2016.08.27

Rd. 6 Qualifying Flash Report: First Pole positions for Drago Modulo NSX CONCEPT-GT’s Mutoh and GT300 UPGAREGE’s Nakayama!

Rd. 6 Qualifying Flash Report

 

　The qualifying for the 45th International SUZUKA 1000km race, Round 6 of the AUTOBACS SUPER GT series, was held at the Suzuka Circuit (one lap 5,807 m) in Mie Prefecture on August 27. In the GT500 class qualifying, the No. 15 Drago Modulo NSX CONCEPT-GT driven by Hideki Mutoh and Oliver Turvey won pole position (1st qualifier), with a course record time of 1’47.587. In the GT300 class, the No. 18 UPGARAGE BANDOH 86 driven by Yuhki Nakayama and Shinnosuke Yamada won the class pole. These two machines will start from first position on their respective class grids for the race on August 28.

　The SUPER GT qualifying is run in a competitive two-session “knock-out” format (Q1 and Q2), with the cars failing to qualify among the designated top group in Q1 being knocked out of the final qualifying in Q2. In the GT500 qualifying, the top eight cars of the 15 entries in Q1 proceed to Q2.

　Light rain began to fall before the morning free practice, but by afternoon there were mid-summer blue skies over Suzuka circuit. The GT500 Q1 session began at 14’55. The first driver to take to the track after the session’s start was the GT500 rookie Mitsunori Takaboshi in the No. 46 S Road CRAFTSPORTS GT-R, replacing Katsumasa Chiyo who had to withdraw following a crash in the last round. With a valiant time attack, Takaboshi managed to qualify 7th in the session and move the team on to Q2. The fastest time in this Q1 session was the 1’47.638 lap recorded by Oliver Turvey in the No. 15 Drago Modulo NSX CONCEPT-GT. Car No. 15 had also recorded the fastest time in the morning’s free practice, proving its speed on the Suzuka course.
　In Q2 as well, the No. 15 Drago Modulo NSX CONCEPT-GT continued in top form. After “Mr. GT-R” Satoshi Motoyama in the No. 46 S Road CRAFTSPORTS GT-R set a record time of 1’47.587 (beating the former record of 1’47.630) to top the time board, the No. 15 Drago Modulo NSX CONCEPT-GT’s top driver, Hideki Mutoh, rounded the Suzuka course with an outstanding time of 1’47.456. With little time left in the Q2 session, neither Motoyama nor the winner of the last round, the No. 12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R, were able to better that time, giving pole position to the No. 15 Drago Modulo NSX CONCEPT-GT.
　Although he has won pole position in the GT300 class, this was the first GT500 pole for Mutoh. It was also the first pole position for Ryo Michigami as manager of the Drago Modulo Honda Racing team.

 

　In the GT300 class, the No. 18 UPGARAGE BANDOH 86, a car using the GT300 mother chassis, finished 3rd in the class Q1 driven by Shinnosuke Yamada and then won the class pole in Q2 in the hands of the team’s top driver, Yuhki Nakayama, with a course record time of 1’57.876 (previous record: 1’58.248).

 

 

 

■Pole position winner comments

 

 

GT500 Class

No.15 Drago Modulo NSX CONCEPT-GT
Hideki Mutoh
“I am very happy that we were able to win pole position. After Oliver [Turvey] ran in Q1, I knew from him that the car was in good condition when I ran in Q2. So, I was able to make my time attacks knowing that all I had to do was to do my best to run a good time. By believing in myself, I was able to get pole position, so I was very happy. Since we will be starting from pole position, I will be trying my best to get the win with Oliver tomorrow.”

 

 

GT300 Class

No.18 UPGARAGE BANDOH 86
Yuhki Nakayama
“I am happy that we got pole position. It is really great for us. But, even though we have it, tomorrow’s race is a long 1,000 kilometers, so we can’t take anything for granted. Still, it feels good to have gotten pole in such a big race as this. The car is in good condition, so it is up to us now to get ourselves in the right frame of mind for tomorrow’s race. Since we will be starting from pole position, I want to see us do our best to get the win.”

 

 

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