought their number 50 Mercedes-AMG GT3 to a private test at Suzuka on Saturday. Over the course of the test, the number plates were changed from 50 to R’Qs number 22. It is now known that Arnage have sold their own Mercedes – affectionately nicknamed “Princess” by their supporters – to R’Qs in order to help ensure that they would continue to race. Arnage Racing will continue to provide vehicle maintenance to R’Qs as they have done last season.
The newly rechristened #22 R’Qs AMG GT3 tested at Suzuka in bare carbon, but the team stated in a post on their Facebook page that they will have a new livery for the upcoming season.
As for Arnage Racing themselves, speculation is already ramping up that they will enter with a new car. An official announcement will be made in the coming days.
