2016.03.26

[Official Test at Fuji: Day 1] ZENT CERUMO RC F at top. GT-R breaks record in GT300.

With the 2016 AUTOBACS SUPER GT opening its season in two weeks, SUPER GT’s second official test of the year started at Fuji Speedway on March 26. Day 1’s morning session was held under a difficult track condition changing from half-wet to dry, but the track was completely dry in the afternoon. Teams built up laps on the track to collect effective data for tire testing as well as car setup in their preparation for the second round taking place at Fuji during the Golden Week.

 

 

 

CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R whips out fastest time in the morning.

Clouds covered up Fuji Speedway in the morning of Day 1, which kept the temperature from rising. It was declared “WET” before the session started and all cars entered the rack with wet tires. Many cars stayed on wet tires during the first hour of the session. Meanwhile, Adrian Zaugg driving No.63 Lamborghini HURACAN fielded by LAMBORGHINI Team DIRECTION crashed at the first corner after about 20 minutes from the start. The session was suspended with a red flag to collect the car. The car broke down from the crash, forcing the team to give up their afternoon run.

Blue sky gradually spread over by 11AM when the session reached the turning point and the track turned completely dry with the return of sunlight. From there cars started to reduce their lap times. Similar to the previous official test at Okayama, the Lexus fleet continued to show good runs that the top part of timing monitor was dominated almost by the fleet. However, No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R (Hironobu Yasuda / Joao Paulo de Oliveira) broke into the pack of Lexus’, just like at the Okayama test, and eventually emerged to the highest position on the timing monitor by surpassing the entire pack.

However, Shinichiro Takahashi, Factory manager of TEAM IMPUL, did not look relieved, “It just that Michelin teams were struggling a bit since they missed out on tire (selection).”

“I can’t even make a comment from just finishing the morning session. We haven’t even been able to analyze the data to know what kind of a condition it was or at which timing (and what kind of a tire) it was thrown in. Above all, this is a test, so, not only the lap times, but also the condition, what kind of issues there were…, we need to address all that and link it to a good result at the race. That’s what testing is all about.” Hiroaki Odashima, Motorsports manager of Michelin, explained that the lap time itself of two cars wearing Michelin tires were not the top importance.

After all, 1 min 28.244 sec marked by de Oliveira in No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R was the fastest lap time of the morning session. No.38 ZENT CERUMO RC F (Yuji Tachikawa / Hiroaki Ishiura) followed with 1 min 28.692 sec and four other Lexus cars lined up behind from there.

 

 

ZENT CERUMO RC F gets over CALSONIC in afternoon

Session 2 started at 2PM. However, No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R came to a stop at the exit of Turn 2 at about only seven minutes from the start. No.4 GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG (Nobuteru Taniguchi / Tatsuya Kataoka) also stopped at the first corner at a short while after 3:30PM. Red flag was show at both occasions to suspend the session. No.12 car had a problem in propeller-shaft, but, surprisingly, the team completed the replacement work and managed to send the car back on track in 30 minutes. No.4 GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG, on the other hand, had damaged the car from a problem in the tire, forcing the team right at that moment to cancel the rest of the run on the day.

No.38 ZENT CERUMO RC F was showing good runs among the pack in the afternoon. Despite Tachikawa’s comment, “we were trying many different kind of settings,” the car continued on and even broke through the 1 min 28 sec barrier before the exclusive period started and marked a near track-record (1 min 27.552 sec), 1 min 27.936 sec. No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R gradually cut down its lap times as if it was chasing No.38 car. During his last lap in the exclusive session time, de Oliveira drove through the Sector 1 and 2 with best sector times to put his lap time in the 1 min 27 sec-mark, but he had to settle with 1 min 27.938 sec as he was unable to carry on the good rhythm to the Sector 3. The difference was only two thousandths of a second, but not enough to catch Tachikawa.

Overall fifth fastest time of 1 min 28.660 sec marked by No.17 KEIHIN NSX CONCEPT-GT (Koudai Tsukakoshi / Takashi Kogure) was the best result out of the Honda NSX CONEPT-GT fleet. The time was marked by Tsukakoshi, but Kogure was also able to mark similar lap time with only a one-tenth of a second gap. The fleet’s strategy to team up two drivers with similar driving style seemed to be working.

 

 

 

 

 

GT300 rookie Mardenbrough in No.3 car breaks the record!

In the GT300 class, the top times of both morning and afternoon sessions were marked by No.3 B-MAX NDDP GT-R (Kazuki Hoshino / Jann Mardenborough). What is noteworthy was that as Hoshino marked the top time in the morning, Mardenborough followed to mark the top time of the afternoon session. In addition, Mardenborough replaced Hoshino’s best lap time with 1 min 36.151 sec. Despite a slight difference, Mardenborough’s time was fast enough to break GT300 track record marked last year, 1 min 36.159 sec. At the end, the lap time became the best time of the day in GT300. It sure raised the expectation towards not only Round 2 Fuji but also the season opener considering the huge gap against the second fastest lap time of 1 min 36.978 sec marked by No.88 MANEPA LAMBORGHINI GT3 (Manabu Orido / Kazuki Hiramine).

However, Hoshino gave a subjective analysis on the lap times of the day, “We only ran for tire testing. What’s more significant than the top time is that we were able to execute all the planned test menu successfully. Lap times are only an outcome from tire testing. Other teams around us must be leaving some room (to improve lap time) and I’m sure they will get faster lap times at the real race. Get all what we have out. That’s what I think testing is all about.”

LAMBORGHINI Team DIRECTION Shift with No.108 HURACAN, initially planning to participate in the Fuji test, cancelled its participation due to late arrival of the car. No.25 VivaC 86 MC could not bring in their car to Fuji on the day as a problem was found in the car.

 

   

 

 

We were able to test many different kinds of settings. We even tried making big changes and different patterns, and I think I found the tips, the tendency of the car, what and how will make it (the car) better? What will make it bad? ... As far as the lap time goes, it’s only a test (so it doesn’t matter). But we can start the season with a good feeling. That’s how the test was. Actually, we did a test at Motegi before the official test at Okayama and we were fast there. But we were bad, in terms of lap times also, at the last time in Okayama (Official test) since the car was not that good. But today, it felt like we found out why we were bad at Okayama, so it was a gainful test regardless of lap time. Since we haven’t been able to win at our home track Fuji after we changed to this car (RC F), I want to first create good flow at the season opener and then definitely win at Fuji during the Golden Week. If we can win there, then I think the result (regain of title) will show up in our sight.

 

We were able to test many items (setting) today. Car felt good, and both Kazuki (Hoshino) and I were able to mark the top times. But this is only a test. In fact, I’ve never raced at Fuji, but I drove in testing a few times, so I know well (on how to drive), but my experience at Okayama, where the season opener will be held, is from the last test only. I still have a lot more to learn from Kazuki. I think if I experience one race (at the season opening round), then I can do better battle at the next race (Round 2 Fuji). Anyways, I can’t wait till the race.

 

 

 

 

 

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SUPER GT promotion video shooting

Shooting of an introductory video for 2016 was conducted on the track at the end of main straight
with six GT500 cars and 12 drivers before the morning session.

 

A shot of 12 drivers walking in a line side by side during the interval at noon.
The introductory video will be a great presentation to the fans for the new season.

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