Suzuka 1000km (1966–1973, 1980–2017) The Suzuka 1000km was first held as a standalone event on 26 June 1966. It was one of three long-distance endurance races held at Suzuka Circuit during the 1960s, alongside the Suzuka 500km and Suzuka 12 Hours. The race went on hiatus from 1974 until 1979 as a consequence of the
1970s energy crisis, but returned in 1980 as a non-championship endurance race, and was held in the fourth weekend of August for the first time. With the exception of the 1989 race that was delayed to December due to inclement weather, the Suzuka 1000km would continue to take place in the third or fourth weekend of August every year through 2019. On 12 August 2005, it was announced that the race would become part of the newly-renamed Autobacs
Super GT Series championship, beginning in 2006. Upon its inclusion, the Suzuka 1000km became the longest and most prestigious event on the Super GT calendar during this time period, and also paid the most championship points of any round on the calendar. The Suzuka 10 Hours became part of the
Intercontinental GT Challenge championship in 2018, replacing the
Sepang 12 Hours as the series' Asian round. The reformatted event attracted top teams and drivers from international GT3 racing, as well as teams from Super GT and Super Taikyu, by offering a prize purse with the overall winner receiving .
Hiatus and return The 2020 Suzuka 10 Hours, which had originally been scheduled for 23 August, was one of numerous motorsports events that were cancelled in the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions enacted in Japan during this time. The race was set to return on 22 August 2021, but with strict travel restrictions still in place during the pandemic, the 2021 race was also cancelled. In
2022 and
2023, Suzuka's place as the Asian round on the Intercontinental GT Challenge calendar was taken by the
Gulf 12 Hours at
Yas Marina Circuit. During the 2024 SRO press conference at
Spa-Francorchamps, Stephane Ratel announced that the Suzuka 1000km would return to the Intercontinental GT Challenge in
2025. The date was officially confirmed by
Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), with the event taking place on 14 September. The event would allow entries from
GT300 teams to use GTA-GT300 spec cars, after an agreement between SRO and the GT Association (GTA) was reached in late 2024. Despite the title, the revived Suzuka 1000km would be a timed event with a six-hour, 30-minute duration, in order to allow the field of GT3 cars to reach 1000 kilometres. ==Winners==