Pacific Racing Team
| Founded | October 2009 |
|---|---|
| Current series | Super GT |
| Former series | D1 Grand Prix (2014–2018) |
| Current drivers | Yusuke Tomibayashi Yuta Fujiwara Rintaro Kubo |
| Website | www |
Pacific Racing Team is a Japanese auto racing team. As of 2026, the team fields the No. 9 BMW M4 GT3 Evo in Super GT's GT300 class.
Founded in 2009, the team has gone through multiple name changes throughout its history. It also competed in D1 Grand Prix from 2014 to 2018. Pacific Racing is based out of Nakanihon Automotive College, and often enlists its students to work on the cars.[1][2]
The team is notable for its collaborations with anime, VTuber, and media franchises, which entail fielding cars with itasha-style liveries depicting their respective characters.
History
Pacific Racing began as Pacific Promotion, an advertising agency founded in 2000 to promote solar cars.[3] The company organized the first Silk Road Solar Car Crossing, which traveled through China, in 2001.[4] Similar events took place in Hokkaido and Italy in 2003 and 2006, respectively.[5]
After appearing at the 2009 Suzuka Pokka GT Summer Special, the company was reformed into Pacific Racing Team in October of that year. They partnered with French program LMP Motorsport for the 2010 Super GT Series.[3] LMP Motorsport debuted with Yutaka Yamagishi and Hiroshi Koizumi driving a Ferrari F430.[3] For the final rounds, the team added a Porsche 996 GT3-RS.[6]
Pacific Promotion was formally renamed to Pacific Racing Team Inc. in March 2013.[3] The team also competed as Pacific Direction Racing.[7]
In 2014, the team began competing in D1 Grand Prix.[8]
The team aligned with Gulf Racing's Japanese subsidiary in 2016 to create Gulf Racing with Pacific; they also replaced the outdated McLaren MP4-12C GT3 with a new Porsche 911 GT3 R. Although the season began with an engine fire, Pacific finished every race afterward with an eighth in the finale.[9]
For the 2020 season, Pacific Racing partnered with D'station Racing, becoming Pacific – D'station Racing. As part of the deal, they began using the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3.[10]
In 2021, the team formed an alliance with CarGuy Racing and returned to Ferrari, a joint effort called Pacific CarGuy Racing.[1][11]
Pacific ended the CarGuy partnership after 2022 and switched to the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.[2] The new car crashed in a rain-plagued season opener at Okayama, forcing them to miss the next round in Fuji.[12]
Ahead of 2026, Pacific started using the BMW M4 GT3. It marked BMW's return to Super GT after a year away.[13]
Collaborations
Pacific Racing frequently partners with media franchises such as anime and manga. As part of the collaborations, the main characters from each series are pictured on the vehicle liveries in the uniforms of the team's "Pacific Fairies" race queens. The team also sells corresponding merchandise like figurines and shirts.[14][15] The campaigns are regarded as a major financial boon for the team, though it has also accepted individual donations and sponsorships.[16] The car designs are comparable to itasha, or cars decorated with images of fictional characters.[8] Fellow Super GT team Goodsmile Racing has a similar concept as their cars are predominantly adorned with Hatsune Miku, and has been considered a quasi-rival of Pacific Racing since they are in the same class.[17]
The team's first collaboration was with the manga Squid Girl in 2011 and 2012. It had received an anime adaptation the year prior that was directed by Tsutomu Mizushima, who served as Pacific's supervisor and manager.[6][18] The titular character was depicted on the sides of the team's Ferrari.[19]
In 2013, Ghost in the Shell: Arise became Pacific's new collaboration. The team's No. 27 was renumbered to No. 9 as a reference to the show's Public Security Section 9, while the livery was changed from white to red to match the Tachikoma in Arise.[20][21] Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, founder of studio Production I.G, felt the story of the show's protagonist Motoko Kusanagi "overlaps with Pacific Racing's performance on the track".[22]
