The 4.563-kilometre, 16-turn Fuji Speedway layout – beloved by drivers and fans alike – may be the second-shortest lap on the FIA World Endurance Championship calendar, but its 1.475km main straight is one of the longest in the world, enabling drivers to reach eye-watering speeds in excess of 330kph.

The iconic Japanese circuit has featured on the FIA WEC schedule on 12 occasions since the championship’s inception in 2012, making it the series’ fourth most-visited venue.

Underscoring its unpredictability, last year’s race was the first ever in which no class-winner started from the front three rows of the grid, while no pole-sitter in either 2024 or 2025 proceeded to finish on the podium.

TIGHT AT THE TOP
Five rounds in, with Toyota and BMW failing to score big points last time out in Austin – and defending title-holder Ferrari triumphing in Texas – an intriguing three-way fight is developing for the coveted FIA World Championship crown.

Having been cruelly denied a victory at Circuit of The Americas by a hydraulic issue barely ten minutes from the end, Toyota will be feeling particularly fired-up to bounce back on home soil – around a track it has owned for the past quarter-of-a-century. The Japanese automotive giant boasts no fewer than nine previous wins at Fuji – equating to an extraordinary 75 per cent strike rate – but the most recent of those successes now dates back to 2023.

Encouragingly for the marque, every new Toyota has won its first race at the circuit – the TS030 Hybrid in 2012, the TS040 Hybrid in 2014, the TS050 Hybrid in 2016 and the GR010 Hybrid in 2022. With the TR010 Hybrid – which has already conquered the top step of the rostrum at Imola and Le Mans during its maiden campaign of competition – it will be aiming to extend that trend.

The Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries trio will go into the weekend still tied on points at the top of the Drivers’ classification with BMW duo Robin Frijns and René Rast. Toyota is in possession of a slender nine-point advantage over its Bavarian rival at the summit of the Manufacturers’ standings.

The M Hybrid V8 struggled for speed at COTA, having won earlier in the season in Belgium and Brazil, but Fuji has been a happy hunting-ground for the German manufacturer, qualifying third and finishing second in its maiden appearance there in 2024 – a result that represented BMW’s breakthrough podium in the championship’s top tier.

Following its runner-up finish in São Paulo and its Texan success, reigning FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Champion Ferrari has hauled itself back into the mix, but the 499P Hypercar has yet to reach the rostrum in three trips to Japan – making this the only current venue at which the model has not cracked the top three.

Cadillac has been the brand to beat in Hyperpole at Fuji since 2024, although the JOTA-run effort will be without Alex Lynn, the man who secured those two pole positions. Fellow #12 driver Will Stevens is the current race lap record-holder from last year.

Last year Alpine prevailed in FIA WEC’s landmark 100th event, boldly rolling the dice to add to the podium finishes achieved in its two prior Hypercar outings at the track – more than any other active manufacturer aside from Toyota.

HAPPY HUNTING GROUND FOR LMGT3 FRONTRUNNERS
The LMGT3 title fight heads to Fuji with the top two crews in the standings both boasting strong records at the Japanese circuit. Championship leaders TF Sport and its #33 Corvette crew of Jonny Edgar, Nicky Catsburg and Ben Keating arrive at a venue where the team has claimed victory on three occasions, including last season.

Their closest rivals, the #21 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari trio of Alessio Rovera, Simon Mann and François Hériau, narrowly missed out on top honours in 2025 after crossing the finish line first before a post-race penalty relegated them to second place.

The #92 Manthey Porsche crew of Richard Lietz, Riccardo Pera and Yasser Shahin completes the top three in the standings heading into the weekend.

6 HOURS OF FUJI AT A GLANCE
The on-track sessions will begin with free practice on Friday, 25 September. Qualifying – and the Hyperpole top ten shootout – starts at 14:00 local time (GMT+9) on Saturday, 26 September, with the six-hour race getting underway at 11:00 local time (GMT+9) on Sunday, 27 September.

For all the key information on the 6 Hours of Fuji, including the full event timetable and entry list, click here.

CURRENT STANDINGS

FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers' Championship
1. Robin Frijns/René Rast – 75pts.
2. Mike Conway/Nyck de Vries/Kamui Kobayashi – 75pts.
3. Sheldon van der Linde – 65pts.

FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers' Championship
1. Toyota – 140pts.
2. BMW – 131pts.
3. Ferrari – 114pts.

MOST-RECENT WINNERS
2025 #35 Alpine A424; Paul-Loup Chatin/Ferdinand Habsburg/Charles Milesi
2024 #6 Porsche 963; Kévin Estre/André Lotterer/Laurens Vanthoor
2023 #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid; Mike Conway/Kamui Kobayashi/José María López