Craft-Bamboo Racing takes a commanding come-back victory in Suzuka
- 5 minutes ago
- 4 min read
22nd April 2026
Team extended its Super Taikyu lead with a dominant Suzuka Five Hour endurance win
The #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3 secured pole and converted that to a 32-second winning margin despite a mid race drive through penalty
The team is now preparing for the pinnacle event on the calendar, the Fuji 24 Hour, to be held June 5-7
Craft-Bamboo Racing has extended its Super Taikyu championship lead with a commanding victory at the Suzuka Five Hour, which marked round 2 of the seven weekend title chase.
With the #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3 – driven by Adderly Fong, Kakunoshin Ohta, and Sun Jing Zu – the team set themselves up for the race in the best way possible, securing pole position when Ohta and Sun each claimed the fastest laps in their respective qualifying sessions.
Ohta took the start and immediately built a strong advantage over the opening stint before handing over to Sun, who maintained the team’s strong control of the race until bringing the #33 back into the pit lane around the half-way point.
During the stop, the #31 Lexus was able to jump the #33, however it wouldn’t be for long, with Fong making a strong overtake soon after rejoining the track; holding that lead for two laps before the Craft-Bamboo Racing entry was ordered to serve a drive through penalty for speeding in pit lane during the previous stop.
From being in the lead to being dropped back to P3 and 30 seconds away from the leader, the team could have been discouraged. Instead, they pushed on, with Fong putting in a determined drive to first execute a decisive move after several attempts to take back P2, then focusing in on closing the gap to the leader.
When the Lexus pit, the gap was down to just 15 seconds, and with two strong laps by Fong and a fast final pit stop, the #33 - now with Ohta back at the wheel - was able to jump back into the lead, forcing Ohta to defend hard for 2 laps on cold tyres.
The Japanese racer wasted no time re-establishing a commanding margin, ultimately crossing the line 32 seconds clear of the field – a result made even more impressive when it is considered the car was carrying 30kgs of “success ballast” due to Craft-Bamboo Racing’s round one performance.
The team now turns its focus to round three of the Super Taikyu season, the Fuji 24 Hour on June 5-7, as it continues its pursuit of the ST-X championship.
To watch the racing from Fuji and 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
“Suzuka was not an easy weekend for us, but it showed the strength of the team. Despite the challenges we faced throughout the weekend, we still managed to take pole position and another win. At a circuit like Suzuka, where overtaking is not easy, the drivers and the whole team stayed focused and made the most of every opportunity. I would like to thank the team and drivers for another strong performance and execution under pressure. It was a very important result for us and allows us to continue our momentum heading into the Fuji 24 Hours.
Kakunoshin Ohta
Driver | #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“I am super happy to end the weekend with a victory. To have two wins in a row and extend the championship lead feels amazing. At the beginning of the weekend, we faced a few issues with the balance that we needed to solve. However, the team did a great job, and the car was fantastic in both qualifying and the race. We will carry 60kg of success ballast for the next round, but I believe we can still fight for the win even with the heaviest car on track thanks to our teamwork.”
Adderly Fong
Driver | #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“This is a dream come true win. We faced a few challenges during the race weekend, but with everyone’s knowledge and expertise in the team, we were able to overcome all the obstacles we faced, even with a 30kg success penalty, to gain the top step on the podium. Thank you to Craft-Bamboo Racing for the faultless work, and the relentless effort from my team mates. It was very enjoyable.”
Sun Jing Zu
Driver | #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“I am so proud to stand here with my team mates and Craft- Bamboo Racing as the champion of this race. Thank you to my team and all the supporters. We started well by qualifying on pole, and although we had a speed bump with the penalty mid-way through the race, plus the extra weight to deal with, we made it through for the win.”
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.