Jun 19, 2008
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| Super GT round 3（Fuji Speedway／4.563km） GT FUJI 500km RACE Main race 4 May/ Main race 1359-1701hrs Condition in Main race =1359-1701hrs Weather/ overcast with some sunshine Course Condition/Dry Air temperature/22→22→20℃ Surface temperature/32→36→29℃ Running in top with hitting 2-stop tactic However unexpected snag interrupted team’s object |
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 Sasaki having discussion with team until just before start at side of machine  Mechanic is fitting air-duct on machine at grid  The hose fitted inside of cockpit |
The annual event of Fuji during Golden Week, Main race of Super GT was
getting undertaking on Sunday 4 May. Not only enthusiastic fan, but many
families visited the circuit, which reached about 90,000 spectators during
the weekend. In qualifying on previous day with changeable condition, team marked fastest time on first session in the morning under wet condition. It proved advantage of AWD’s basic package. In the Super Lap, team lost time as missing enough warm with hard compound tyre and backed in 4th. However, the tyre choice would be effectively on main race when road temperature rose. Now team is looking for getting win seriously. Turning from unstable weather on Friday and Saturday, Sky was refreshed with clear sunny on Sunday. CUSCO’s Impreza marked fastest time among GT300 class on free run which was held on early morning of the day. Team confirmed its speed on dry condition as well. More importantly, team had been running with no major trouble from Friday practice, it's expected to retain this good stream to main race. Same as last round in Okayama, this time again Sasaki took wheel for starting. That’s tactic to take maximum advantage of his speed to make hard charge. Sasaki who started from 4th grid maintained the position during early section and started to build pace up when confusing of start was getting calm, and push harder. At first he passed one of car at straight using slip-stream on 6th lap. He passed another car on following lap and moved to second position. After that he had close battle few laps with Porsche which was leading the class and finally overtook the machine at Dunlop corner on 12th lap. He backed to straight in the top. Now leading the class, Sasaki kept building the pace. Meanwhile followers marked 1”47sec some, he set 1”45.5 on 13th and 14th lap consecutively and extends his margin to 5 seconds. From that he maintained pace with 1”46sec some and extended the lead consistently. The margin was 10sec on 16th lap and 20 sec on 24th lap. Sasaki backed to pit on after complete 38th laps with almost 25sec margin. Even having 2-pit tactic, it’s very possible to get on podium with this pace, even victory. |
| After only 47 sec pit stop, Yamano who handed steering from Sasaki backed
the race in 11th position. He charged with time in 1”46sec or 45 sec some
and positioned up steadily. On 57th lap when teams which had long stint
made scheduled pit in, Yamano regained the leading. On that time, the margin
between second was 41sec, however he kept to pace up with concerning scheduled
one more pit-in later. He recorded fastest lap on 59th lap in 1”45.278. But there’s many a slip between the cup and the lip. Yamano was imposed time penalty due to violated yellow flag with passed back marker when he passed front car using slip stream. Under the penalty, he had to stop 10 sec at penalty area where was in close to exit of pit road. That cost huge with losing all of margin which team had until that time. |
 With good result on qualifying, many fans visited team’s pit |
 Circuit ladies walk on main course keep its popularity! |
 Every generation of fan love to visit pit-walk |
 Drivers are interviewed from TV crew. |
Then Yamano’s unfortunate was continuing. He touched with car in front (GT300) which he tried to pass when GT500 class was going to pass GT300 squad. The incident caused to impose driving through penalty on Yamano. Moreover radiator and outer of exhaust of machine damaged from the touch and team got unexpected extra work. After repair, machine pit out with driving by Sasaki. He drove well with refreshed feeling and finished the race. The time lost by penalties and extra pit work cost huge and team finished in 18th with 8 laps adrift from top. However it proved that the Trans axel system Symmetrical AWD has plenty of speed on not only wet surface, but also dry condition even at Fuji circuit which has long straight. It meant that team learnt a lot. On next round in Sepang, team change own mind and aim to get on podium. |
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| Team quote: Team director, Toshio Omizo “Eventual result was unexpected, but we confirmed our speed in rainy Friday and evolution of the machine. Our start was not too bad in main race, but the position in finish was not what we thought. It’s kind of like that we missed the winning by ownselves. However, we were able to complete almost 500km distance in competitive situation, so I would say that reliability of the machine was hugely improving. Now our assignment is to resolve all of our fault and to making machine faster steadily. The circuit for next round, Sepang is where we have good memories as we recorded fastest lap in the main race last year. It’s very characteristic circuit and condition at over there would be very hot, but we are going to chase top 6 surely.” |
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Team quote: Managing director, Hisashi Matsuda “The first half of the race was exactly what we expected. Because we had been getting good result this season so far, and actually we are aiming to win every each time, so I thought it could be happened this time. But conclusion was which I couldn’t expect. The unexpected pit work was repair around radiator. Due to the touch, machine was overheated. However, without actual result, we were able to confirm speed and reliability of the machine; they are what we got from this race.” |
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Driver quote: Tetsuya Yamano “Today’s main race was kind of like all of unfortunate came to me. I completely didn’t realise the passing yellow flag. The first corner of Fuji is hard to see when we drive with using slip, that’s why I missed it I think. But it’s 100% my mistake anyway. The touch on 13 corner, I followed the GT-R (GT500) when the car was going to pass another car because thing would be easy with this. But I feel sorry with that. Our machine was very fast in whole of the race. There was no slow part when I see each area, and it was good on straight or corners. In concerning this, I regret the yellow flag and the touch. This is my biggest repentance in my career.” |
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Driver quote: Kouta Sasaki “Although the result was disappointment, I had done my assignment almost perfectly I think. Our time was getting worse when we were interrupted by slower cars, apart from that, we drove in fast pace consistently. I made push too, I was able to retain tyre, so I’m satisfied my job. We expected that condition would be hot after rainy day, so we choose hard compound to look for main race, and the tactic was hit! The result in qualifying was not so good, but we took back the margin of this in main race I think. I know we can not talk ”If story”, but we could be second or even 1st I guess. But now, we change our mind and will do our best in next round in Sepang.” |
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