Okusa, 23, is greatest identified for his exploits in SUPER GT’s GT300 division, the place he races for the Gainer Nissan group.
Will probably be his first outing in a single-seater since he drove within the System Regional Japanese Championship on the help invoice of final 12 months’s World Endurance Championship spherical at Fuji.
Okusa commented that he was “deeply grateful” for the possibility to race at Suzuka, including: “Friday’s FP1 session would be the first time I drive a Tremendous System automobile, however I’ve confidence in myself primarily based on all the pieces I’ve carried out up till now.
“Along with the group, I am going to struggle to the very finish with all my energy to get the very best outcomes.”
The information follows TGM’s announcement on Tuesday that Oyu, who joined the rebranded squad from Nakajima Racing this 12 months, had decided to give up his drive for the final two rounds of the season.
It is believed monetary elements have performed a job in Oyu’s determination to face down from the TGM drive, in addition to the actual fact he stands no real looking probability of racing for the Servus Japan-run squad in 2024.
Okusa has hyperlinks to TGM by way of sponsor Ponos, which backs the #10 Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 he drives in SUPER GT alongside his mentor and ex-Tremendous System driver Hironobu Yasuda.
He’s additionally acquainted to the Servus Japan organisation, which operates the ‘Sutekina Racing’ outfit with which Okusa has raced in System Regional.
Okusa has by no means pushed a Tremendous System automobile, and his expertise in single-seater equipment is proscribed as he has spent a lot of his profession in both Tremendous Taikyu or SUPER GT.
Nonetheless, he did make a one-off outing in All-Japan System 3 within the 2018 season finale at Fuji on the age of 18, and has three wins within the Japanese System Regional collection beneath his belt throughout three seasons of sporadic outings.
Okusa made his SUPER GT debut final 12 months and instantly impressed sharing Gainer’s #11 automobile with Ryuichiro Tomita, staying in competition for the title till the final spherical and finally ending third general.
Nissan provided him the possibility to pattern its Z GT500 automobile in its annual ‘shootout’ check at Fuji off the again of that success.
This 12 months has confirmed more durable for Okusa, who together with Yasuda sits fifteenth within the GT300 standings with a greatest end of fifth, a legacy of the GT-R being handed a more durable Stability of Efficiency.
