Miedecke Motorsport and Melbourne Performance Centre enter Mustang GT3 – Absolute Racing relies on Güven, Boccolacci and Ghiretti
Preparations for the Suzuka 1000 Kilometres are continuing to gather pace. For the fourth round of the 2026 Intercontinental GT Challenge, which will be held from September 11 to 13 at the traditional Japanese circuit, further top-tier driver line-ups have now been confirmed. Among the focal points are a new Ford Mustang GT3 entry by Miedecke Motorsport and Melbourne Performance Centre, as well as a second Porsche 911 GT3 R from Absolute Racing.
Ford relies on experienced GT3 drivers
Ford will be represented in Suzuka with a new Australian racing project. Miedecke Motorsport and Melbourne Performance Centre are joining forces for this and will compete together under the name Miedecke Motorsport by Team MPC A Ford Mustang GT3 is being used.
The driver lineup is exceptionally experienced: Christopher Mies, Dennis Olsen and Frédéric Vervisch share the cockpit. The trio already knows each other very well. Together, they won the GTD Pro class at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2025. Mies, Olsen, and Vervisch also raced together in a Mustang GT3 at this year's ADAC Ravenol 24h Nürburgring.
Suzuka also holds special significance for Vervisch. The Belgian was part of the winning crew in the 2019 1,000-km race at the Japanese circuit.
Behind the entry are two established players in Australian motorsport. Miedecke Motorsport is active in Australia, particularly with the Ford Mustang GT4, and also assumes an important function as the official Australian spare parts partner for Ford Mustang vehicles in GT3 and GT4 versions. The company also provides corresponding support for the Mustang Dark Horse R of the Australian Mustang Cup.
The Melbourne Performance Centre, in turn, has extensive GT3 experience and has become primarily known for its long-standing collaboration with Audi. The team is among Australia's most successful GT racing stables and currently leads the drivers' championship in the GT World Challenge Australia.
The partnership with Miedecke Motorsport has already been strengthened this year. Among other things, the two companies are collaborating from shared workshop facilities in Melbourne. The Suzuka race now marks the next step in this partnership.
For Ford, the project is also an attempt to compete for the overall victory in this historic endurance race with a strong lineup.
Porsche to Field a Second Pro Car from Absolute Racing
Porsche has also finalized its driver lineup for Suzuka. Absolute Racing is entering a second vehicle in the Pro class with the Porsche 911 GT3 R bearing the starting number 7. The cockpit is shared by Ayhancan Güven, Dorian Boccolacci, and Alessandro Ghiretti.
All three drivers have already gained experience with Absolute Racing. Güven, the reigning DTM champion, competed for the team at the 2025 Bathurst 12 Hour, finishing in sixth place.
Boccolacci also knows the racing team from an international endurance event. The Frenchman competed for Absolute Racing at the 2024 Sepang 12 Hours and finished the race in second place.
Ghiretti rounds out the trio. The Frenchman won the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia in 2024 and is competing this season alongside Huang Ruohan for Absolute Racing in the GT World Challenge Asia. The duo currently leads the drivers’ standings. After the first three race weekends, they have one victory and two additional podium finishes to their credit.
For Güven, Suzuka will be a first. The DTM champion has not yet experienced the demanding track in racing conditions. His goal is correspondingly ambitious: Together with Absolute Racing and Porsche, the plan is to fight for the top positions and, if possible, the overall victory.
Ghiretti, on the other hand, already has extensive experience at Suzuka. During his 2024 season in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, he scored two wins at the track.
Boccolacci also connects positive memories with Japan and Asian motorsport. Following his podium finish with Absolute Racing in Sepang in 2024, he is now returning to the team for one of the region's most significant endurance races.
Absolute Racing thus boasts a combination of experience, Porsche expertise, and track knowledge. Team Director Fabien Fior sees this as a key foundation for a competitive performance against strong international competition.
Second Porsche Already Confirmed
The Porsche with start number 7 is not the only Pro Porsche from Absolute Racing in Suzuka. Earlier, the AO by Absolute Porsche 911 GT3 R, No. 8 announced. There Laurin Heinrich, Alessio Picariello, and Julien Andlauer to start.
Absolute Racing will thus field two Pro-class entries for the 1,000-km race. The team had already fielded a Porsche at the season opener of the 2026 Intercontinental GT Challenge in Bathurst, where it finished sixth overall.
Porsche is currently leading the manufacturers' championship in the Intercontinental GT Challenge ahead of the final two events. Suzuka therefore plays a crucial role in the battle for the title.
A special livery is also planned for the vehicle with the starting number 7. The design is to be unveiled at a later date.
Six manufacturers confirmed in the Pro class
With the announcement of the Ford entry, the number of confirmed manufacturers in the Pro category increases to six. In addition to Ford, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, Nissan and Porsche on the provisional list.
More participants are expected. A preliminary list of all participants will be published as preparations continue.
This already points to a top-tier field for the return of the Intercontinental GT Challenge to Suzuka. The direct comparison between the new Ford Mustang GT3 project and the established Porsche entries will be particularly interesting. For both manufacturers, it is also about crucial points in the battle for the manufacturer championship in this year's endurance series.