追走 ARCHIVE
G1GP: the foreigner-only drift competition at Ebisu
Three Fridays a year, the evening before a Drift Matsuri, Ebisu Circuit runs a competition that Japanese drivers cannot enter. It has been going since 2009, it paused from 2020 to 2023, and it is back. Nobody has kept an English record of it, so this page does: what it is, how to get on the grid, and every edition we could verify.
Checked on 17 September 2026. Where a result is not published anywhere (which is most years), we say so rather than guess. Next Matsuri on the calendar: Ebisu Autumn Drift Matsuri, so the next G1GP Friday is the day before.
G1GP in one table
要点| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What the name means | G1GP = “Gaijin No.1 Grand Prix”: a drift competition open only to overseas drivers, run at Ebisu Circuit (Fukushima). Organised by Ebisu Circuit with Team Orange (Nobushige Kumakubo, Naoto Suenaga) judging; the idea came from Powervehicles’ Andy Gray. | source |
| When | The Friday before each Drift Matsuri (spring, summer, autumn). Three rounds a year, so the “G1GP series” follows the Matsuri calendar. | source |
| Where | Usually the Nishi (West) course in one of its layouts (short, short-long, long, reverse). Early rounds also used Minami (South) and Kita (North). | source |
| Format | Solo qualifying runs, then tandem battles (top 16 in 2017). Two classes have existed: Pro (solo + battles) and Novice (solo only); in 2012 a Super Class for past winners. | source |
| Who can enter | Overseas visitors only (“foreigner-only”). The fine print on residency or passports is not published; ask when you enter. | source |
| Entry fee | ¥15,000 (2024 official flyer; the same figure was quoted in 2011, including the party). Party only ¥3,000 in 2011. | source |
| How to enter | By e-mail to the address on the official flyer ([email protected] in 2024–2025). No web form, no published deadline. The 2025 rounds were announced on Instagram by @race_support_services together with Ebisu Circuit. | source |
| Car and gear | 2025 tyre rule: rear max 235 radial (Valino Matsuri or Kenda KR20), fronts free. Powervehicles’ published requirements: 6-point (bolt-in OK) cage, fixed-back seat, 4-point harness, full-face helmet for driver and passenger. The Matsuri rules (English PDF) add a valid licence and a muffler, 120 dB limit. | source |
| Watching | Weekday gate fee applies (¥1,700 adult, ¥1,200 child per day on the 2024 flyer). Crowds are small; you can walk the paddock. | source |
| Prizes | Historically an Ebisu Gold Card (year pass), sponsor products (Kenda, Zenky, Kazama Auto) and, in 2010, a D1GP licence for the series champion. | source |
| Size | 16 cars in 2009, 45–49 from 12 countries in autumn 2010, 33 cars and about 100 overseas visitors in 2015, 50+ cars at the 2024 return. | source |
Every edition, 2009 to 2026
履歴Official results pages have never existed. Winners below come from contemporary reports, the organisers’ posts or the drivers’ own posts, each linked. Blank means unpublished, not unknown to us.
