On November 2-3, round 8 of SUPER GT was held at Mobility Resort Motegi in Tochigi Prefecture. Like the 6th round at Sugo and the 7th round at Autopolis, the qualifier also faced poor weather on Saturday the 2nd. During official practice, with heavy rain multiple cars went off the track, leading to red flag interruptions and even temporary evacuation for the spectators—casting doubt on whether the qualifying session could proceed.

Despite the rain delays, in the afternoon the official qualifying was held, which used a system combining Q1 and Q2 results. Tsukakoshi took on Q1, aggressively pushing the machine but finishing 13th, while Ota finished Q2 in 9th. As a result, the Astemo Civic Type R-GT secured the 12th position, setting the stage for a comeback in the next day’s final race.

On the following final race day, the circuit was blessed with clear blue skies. Over 1,000 Astemo employees and their families came to support the team, dyeing the cheering stands red as they eagerly anticipating the race start.

At 1:00 pm, the final 300-km race (63 laps) began. Starting driver Ota finished the opening lap in 12th place, but on the 6th lap, he was overtaken by #24 Realize Corporation ADVAN Z, dropping to 13th. On lap 12, #37 Deloitte TOM'S GR Supra pitted due to machine trouble, enabling him to move back up to 12th place. From the 22nd lap, the GT500 class began to enter the pits, with the Astemo Civic Type R-GT pitting on lap 24.
The driver changed to Tsukakoshi, and with a swift tire change and refueling, he gained three positions, rejoining the race in 9th. Tsukakoshi continued to aggressively push toward the top, running at a pace comparable to the leading group by around the 30th lap, but struggled to break away from the pack.
As the race approached its final stages, during a last-minute push on the 53rd lap, his car #17 machine entered a corner side-by-side with #3 Niterra MOTUL Z. He got sandwiched between a GT300 car ahead and car #3, resulting in contact with the GT300 car. Tsukakoshi managed to limp the car back to the pit, but due to significant damage it could not return to the track, resulting in a 14th place finish.

The next race—the final round of the 2024 season—will be held on December 7-8. With no weight handicap, the team aims for a podium finish amidst the fierce competition at Suzuka.
We appreciate your continued support for Astemo REAL RACING until the end.