Daniil Kvyat made an eye catching begin to his Tremendous GT profession by ending sixth within the GT300 class within the 2026 season opener on the Okayama Worldwide Circuit.
The previous System 1 driver shared the #88 JLOC Lamborghini Huracan GT3 with Takashi Kogure on his debut within the Japanese collection.
Kvyat’s transfer to Tremendous GT had generated vital curiosity over the winter, however the Russian arrived with restricted expertise — not solely was it his first time racing in Japan, but it surely was additionally his first race in a GT3 automobile. In consequence, he had prioritised studying above all else and said earlier than the season that he had set no particular targets.
Regardless of these modest expectations, Kvyat made an instantaneous impression.
After qualifying 14th in Q2, he took over from Kogure for the second stint and delivered a robust efficiency within the race. Working on a technique that concerned altering solely the rear tyres, he climbed to seventh whereas warding off strain from behind.
Kvyat then produced a decisive transfer on the double hairpin to overhaul the #52 Inexperienced Courageous Toyota Supra GT300 — which was making an attempt a no-tyre-change technique — securing sixth place on the end.
“Superb!,” he mentioned when reflecting on his weekend.
“I’d say I am fairly blissful. To begin with, with all of the teamwork. Everybody was superb, good communication. First qualifying was good and I reached a great stage.
“Now, I can work on making the final step, however I am there with all the opposite guys from the staff who’re much more skilled than me. So it is good. I believe I am beginning to perceive.
“Within the race, I used to be capable of actually push arduous. We had a great technique with the staff. Good out lap, good first laps after pit cease, some overtaking.
“Then the battle for P6 was very thrilling and really tough as a result of they (GreenBrave) had been quick on the straight. Each time I am closed within the nook, however I am within the straight and I am like, ‘I can not come shut!’ I needed to invent one thing completely different.”
#88 VENTENY Lamborghini GT3
Photograph by: Masahide Kamio
Kvyat had beforehand expressed confidence in his means to adapt, and after securing a robust end result on debut, he believes that course of is already forward of schedule.
“Numerous studying as a result of it is also my first race in a GT automobile in any respect,” he mentioned.
“GT3 automobile, Tremendous GT, GT3 is the primary time ever, however I discovered quick – perhaps a bit quicker than I anticipated, which is nice, however I desire it that approach and now we are able to deal with the main points.
“I simply needed to perceive the tyres, braking and all the things. It is fairly completely different to components automobiles and all the things else. So I needed to study and now I really feel like I am blissful the place I’m however now I can study to deal with smaller issues.”
Consideration will now flip to the following spherical at Fuji Speedway, which can current one other new problem for the 31-year-old.
Requested if he can purpose for a podium within the coming races, he mentioned: “I hope so. If we glance purely at qualifying, some automobiles had been very quick. So it isn’t simple to seek out this hole rapidly with only a easy set-up change.
“However I heard right here perhaps issues can change race to race, completely different automobile situations and so forth. So we are going to see; it is all new to me.
“Additionally, at Fuji, I should adapt to situations and [then] we see the place we’re. In fact, I want to battle as far forward as attainable, however I desire to take it step-by-step and do my finest in each session.”
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