| Edition | Date | Course | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2009 | Nov 2009 (Matsuri Saturday) | Nishi (West) | First edition, 16 cars. Winner named only as “an Aussie guy” in the only contemporary report | source |
| 2010 Rd.1 Spring | 30 Apr 2010 (Fri) | Minami (South) | 1. Andy Gray (JZX90) · 2. Chris DeJager (S14) · 3. Alexi Smith (JZX100). 15 cars | source |
| 2010 Rd.2 Summer | 20 Aug 2010 (Fri) | Nishi Short | 1. Leighton Fine (JZX90) · 2. Andy Gray · 3. Chris DeJager. About 30 cars | source |
| 2010 Rd.3 Autumn | 12 Nov 2010 (Fri) | Nishi Short | 1. Chris DeJager (S14), who also took the 2010 series title. About 45 cars from 12 countries | source |
| 2011 Rd.1 Spring | 29 Apr 2011 (Fri) | Nishi | 1. Chris DeJager (R32, RB25) · 2. Stewy Bryant (C33) · 3. Christian Pickering. 15 cars | source |
| 2011 Rd.2 & Rd.3 | 12 Aug and 11 Nov 2011 (Fri) | Drift Stadium (South) / Nishi Short | Held; results not published anywhere we could find | source |
| 2012 Spring / Summer / Autumn | 4 May, 17 Aug, 9 Nov 2012 (Fri) | South / North / West | Held (Super Class for past winners, Regular Class); results not published anywhere we could find | source |
| 2015 Spring | 1 May 2015 (Fri) | Nishi | Top five all Australian drivers (names not in the surviving report). 33 cars, about 100 overseas visitors. Judged by Kumakubo and Suenaga | source |
| 2017 Summer | 11 Aug 2017 (Fri) | Nishi Long | 1. Charles Ng · 2. Eiji Wakamatsu (Team Red Stage) · 3. Mike Nakamura (JZX100) | source |
| 2017 Autumn – 2019 | Matsuri Fridays | Nishi (mostly) | Held each Matsuri; video coverage exists (Blackett Photography, Hi*Chance, Noriyaro as MC in 2019) but no published results | source |
| 2020 – 2023 | — | — | Not held | source |
| 2024 Spring (return) | 12 Apr 2024 (Fri) | — | Back “for the first time since 2019”, 50+ cars. Results not published | source |
| 2024 Rd.3 Autumn | 15 Nov 2024 (Fri) | Nishi | Entry ¥15,000, entry by e-mail (official flyer). Results not published | source |
| 2025 Rd.1 Spring | 18 Apr 2025 (Fri) | Nishi, reverse layout | 1. Jimmy Oakes (driver’s own post: “Took home first place at the G1GP competition here at ebisu today”). Rest of the podium not published | source |
| 2025 Rd.2 Summer | 22 Aug 2025 (Fri) | Nishi Long | Held; winner not published | source |
| 2025 Rd.3 Autumn | 14 Nov 2025 (Fri) | Nishi Short-Long | Held; winner not published | source |
| 2026 Spring | 8 May 2026 (Fri, before Matsuri 9–10 May) | — | Practice for G1GP was filmed on 10 May 2026; no result published | source |
| 2026 Summer | 21 Aug 2026 (Fri, before Matsuri 22–23 Aug) | — | No evidence of the event or a result found | |
| 2026 Autumn | 13 Nov 2026 (Fri, before Matsuri 14–15 Nov) | — | Expected. Entry by e-mail; deadline not announced (Matsuri driver entries: 11–23 Oct) | source |
Won a G1GP round that is missing here? Send us the post or photo with the date and we add it: contact.
If you want to enter
参戦- Car. Ebisu’s resident operators do not all rent cars for competition. The Sideways Experience lists one-day hire (¥125,000–225,000 with helmet, tyres extra) and warns April, May and November sell out; Powervehicles sells cars with a buy-back option and does not rent. Ask the operator whether the car may run in G1GP before you pay. See drift car rental in Japan.
- Licence. A valid licence is required to drive at the Matsuri; for most visitors that means an International Driving Permit or a JAF translation depending on your country: which one you need.
- Gear. Full-face helmet (also for a passenger), harness, cage as above. The Matsuri weekend that follows has its own entry window: dates and deadlines.
- Getting there. Ebisu is 3.5 hours from Tokyo and the last leg is a taxi or a car: how to get to Ebisu. Full circuit guide: Ebisu Circuit, all courses.
- After the event. Results and photos surface on Instagram (@race_support_services), the G1 GP Facebook page and YouTube (Blackett Photography, Hi*Chance, SAMMIT, Keep It Reet). We add verified winners to the table above.
Related
関連- Overseas drivers competing in Japan’s pro series, 2026: the ones who went from Matsuri weekends to D1 and Formula Drift Japan grids.
- Ebisu Drift Matsuri: the first-timer’s guide
- Every drift date in Japan and the Ebisu calendar feed
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Everything above was read from the sources linked in each row on 17 September 2026. G1GP’s organisers have changed over the years and details (fee, e-mail address, classes, tyre rule) change without notice; confirm with Ebisu Circuit before you travel. TSUISO is not affiliated with Ebisu Circuit, Team Orange or Powervehicles.