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Japanese Super GT organisers have moved its Autopolis round to avoid a clash with the World Endurance Championship’s Fuji race, which was shifted to accommodate Fernando Alonso.
The WEC moved its Japanese race so Formula 1 star Alonso could race with Toyota as part of his LMP1 programme, but that has created a clash with the Petit Le Mans IMSA SportsCar Championship race and also Super GT.
This would have affected two other Toyota LMP1 drivers, as Kamui Kobayashi and Kazuki Nakajima both have Super GT programmes this season.
Super GT has now decided to push the Autopolis race back to the weekend of October 19-21.
It was originally moved forward a week when the previous draft of the WEC calendar created a similar clash.
“As per the contract priority given to F1, Alonso was supposed to miss the clashing WEC race,” a statement shared by Team LeMans chief Juichi Wakisaka read.
“However, WEC chiefs wanted Alonso to race in Fuji and moved the race to October 13-14, creating a new clash with Autopolis Super GT round.
“As a result, Super GT organiser GTA, Autopolis chiefs and other representatives have together decided to move the race by a week.”
The date change is subject to approval by Japanese motorsport federation JAF and further ratification by the FIA.