2026 D1 Grand Prix series

The 2026 D1 Grand Prix series is a planned professional drifting competition. The competition is organised by Sunpros under Japanese Automobile Federation (JAF) Semi national competition format and recognise as Japan Drift Championship. The championship is planned to be contested over 10 rounds starting at Aichi Sky Expo on 24th of March 2026.

Hideyuki Fujino is the defending champion.[1]

Schedule

Provisional schedule was released following the final round of 2025 season. Aichi Sky Expo in Nagoya will host the opening two rounds of the season. The venue is located near Centrair which have previously held D1GP round back in 2013. In turns, Okuibuki Motorpark will not held any round for the first time since 2019. The rest of the calendar will be held at same weekend as previous year.[2]

Round Venue Date
1 Aichi Prefecture Aichi Sky Expo, Aichi Prefecture 9 May
2 10 May
3 Ibaraki Prefecture Tsukuba Circuit, Ibaraki Prefecture 27 June
4 28 June
5 Fukushima Prefecture Ebisu Circuit, Fukushima Prefecture 26 September
6 27 September
7 Ōita Prefecture Autopolis, Oita Prefecture 24 October
8 25 October
9 TBA TBA
10 TBA

Teams and drivers

Teams No Drivers Machine Tires Round
TBA 2 JapanSeimi Tanaka Nissan Silvia (S15) Shibatire TBC
URAS Racing 3 JapanKeiichi Nomura Nissan Skyline (R34) Dunlop TBC
RE Amemiya 7 JapanYukio Matsui Mazda RX-7 (FD3S) TBA TBC
VEHIQL RACING 8 JapanTakuya Inaoka Nissan 180SX (RPS13) TBA TBC
Shibata Racing Team 31 Japan Koudai Sobagiri Toyota GR86 (ZN8) Shibatire TBC
CUSCO Racing 32 JapanKuoji Tada Toyota GR86 (ZN8) Yokohama TBC
TBA JapanYoshitatsu Kaneda Toyota GR Yaris (GXPA16) TBC
広島トヨタ team マッハ＆DRoo-P 33 Japan Junya Ishikawa Toyota GR86 (ZN8) Dunlop TBC
55 Japan Kazuya Matsukawa Toyota Sprinter Trueno (AE85) TBC
Team miyaseimitsu 38 JapanHisashi Saito Nissan Silvia (S15) TBA TBC
TBA 47 Japan Hisato Yonai Nissan 180SX (RPS13) TBA TBC
Team Toyo Tires Drift 66 JapanHideyuki Fujino Toyota GR86 (ZN8) Toyo Tires TBC
80 JapanYuki Tano Toyota GR86 (ZN8) TBC
14 JapanShiina Tamaki Toyota GT86 (ZN6) TBC
MCR Factory 70 JapanMasashi Yokoi Nissan Silvia (S14) TBA TBC
Drift Star Racing 75 JapanYumeto Hatanaka Toyota Chaser (JZX100) Drift Star TBC
76 JapanRyu Nakamura Nissan Silvia (S13) TBC
Team D-Max Racing 79 Japan Kojiro Mekuwa Nissan Silvia (S15) Valino TBC
81 Japan Kenshiro Wada TBC
俺だっ！Racing 90 JapanMaopo Yamanaka Toyota GR Supra (J29/DB) Valino TBC
Team Valino Works 99 JapanNaoki Nakamura Toyota GR86 (ZN8) Valino TBC
TBA Japan Sayaka Shimoda TBC
TBA TBA Japan Kazutaka Yanagi TBA TBA TBC
TBA TBA JapanDaiki Nishiyama TBA TBA TBC

Changes

  • Masashi Yokoi leave D-Max Racing Team at the end of the 2025 season and planned to compete with his own Nissan Silvia S14 he entered World Time Attack Challenge Drift class with. Kojiro Mekuwa transferred from G-Meister to replace him.[3][4][5]
  • D-Max changed tire supplier from Toyo Tires to Valino.
  • Shibata Racing Team downscale to one car with Koudai Sobagiri and not renewed Tetsuya Hibino's contract.[6][7]
  • D1 Lights runner-up, Kazutaka Yanagi announced he will stepping up to D1GP.[8]
  • Sayaka Shimoda returns to the series after 2 year away. She joined Naoki Nakamura on Valino's works team and driving a Toyota GR86.[9]
  • Ryu Nakamura joined Drift Star works team replacing Masakazu Doi.[10]
  • 2023 D1 Lights champion, Hisato Yonai returns to the series after a year off away. He will drive the same Nissan 180SX he previously use in 2024.[11]
  • Daiki Nishiyama will step up from D1 Lights.
  • Cusco moved Yoshitatsu Kaneda and his Toyota GR Yaris from their Formula Drift Japan line-up to replace Atsuki Hoshi and his GR Corolla respectively. Kaneda will make his first D1GP appearance since 2018 with his GR Yaris being the first example to compete in the series.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Congratulations to Hide Fujino — 2025 D1GP Series Champion!The true potential of the 2JZ has been unleashed. TOMEIUSA/RSE engine components prove their performance with real results. – TOMEI –The Engine Specialist–". www.tomeiusa.com. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  2. ^ "競技会カレンダー". モータースポーツトップ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-01-21.
  3. ^ "大盛況に終わった東京オートサロン2025でのD1GPキックオフドリフトでD-MAXが重大発表 | ドリフト". autosport web (in Japanese). 2025-01-17. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  4. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
  5. ^ D1GP MOVIE CHANNEL (2026-01-10). オートサロン2026 D1GP KICK OFF DRIFT【日】. Retrieved 2026-01-11 – via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "『【コラム】今年のレーシングチームの体制発表！』". ⚡️しばちゃん⚡ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  7. ^ "日比野哲也選手とのD1ドライバー契約終了に関するお知らせ | ニュースリリース". SHIBATA 柴田自動車株式会社 (in Japanese). 2025-11-25. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  8. ^ Yanagi, Kazutaka (2025-11-25). "2026 D1GP Participation announcement". X.
  9. ^ "女性プロドリフト選手の下田紗弥加がD1GP復帰！ 2026年の愛機"サヤカブルーGR86"もお披露目 | ドリフト". autosport web (in Japanese). 2026-01-20. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
  10. ^ Drift Station (2026-01-09). "Ryu Nakamura joined Drift Star".
  11. ^ Yonai, Hisato (2025-12-25). "2026 Participation announcement".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ "CUSCO Racing 2026年モータースポーツ活動計画|CUSCO ウェブサイト". www.cusco.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-02-12.

D1 Grand Prix Official Website

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