Honda’s Prelude-based GT500 racer made its SUPER GT debut at Okayama in April 2026, with five cars entered across five teams. It is a purpose-built competition car based on the BF1 Prelude—not a production Prelude with a racing body kit. By Round 6 at SUGO on September 20, the #17 Astemo car had won three races in a row, while the #100 STANLEY entry finished third.
When did the Prelude-GT enter SUPER GT?
Honda first showed a Prelude-based GT500 prototype at Sportsland SUGO on September 30, 2025. The prototype completed a wet-weather shakedown the next day, with Tadasuke Makino driving first and Naoki Yamamoto following. Honda said the base vehicle was the Prelude released in Japan on September 5, 2025. Honda Racing’s prototype announcement
On January 9, 2026, Honda announced the Honda HRC PRELUDE-GT for the 2026 SUPER GT season. Five cars made their GT500 debut at Okayama International Circuit on April 11–12. Honda said its five-team support structure was intended to help reclaim the championship; that was the program’s goal, not a championship result. Honda’s 2026 motorsport plan and the official SUPER GT machine overview.
What kind of car is the Honda HRC PRELUDE-GT?
The official SUPER GT listing identifies BF1 as the base type, but the PRELUDE-GT is a dedicated GT500 race car. Its layout, engine, dimensions and running gear are race specifications; they should not be read as specifications for the retail Prelude. The official 2026 overview lists:
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- This plastic model requires assembly and painting. Adhesives, tools, paints, etc., sold separately
- 1/24 scale unpainted plastic model assembly kit
- Size when completed: Total length 7.4 inches (189 mm), Total width 3.4 inches (87 mm), Total height
- In addition to rooms with horizontal base panel and large LCD meter, the back of the chassis and around the feet are finished with a 3D feel
- Includes metal inlet markings such as emblems and window mask seals
| Specification | PRELUDE-GT figure |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 4,725 mm long × 1,950 mm wide × 1,150 mm high |
| Minimum weight | At least 1,020 kg |
| Wheelbase | 2,750 mm |
| Layout | Front engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Engine | HR-420E water-cooled, direct-injection inline-four; single turbo; 1,995 cc |
| Maximum power | At least 550 PS |
| Maximum torque | At least 50 kg-m |
| Transmission | Hewland sequential gearbox; six forward gears and one reverse |
| Suspension | Double wishbones, front and rear |
| Brakes | Ventilated carbon discs; six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers |
Figures are from the SUPER GT official 2026 machine overview; they describe the GT500 entry, not a showroom Prelude.
Which teams entered the five cars?
The official opening-round overview listed five Prelude-GT entries, their driver pairings and tire suppliers:
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- 1998 Honda Prelude in a Sleek Black Finish!
- Number 5/5 in the Factory Fresh Set! Number 136/250 in the Overall Series!
- 1:64 Scale Diecast Toy Vehicle
| Car and entry | Team | Drivers | Tire |
|---|---|---|---|
| #8 ARTA MUGEN HRC PRELUDE-GT | Team HRC ARTA MUGEN | Kakunoshin Ohta / Hiroki Otsu | Bridgestone |
| #16 ARTA MUGEN HRC PRELUDE-GT | ARTA MUGEN | Tomoki Nojiri / Ren Sato | Bridgestone |
| #17 Astemo HRC PRELUDE-GT | Astemo REAL RACING | Koudai Tsukakoshi / Yuto Nomura | Bridgestone |
| #64 Modulo HRC PRELUDE-GT | Modulo Nakajima Racing | Riki Okusa / Igor Omura Fraga | Dunlop |
| #100 STANLEY HRC PRELUDE-GT | TEAM KUNIMITSU | Naoki Yamamoto / Tadasuke Makino | Bridgestone |
These are the opening-round entries and tire listings; lineups can change over a season. The #64’s Modulo title sponsorship and wheel supply were described in Honda Access’s December 2025 announcement.
How has the Prelude-GT performed so far?
Honda Racing’s season report lists the #17 Astemo car’s first win at Fuji on August 1–2, 2026, followed by a Prelude-GT podium sweep at Suzuka in Round 5. At Round 6 at Sportsland SUGO on September 20, the #17 car won again, giving the Prelude-GT three consecutive victories. The #100 STANLEY car finished third. Honda Racing’s SUGO Round 6 report
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- This plastic model requires assembly and painting. Adhesives, tools, paints, etc., sold separately
- 1/24 scale unpainted plastic assembly kit
- Size when assembled: total length 7.1 inches (180 mm), total width 3.2 inches (82 mm), total height 2.1 inches (
- faithfully reproduces the aerodynamic shape of the Honda Prelude XX
- Decals recreate front and rear emblems, headcover logos, speakers, and wheel center emblems
The SUGO race covered 84 laps. Koudai Tsukakoshi and Yuto Nomura took the #17 from second on the grid to victory. The #8 finished ninth, the #64 12th and the #16 retired. Honda’s report notes that tire management and race strategy contributed to the outcome, so the result is not simply a measure of the car’s underlying pace.
After the win, Honda Racing Corporation GT500 Project Leader Tomohiro Onishi said: “Although this was our third consecutive victory, it has only strengthened our determination to keep taking on every challenge with everything we have.” Nomura said: “The PRELUDE-GTs have been getting stronger, so I’d like us to aim for a fourth consecutive victory.” These are post-SUGO comments, not a report of a later result.
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What the announcement means—and what it does not
The Prelude name is back on Honda’s SUPER GT grid, but the HRC PRELUDE-GT is a GT500 machine engineered for competition. Honda’s stated championship ambition and the early run of wins describe the program’s aim and progress through SUGO Round 6; they do not establish that Honda had won the season title. Round 7 at Autopolis was scheduled for October 17–18, 2026, after the latest completed result covered here.
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