Ex-F1 driver Daniil Kvyat impresses on Super GT debut with sixth place
Kvyat secured a sixth-place finish in his maiden outing in a GT3 car and felt he adapted to the category quicker than anticipated
Motorsport photo Daniil Kvyat made an eye-catching start to his Super GT career by finishing sixth in the GT300 class in the 2026 season opener at the Okayama International Circuit. The former Formula 1 driver shared the #88 JLOC Lamborghini Huracan GT3 with Takashi Kogure on his debut in the Japanese series. Kvyat’s move to Super GT had generated significant interest over the winter, but the Russian arrived with limited experience — not only was it his first time racing in Japan, but it was also his first race in a GT3 car.
As a result, he had prioritised learning above all else and stated before the season that he had set no specific targets. Despite those modest expectations, Kvyat made an immediate impact. After qualifying 14th in Q2, he took over from Kogure for the second stint and delivered a strong performance in the race.
Running on a strategy that involved changing only the rear tyres, he climbed to seventh while fending off pressure from behind. Kvyat then produced a decisive move at the double hairpin to overtake the #52 Green Brave Toyota Supra GT300 — which was attempting a no-tyre-change strategy — securing sixth place at the finish. "Very good!
," he said when reflecting on his weekend. "I would say I'm quite happy. First of all, with all the teamwork.