Corvette Racing at Fuji: Podium and Points for TF Sport

No. 34 Corvette takes third in LMGT3, No. 33 extends championship lead

OYAMA, Shizuoka, Japan (September 27, 2026) – TF Sport and the Corvette Z06 GT3.R returned to the podium in the FIA World Endurance Championship with a third-place LMGT3 finish for the No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette after a wild Six Hours of Fuji.

Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc and Peter Dempsey claimed their second podium finish in three races after a strong come-back drive after an opening-lap spin. It came two races after the trio won in class at Brazil for their first victory of the season.

The result also vaulted the No. 34 drivers and team from eighth to third place in the championship standings with two races left.

Both TF Sport Corvettes finished in the top-five with the championship-leading No. 33 Z06 GT3.R finishing fifth. The result solidified Jonny Edgar, Nicky Catsburg and Ben Keating as 1-2-3 in Drivers points while the No. 33 squad grew its lead in the Teams standings by two points to 24 with a total of 52 points remaining in the season.

Both Corvettes worked their way up from mid-pack at the start and into podium contention inside the final two hours. Yoluc had the worst of the luck of the two Corvettes at the start as he had contact on the start at the first corner and dropped from eighth down to 15th by the time he got the No. 34 going again.

Keating weathered the start a bit better and gained three spots at the start shortly before the first of four safety car periods despite bits of contact to his Corvette as well.

The TF Sport team split the pit strategies for the two Corvettes during the opening two hours. While Keating stopped for a driver change to Edgar just shy of the two-hour mark, Yoluc stayed out in the No. 34 and stopped from the lead near the 2:20 mark to Dempsey.

Both teams made their final driver changes with 1:40 remaining during a virtual safety car period with Eastwood and Catsburg taking over and rejoining just outside the top-five. Both Corvettes made their final stop during the final safety car period and elected to take fuel only, which moved the pairing to first and second with 20 minutes ago and Eastwood ahead of his teammate.

While the strategy gained valuable track position, other cars that took tires took advantage in the closing laps but the decision still proved valuable with a solid points haul for both Corvettes.

TF Sport’s next race in the FIA World Endurance Championship is Sunday, October 18 from Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain.

ANDREA HIDALGO, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER:

“It was a positive result here at Fuji for the two Corvettes. The No. 34 had a great race and recovery from the spin and penalties, finishing on the podium and jumping up to third in the championship. Although the 33 didn’t finish on the podium, the group had a good race as well and were able to extend their championship lead. A great job by everyone at TF Sport. We’re all looking forward to more at Barcelona.”

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-RACE DRIVER QUOTES

PETER DEMPSEY, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“A strong weekend for us and the first time here for me. The car felt good since FP1, really. We improved it a little for FP2. Qualifying being cancelled didn’t really make a major difference for our race. Unlucky with Salih getting spun around at Turn One, and we had a penalty that we had to serve twice which cost us another 20 seconds. The full-course yellows didn’t fall in the right place for us so that put us outside the top-10. The strategy was really good but we had no luck until an hour-and-a-half to go where the VSC fell at the right point for us to jump forward on strategy. Charlie did a phenomenal job at the end to try and hang on for the win on a double-stinted tires. To bring up P3 is good for the championship so there’s all to play for heading into the last two rounds.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It felt almost like an IMSA race, finishing in the dark almost. We were in an unfortunate position because some cars behind us had new tires, and Charlie and I didn’t so in a way we were sitting ducks and trying to defend. I must say that the call from the team not to take tires was a good one. We gained positions, and the 34 especially gained positions. They did very well today. It was just unfortunate at the end as some had (newer) tires than we did. But the fights we had, I enjoyed them. You win some and you lose some. This time we went backward but it was cool fighting. The Corvette was good today, and Ben did a good job.

“What I found astonishing is that we were sitting here in the garage and Jonny said (before his first stint) it might be better if we don’t take tires. It doesn’t happen very often when a driver says that we’d be better if we don’t take tires because drivers want tires. That’s what makes a really good teammate and was awesome.”

JONNY EDGAR, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It was pretty good. My first stint was quite difficult. We kept Ben’s tires because with the strategy we were on, we were really unlucky with the safety car. We had less energy than the others so to not drop basically to last, we decided to keep Ben’s tires and save the time in pitlane. I think it worked out because even though it was difficult on track, we didn’t lose as much as what we gained in pitlane so that was a good call. The second stint was quite OK. I just got stuck behind the BMW.”

BEN KEATING, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It was good. I had a good start and a good restart. It’s nice to be able to pass a few people. I think I was fourth when I brought it in and started 10th, so I feel like it’s pretty good. We weren’t really exactly sure what to do with the setup because it rained all day yesterday. At the start today it was pretty wet so I’m not surprised there was a big pileup in Turn One. I think most of the water on the track was there. Right there where you’re going into the brake zone, you have the pit exit line paint and the safety car line paint. Anytime you’re trying to race other people in the wet on top of paint, it’s not going to end well. I was glad to make it through. I did get hit… actually I got hit a lot out there in the last two hours. At the start, I got rear-ended by somebody but was able to keep the car straight. I don’t know why but when Darren Leung in the BMW was next to me, he kept on hip-checking me and bouncing off the side of me. I don’t really understand what he was trying to communicate. And under full-course yellow, I had one of the Peugeots run into the back of me!”

TOM FERRIER, OWNER, TF SPORT:

“Coming into the race, we would have taken third and fifth, for sure. A little disappointing when you start with 20 minutes to go and you’re 1-2, but we kind of gambled there and didn’t take tires to get us to the front. We probably didn’t quite have the performance at the end. It got a bit rough and tumble there at the end but happy to score some good points. It ups the lead in the championship and improves the position for the 34, so a good day.”

Source:
Corvette Racing

Related:
Corvette Racing at Fuji: High Hopes for Double-Points Finish
TF Sport’s Jonny Edgar Eyes Corvette Works Drive as Next Step
Corvette Racing at Fuji: Going Back-to-Back?

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