2008 Super GT Round 9/Fuji Speed Way [Main race]
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9 November/ Main race Condition in Main race Weather/ Sunny with some occasional rain Course Condition/Semi-wet→Dry→Wet Air temperature/8-11℃ Surface temperature/9-11℃ Number of spectators: 47,100 (Organiser’s statement) |
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After miserable tyre choose, Carlo put hard charge with swapped slick tyre, Yamano took advantage of AWD on wet and gained dramatic 3rd finish! The main race of final round of 2008 Super GT series in Fuji saw mix up with the condition as the rain from previous night was stopped however the sky was still covered by thick cloud. The rain was started to fall again just before start of main race which gave team tricky situation to make tyre choose. Eventually team picked intermediate tyre for start, but this decision was backfire and starting driver Carlo van Dam was forced to make unplanned pit-in to swap tyre to slick. It caused team to push back to almost tail of the field. But team showed hard charge to gain the position back and finished first half of stint in 12th. Yamano who took steering for second half of stint accepted rain tyre due to wet condition when he took steering over from Carlo. Again Yamano showed impressive speed to give full of spectators excitement. AWD, performance of wet tyre and driving of Yamano, all of them just made ideal package which put excellent speed which is few second per lap quicker than tops. Eventually team finished in third and get last spot of podium which was not expected when they made wrong tyre choice on the start. |
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| Yamano reported machine condition to engineer Makino after handing steering to Carlo. | Team simulated pit work on main race after free run. | Cusco pit was excited by many visitors at pit walk. |
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Organiser declared wet condition on free driving in the morning, however practically it was dry. All of the official qualifying was underway on wet condition, so every team used dry tyre first time for this event as official program. Cusco racing planned to send Yamano and then hand to Carlo, but feeling of machine was completely different. The reason may be because washed road surface up by previous rain, or may be because road temperature was too low as being about 10℃ which didn’t arrowed to warm tyre easily, anyway both drivers commented luck of grip. Due to this situation, team was needed to look machine setting over again for the main race in the afternoon. As usual on this series, organiser arranged “Circuit Safari” circuit tour for spectators, team used even this occasion to check their machine setting. After several program such as support race or pit walk for spectators, finally the main race of final round of the season was kicked off. The rain was started to fall again when chairman of GTA, organiser of this series made ceremonial speech. This rain could be blessing for Cusco’s Impreza which has symmetrical AWD! Whole of team hoped this as they didn’t satisfied with making dry condition during free run in the morning. However it was still an hour to go, so it was too early to make final decision for director, engineer and also drivers. Team judged it at 5 minutes before formation lap when team was arrowed to make some work on machine on the grid as last occasion. At last, team choose conservative decision with picking intermediate tyre. However this decision became wrong eventually as the rain was stopped after 2 laps for formation lap and ready to make official start. Moreover first half of the course was getting to dry even. This situation put difficult situation for intermediate tyre. In fact starting driver Carlo was passed by slick tyre wore machines after clear opening lap with maintain lead from pole position. The wearing tyre was even getting worse than expected which forced Carlo to pit in just after 4 laps. It was obviously unplanned pit in, but mechanics showed excellent work for swapping tyre and sent Carlo back to the circuit with minimum time loosing. On the circuit, almost car was lapped as one group as just after starting, Carlo move back to almost the tail of the group. However it was start of Carlo’s taking back. As dry setting was getting better from free run in the morning, Carlo showed impressive pace and making position up while rivals with wet tyre made unplanned pit in. He backed 16th on lap 20. He didn’t passed rivals much at that point, however making quick judge to swapping tyre and making stable lap after pit out made this better situation. After then, weather was getting worse and rain was started again. On this condition, Carlo took most advantage of AWD machine and kept driving with slick tyre. He completed 29 laps with move up to 12th and made scheduled pit in to hand the steering to Yamano. After taking the steering over and started second half of stint with rain tyre, Yamano also showed impressive driving. Only few laps after pit out, he move up to point scoring slot and continued fast pace after then. The rain was getting strong gradually which prevent aggressive attack for many of tops; however Yamano kept hard charge with fast speed as 2-3 seconds per lap quicker than the tops. He moved up to 5th until lap 44 and still kept the speed. He also moved to 4th on lap 47 and finally moved into podium slot on lap 52. He got checker with maintaining the position. He couldn’t reach to 2nd, however as making awesome recovery he gave released feeling to whole of team who welcomed the machine after completing this hard battle. It could be said if team choose dry tire for the starting the result would be different, but it can not help to think about as it’s over. Above all, huge cheering from spectator who excited team’s performance proved team’s effort of the day. With this consecutive good result after 6th in previous round, team was rewarded with the third place which made better conclusion of the season. |
| During speech from principal of GT-A, all staff formed up. | |
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| Director Omizo still deliberated on tyre chose during grid walk. | |
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| It was tough decision to use which tyre. Team prepared both intermediate and wet tyre on grid. | |
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| Eventually team chose to swap to this intermediate. | |
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| Team staff formed up to honour national anthem. |
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Team quote: Team director, Toshio Omizo “It was great battle and I hope spectators were enjoying it much. This race was kind of showing everything o this season. There were only few teams to choose intermediate tyre for start among top runners, however I thought that we should take conservative way. Unfortunately the rain was stopped eventually which put us difficult situation. But team would be required to recover from that and that would be real ability of the teaming. To challenge everything what we think and taking back if it would be not good and never give up, this is sprit of the late Mr.Kase, founder of Carrosser, and we have been succeeding this spirit as DNA of the company. Carlo done excellent work to move up to 12th from almost tail of the group followed further moving up with Yamano’s best effort which resulted finishing in 3rd. After previous round at Autopolis when we finished in 6th, I said that we would like to get better result at final round, and we just made it. I think putting best effort with whole team with not giving up came up. I would like to thank all of support for whole of this season. We promise to continue to put best effort for next season’s challenge.” Driver quote: Tetsuya Yamano ”Why we chose intermediate tyre for starting because it would be tough to have risk from start. We avoid gamble and take conservative approach. Also I heard from Carlo that he felt very slippery when he run on formation lap, so we change tyre on grid. Unfortunately the rain was stopped immediately after start. Also wearing tyre was not so good, so we made early decision to change back to slick which was hectic work through team. But eventually the rain was strong again which helped us. Timing of pit in was good and wearing rain tyre for second half of stint was well, so we could keep driving without make pace down until finish. This is most important factor for this result. This season we got victory ( in Sepang) and made podium finish two times which is best season for team so far I think. It rewarded me for my effort. I’m happy to be on the podium today.” Driver quote: CARLO VAN DAM ”We chose intermediate tyre which was wrong eventually, but we change it with good timing which was earlier than rivals to pit in, so it’s good I think. On my stint, I was able to drive in good pace in early on, and was able to keep speed after rain was started again thank to our AWD machine. Also Yamano done well job. Finishing in 3rd is great result I think. It’s only second time to compete Super GT event for me, so I’m really glad to be on podium. This is my 20th podium at Japanese racing(He finished on podium 19 times through total 20 round of F3 championship this season). If the rain was continued from start, we may be able to win, but that’s race. I think this was great weekend for team to get pole position and third place. I would like to give team big thank for giving me such a great opportunity to show my driving on Super GT racing.” |
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