Round 1 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan at Suzuka Circuit delivered a shortened but decisive opening to the season, with a red flag bringing the race to an early conclusion after just three laps and half points awarded.
In qualifying, Robert de Haan set the benchmark, securing pole position ahead of teammate Taichi Watarai to lock out the front row for seven x seven Racing. Tsubasa Kondo completed the top three, maintaining a strong presence for kyouei racing. The Pro category mirrored the overall order, while the ProAm and Am classes saw Hiro (NGR) and Henry Kwong (Bergwerk with MORETHAN Racing) lead their respective fields heading into the race.
The race itself was cut short following a heavy incident, with results declared based on the order after three racing laps. De Haan maintained his advantage off the line to secure victory in the shortened race, with Watarai finishing second to complete a dominant one-two for seven x seven Racing. Dylan Pereira capitalised on the early stages to claim third overall and in the Pro class.
In ProAm, Tiger Wu’s track position during the opening laps led to the class win, ahead of Hiro and Masa Taga. The Am category remained unchanged from qualifying, with Henry Kwong securing victory, followed by Eric Kwong and Ikeda.
Despite the limited running, the opening round provided a clear indication of early-season pace across categories, with de Haan and seven x seven Racing establishing themselves as the benchmark heading into the next round.
