Craft-Bamboo Racing seals Fuji 24H podium to maintain championship lead
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
11th June 2026
The team overcame significant adversity before and during the race to finish third overall
The five-driver line-up of Jayden Ojeda, Tom Kalender, Adderly Fong, Jeffrey Lee, and Sun Jing Zu, charged from P6 to challenge for the race lead across the 24 hours
The result marks the team's fourth consecutive podium this season, keeping them in the ST-X championship lead
Craft-Bamboo Racing has extended its impressive 2026 Super Taikyu podium streak, battling through extreme adversity at the Fuji 24 Hour to secure third place overall along with crucial championship points to maintain the team’s ST-X lead.
From the very start, the Fuji event – the crown jewel of the Super Taikyu calendar – proved to be a test of the team’s operational strength.
During Thursday night practice, contact at Turn 2 tore the left-rear corner away from the #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3. With Adderly Fong required to complete a mandatory night lap before the session ended, the crew executed a remarkable 35-minute repair, returning the car to the track with just seconds to spare.
With Fong’s lap successfully completed, the crew got back on the tools, working until 3.30am Saturday morning to prepare the car for qualifying. While their efforts initially yielded a P4 combined time, a track limits infraction then relegated the entry to P6 on the starting grid.
Undeterred by either the starting position or the challenge of carrying 60kg of success ballast following their two consecutive event wins, the team initiated a methodical climb through the field as the race began.
Steady opening stints by Jeffrey Lee and Sun Jing Zu laid the groundwork, while an impressive double stint into the night by Jayden Ojeda – who logged nearly eight hours of driving over the race – moved the team up to fourth.
By the halfway mark, strong stints from Fong, Ojeda, and 18-year-old Tom Kalender combined with stellar work in the pits had the #33 back on the lead lap and running in third before, as the sun rose over Mount Fuji on Sunday morning, the team found themselves in a direct battle for the race lead.
Unfortunately, the unforgiving nature of 24-hour racing would strike shortly after, with a tyre puncture quickly followed by a broken drive shaft, forcing an emergency trip to the garage and costing the team seven laps. Showcasing the same standout efficiency seen on Friday night, the crew replaced the drive shaft and returned the car to the race in just over 10 minutes.
While the time loss compromised their push for victory, a determined effort over the remaining three and a half hours ensured the #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3 crossed the line to secure a hard-fought P3, earning the team their fourth consecutive podium and maintaining the ST-X championship lead as the season approaches its mid-way point.
To watch the racing from Fuji and find out more about other upcoming events, visit the Super Taikyu YouTube Channel and the official series website at www.supertaikyu.com
For more information about Craft-Bamboo Racing, visit www.craftbamboo.com
Ryogen Taguchi | Team Manager Craft-Bamboo Racing
“A 24 hour race tests every single member of the team, and this weekend our crew showed incredible spirit. From quickly fixing the car during night practice on Thursday to the drive shaft replacement on Sunday morning, the mechanics never gave up despite everything this race and the lead-up to it threw at us. Even carrying the maximum success weight in class, we had the pace and the execution to genuinely challenge for the win. Punctures and a technical issue ultimately cost us the win, but third place after everything we went through is something to be truly proud of. We have such a diverse team, people from different countries, cultures, and languages, and what we achieved together is just incredible. I am proud of the entire team and would like to thank everyone involved. We take this result with pride and look forward to the rest of the season.”
Jayden Ojeda Driver - #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“We fought the whole way until the end! We were battling for the lead through the night before a puncture and a mechanical issue put us in the pits, but it was a fantastic job by our team to get us back out so quickly. It was a great week, so a massive thank you to my teammates and the crew.”
Tom Kalender: Driver - #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“It was a pretty challenging race for everyone involved. A 24-hour race is never easy, with not a lot of sleep. We got off to a good start and were steadily catching up with the leaders during the night. Unfortunately, some technical issues in the morning halted our progress and led to a gap to the leaders that we could not catch up. Nevertheless, it was great fun to come back to Japan and race here once again. I really enjoyed driving the race, and next year we will go again. I want to say a huge thanks to Craft-Bamboo Racing for putting their trust in me.
Adderly Fong | Driver - #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“It was fantastic to get on the podium after 24 hours of racing at Fuji for round 3 of the Super Taikyu series. It was a weekend of many trials for everyone in the team, and carrying 60kg of success ballast around made it even harder – however, I was able to witness Craft-Bamboo Racing’s never give up spirit, especially when we had a shunt in night practice. I was very happy to work again with JZ and Jeffrey, and it was also a pleasure to get to know Jayden and Tom. Hopefully we can come back again to go for the top step.”
Jeffrey Lee: Driver - #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“From sixth all the way up to third is the best proof that this team and drivers will not give up over 24 hours. A third-place overall finish is not just about speed, but amazing willpower, team strategy, and tactical understanding. With no real chance to sleep, physical strength, concentration, and mental resilience have to be at the highest level. Thanks to all the drivers, engineers, technicians, and logistics team for their efforts. We gave twenty-four hours of persistence in exchange for the glory of standing on the podium: never give up, never stop pushing.”
Sun Jing Zu: Driver - #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“A 24-hour race is always difficult, but this one tested us a lot. We had the crash on Friday and the mechanical problem on Sunday morning, but our mechanics were amazing. They never gave up and fixed the car so fast every time. Driving with the extra weight for 24 hours was another factor, but all five drivers did a perfect job. I am very proud we finished on the podium after so much drama and to share the podium with my good friend Jeffrey. We got good points for the championship and we will keep fighting.”
2026 Super Taikyu Series Calendar
Round 1: 21-22 March – Motegi (2 x 4 Hours)
Round 2: 18-19 April – Suzuka (1 x 5 Hours)
Round 3: 5-7 June – Fuji (Fuji 24 Hour)
Round 4: 4-5 July – Sugo (2 x 4 Hours)
Round 5: 25-26 July – Autopolis (1 x 5 Hours)
Round 6: 24-25 October – Okayama (2 x 3 Hours)
Round 7: 14-15 November – Fuji (1 x 4 Hours)
ABOUT CRAFT-BAMBOO RACING
Craft-Bamboo Racing is an official performance team of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing, competing on motorsport’s world stage in sprint and endurance events around the year. Enjoying a multitude of successes through numerous race programs, Craft-Bamboo Racing’s achievements are a testament to the team’s ability to push its boundaries.
The team has years of world championship experience and is truly a unique company in the global motorsports industry, bridging motorsport between Europe and Asia. With its headquarters in Hong Kong and workshops in Sepang and Silverstone, the company is uniquely positioned to deliver global race programs and marketing activations.