The Ghost in the Shell sponsorship ended before the 2014 season.[22] In its place, the team partnered with anime series Love Live!. All nine members of μ's from School Idol Project appeared on both the Super GT Porsche and the D1GP Toyota 86,[14][23][16] which featured similar liveries.[8] The collaboration was renewed for 2015, this time appearing on the team's McLaren and Nissan.[17]
While the Super GT division did not have a collaboration from 2016 to 2018, the D1 Grand Prix arm received one annually during its existence. Besides Love Live!, the D1GP program fielded cars bearing liveries from the anime Girls und Panzer starting in 2015.[24] The merchandise offered was also military-themed like camouflage bags and "war memorial" and "war cry" packages containing stickers, charms, and towels.[25]
After three years without a Super GT sponsorship, Pacific partnered with VTuber Mirai Akari in 2019.[26][27]
Pacific continued working with VTubers in 2022 via partnership with Hololive Production.[1] Featured on the team's car were the personalities Tokino Sora, Houshou Marine, Aki Rosenthal, Shirakami Fubuki, Oozora Subaru, and Yukihana Lamy.[28]
Virtual eSports Project (VSPO!), another VTuber agency, became Pacific's new collaboration in 2023.[2] Yakumo Beni, Komori Met, Shiranami Ramune, Kaga Sumire, Nekota Tsuna, and Hanabusa Lisa were featured.[29] The 2024 collaboration used Tachibana Hinano, Yumeno Akari, Kurumi Noah, Kaminari Qpi, Aizawa Ema, and Kaga Nazuna.[30]
For the 2025 season, Pacific collaborated with The Idolmaster. Each of the franchise's six projects was represented by a character: Makoto Kikuchi (The Idolmaster), Minami Nitta (Cinderella Girls), Kaori Sakuramori (Million Live!), Hokuto Ijūin (SideM), Natsuha Arisugawa (Shiny Colors), and Sena Jūō (Gakuen Idolmaster).[31]
In 2026, Umamusume: Pretty Derby served as the team's feature sponsor.[32][33] Special Week, Buena Vista, Curren Chan, Maruzensky, Rice Shower, and Winning Ticket appeared on the car; the real-life racehorses whom the featured characters are based on descended from the same lineage.[34]
Chronology
| Year | Collaboration | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super GT | |||
| 2011 | Squid Girl | [6] | |
| 2013 | Ghost in the Shell: Arise | [20] | |
| 2014 | Love Live! | [14] | |
| 2015 | Love Live! | [17] | |
| 2019 | Mirai Akari | [26] | |
| 2022 | Hololive Production | [28] | |
| 2023 | VSPO! | [29] | |
| 2024 | VSPO! | [30] | |
| 2025 | The Idolmaster | [35] | |
| 2026 | Umamusume: Pretty Derby | [33] | |
| D1 Grand Prix | |||
| 2014 | Love Live! | [14] | |
| 2015 | Love Live! | [17] | |
| Girls und Panzer | [24] | ||
| 2016 | Girls und Panzer | ||
| 2017 | Girls und Panzer | ||
| 2018 | Girls und Panzer | ||
Results
Super GT
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
See also
- Goodsmile Racing, another Super GT team with itasha race cars
References
- ^ a b c "Pacific CarGuy Racing Announces 2022 Super GT Participation". Daily SportsCar. February 28, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Final Pieces Of GT300 Grid Assembled As Series Announces Okayama Test Entry List". Daily SportsCar. February 27, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ a b c d "History". Pacific Racing Team (in Japanese). Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ "University 40th Anniversary Commemorative Project: Silk Road Crossing Project" (PDF). Osaka Sangyo University Alumni Association Newsletter (in Japanese). Osaka Sangyo University. Spring 2006. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ Hiromoto, Izumi (July 11, 2023). "常にチーム体制を一新して挑戦し続ける「PACIFIC RACING TEAM」は、「PACIFIC ぶいすぽっ NAC AMG」で参戦【SUPER GT Teams】". Auto Messe Web (in Japanese). Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ a b c "SGTに新たな痛車!?『侵略！イカ娘』がLMPとコラボへ". autosport web (in Japanese). February 24, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ "Superb racing across the 3 Hours of Fuji". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. September 22, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Encounter: Pacific Racing Team x ラブライブ! – ハイパミ 2014!". Narita Dogfight. April 15, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ O'Connell, R.J. (December 27, 2016). "2016 Review: Gulf Racing with Pacific". Super GT World. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ "PACIFIC - D'station Racing enters SUPER GT 2020" (PDF). D'station Racing. February 3, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ "PACIFIC RACING、今年のタイアップは人気VTuberグループ『ぶいすぽっ！』 車両をメルセデスAMGにスイッチしドライバーも一新". Motorsport.com (in Japanese). Motorsport Network. February 27, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ Klein, Jamie (April 25, 2023). "Pacific to skip Fuji SUPER GT race after Okayama crash". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ "Pacific Racing Team Switches To BMW For 2026". Daily SportsCar. February 17, 2026. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ a b c d "PACIFIC RACING TEAMより商品・第二期スポンサー募集のお知らせ". Love Live! (in Japanese). December 13, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ "PULCHRA《少女與戰車》x「PACIFIC RACING TEAM」安丘比（安齋千代美）アンチョビ 1/8 FIGURE" (in Japanese). Toy People News. January 20, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ a b Takahashi, Katsunori (March 29, 2014). "「ラブライブ！×PACIFIC RACING」車輌カラーリング公開 μ's全員が描かれた1台" (in Japanese). AnimeAnime.jp. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ a b c d Loveridge, Lynzee (March 12, 2015). "Love Live's μ's Racing Team Returns for 2015". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ "「イカ娘」がSUPER GTを侵略だゲソ！ 初音ミク車やエヴァ車と激突". ITmedia (in Japanese). February 25, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ Takeshita, Keiichiro (April 30, 2011). "2011年AUTOBACS SUPER GT第2戦 (富士スピードウェイ)" (in Japanese). Motorsports Forum. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ a b "「攻殻機動隊ARISE」とコラボしたレーシングチームがSUPER GTに参戦". ITmedia (in Japanese). March 19, 2013. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ "Pacific Racing Team Customizes a Ghost in the Shell: Arise Porsche". Anime News Network. April 6, 2013. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ a b "SUPER GT「PACIFIC RACING TEAM」×「攻殻機動隊ＡＲＩＳＥ」 コラボ終了のお知らせ". Ghost in the Shell: Arise (in Japanese). March 10, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ Komatsu, Mikikazu (February 7, 2014). ""Love Live!" to Tie-Up with Pacific Racing Team in 2014 Super GT". Crunchyroll. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ a b Chapman, Paul (March 14, 2015). "Pacific Racing Team Combines Forces with "Girls und Panzer" for D1 Grand Prix Series". Crunchyroll. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ Green, Scott (April 10, 2015). "Pacific Racing Team Previews "Girls und Panzer" Collaboration". Crunchyroll. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ a b "「パシフィックレーシングチーム×ミライアカリ」レースクイーンver.のスケールフィギュア製作が進行中！". Dengeki (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. June 10, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ "パシフィックレーシングチーム×ミライアカリレーシングプロジェクト". Pacific Racing Team (in Japanese). Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ a b "グループ「ホロライブ」と「PACIFIC RACING TEAM」のタイアップ「パシフィック×ホロライブレーシングプロジェクト」タイアップ「パシフィック×ホロライブレーシングプロジェクト」参加メンバー6名が発表！参加メンバー6名が発表！". Cover Corporation (Press release) (in Japanese). March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ a b "PACIFIC RACINGと「ぶいすぽっ！」のタイアップが2024年も継続". Panora (in Japanese). January 24, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
- ^ a b "人気". Autosport Web (in Japanese). December 27, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ "『アイマス』とコラボのPACIFIC RACING TEAMが参戦車両を彩る描き下ろしイラストを公開". Autosport Web (in Japanese). March 26, 2025. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ "2026 Okayama SUPER GT Test Entry List Revealed". Daily Sportscar. February 20, 2026. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ a b "PACIFIC RACING TEAM、2026年は『ウマ娘 プリティーダービー』とタイアップ！ スペシャルサイトがオープン" (in Japanese). Carview. February 20, 2026. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ Nguyen, Justin (February 20, 2026). "Pacific Racing Team collaborating with "Umamusume"". 131 Off-Road. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ "PACIFIC RACING TEAM × THE IDOLM@STER Series RACING PROJECT SPECIAL SITE". Pacific Racing Team (in Japanese). Retrieved March 9, 2026.