2017.03.18

[Official test at Okayama] Lexus fleet looking brisk! KeePer TOM'S LC500 tops Day 1. B-MAX NDDP GT-R fastest in GT300

With the season opening round of 2017 AUTOBACS SUPER GT series approaching in three weeks, the first SUPER GT official test of the year started on March 18th at Okayama International Circuit. 2-hour session was set each in the morning and the afternoon on Day 1, and the cars were running extensively on the track as the teams prepare for the season opener.

 

 

 

Lexus LC500 dominate Top 6! Hirakawa in No. 37 car marks fastest.

Morning session started with a dry condition and almost all cars went out to the track as the session began.

It was the first opportunity to have all GT500 class cars running under the same conditions after all manufacturers introduced a new model for this season and many fans and media gathered at Okayama to witness the moment. As all the eyes focus on the cars on track, Lexus LC500's speed was prominent among all new model cars. Firstly, No.6 WAKO'S 4CR LC500 (Kazuya Oshima) marked 1 min 18.422 sec with only 12 laps on track and took the top time at the time. Defending champion No.1 DENSO KOBELCO SARD LC500 (Heikki Kovalainen) was also constantly marking lap times in the 1 min 18 sec mark and in its 23rd lap into the session the car lapped faster than No.6 car at 1 min 18.274 sec. Then the pole-sitter of Okayama last year and two years ago, No.37 KeePer TOM'S LC500 (Ryo Hirakawa), came to the top with 1 min 18.149 sec, which eventually became the fastest time of the morning session. After the completion of the morning session, it was all Lexus LC500 in the top six positions with No.37 car at top to No.19 car at sixth place.

No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R was seventh fastest (lap time by Hironobu Yasuda) with 0.752 sec gap from the top, and No.8 ARTA NSX-GT (lap time by Tomoki Nojiri) at ninth position with 1 min 19.143 sec was the fastest among the Honda NSX-GTs.

Team staff from Nissan commented, "Remember last year our rivals were wondering 'Why is it fast?' when they saw GT-R running fast even when it was heavy (with the handicap weight). But now it feels like we switched positions... This tells that Lexus worked hard during the offseason. But complaining will not do anything, so we just need to fight with a determination that (by focusing on the entire championship) we will not lose not even a single battle." Grim look was shown on his face.

 

 

KEIHIN NSX-GT came second in the afternoon! Can't underestimate NSX-GT fleet.

Thick cloud covered the sky over the circuit in the afternoon. However, air and track surface temperatures were always in around 11℃ and 14℃, respectively, and it did not look like the rain would fall. Track continued to be complete dry like in the morning. Healthy LC500 fleet continued to run with good lap times in the afternoon. During the mixed-class session time with GT300 class lasting 1 hour and 50 minutes from the start, No.1 DENSO KOBELCO SARD LC500 (Heikki Kovalainen) marked a top time with 1 min 18.306 sec in early stage and other LC500s followed behind the car as in the morning. However, the situation changed drastically during the GT500 class exclusive time held in the last ten minutes of the session. Cars started making attack laps like if it was a qualifying session. No.46 S Road CRAFTSPORTS GT-R (Katsumasa Chiyo) marked 1 min 18.262 sec and No.23 MOTUL AUTEC GT-R (Ronnie Quintarelli) also improved its lap time to 19.211 sec and moved up to near Top 10 (13th and 12th, eventually). It was No. 64 Epson Modulo NSX-GT (Bertrand Baguette), however, that marked a better time than these GT-Rs with Michelin tire and the car placed tenth with 1 min 18.863 sec. What's more impressive were other two NSX-GTs. No.100 RAYBRIG NSX-GT (Takuya Izawa) cut down the time to 1 min 18.555 sec to take fourth fastest. And No.17 KEIHIN NSX-GT (Koudai Tsukakoshi) drastically improved from the lap times in the 1 min 19 sec mark until then to 1 min 18.387 sec and emerged to the second fastest of the session. Nonetheless, it seemed most of the LC500 cars did not go for an attack lap during this time though. Kotaro Tanaka, an engineer in charge of No.1 DENSO KOBELCO SARD LC500 that kept the fastest time of the afternoon session after all, said, "Car is finished up superbly. (LC500 is) Built firmly and it has enough downforce (in the constraint). In addition, the engine is also great. It's all perfect. This year it's limited to two (engines) in one year, so if you want to know which part of the engine got better (relatively) from last year, you need to ask TRD (developer of LC500). But, as far as we are concern, we found out by running with the rivals that things are not bad for us." Tanaka looked satisfied with the situation.

 

 

 

GT300 top was UPGARAGE BANDOH in the morning and B-MAX NDDP GT-R in the afternoon

Okayama test for GT300 class started unexpectedly with the defending champion No.25 VivaC 86 MC (Takamitsu Matsui / Kenta Yamashita) running only eight laps and finishing at 28th fastest due to an issue in the transmission it faced early in the morning session. Top time of the morning was marked by No.18 UPGARAGE BANDOH 86 (Yuki Nakayama / Shintaro Kawabata) with 1 min 25.693 sec by Nakayama. Following at 0.4 second behind was No.31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT (Koki Saga / Rintaro Kubo).

No.25 VivaC 86 MC returned after the repair and bettered the time marked by No.31 car in the morning by suddenly marking a good lap time of 1 min 25.600 sec soon after the start of the afternoon session. This should raise the expectation on the No.25 car for this year once again especially when the car was the the pole-sitter at Okayama last year. However, No.3 B-MAX NDDP GT-R (Mitsunori Takaboshi) brought down the time to 1 min 25.568 sec during the GT300 class exclusive session and claimed the top time of the class of Day 1.

Four cars of three new models made their debut this season in the GT300 class. Brand new Lexus RC F GT3s are fielded by No.51 JMS P.MU LMcorsa RC F GT3 (Yuichi Nakayama / Sho Tsuboi) and No.60 SYNTIUM LMcorsa RC F GT3 (Akira Iida / Hiroki Yoshimoto). No.52 SAITAMA TOYOPET GreenBrave MARK X MC (Takayuki Hiranuma Taku Bamb) is fielding a Toyota Mark X built using the mother-chassis. Lastly, No.117 EIcars BENTLEY GT3 (Yuji Ide / Ryohei Sakaguchi) will compete with a Bentley Continental. These four cars appeared to be still in trial and error stage and the best lap time out of the four was 1 min 26.494 sec marked by No.51 JMS P.MU LMcorsa RC F GT3, which was the twelfth fastest time overall. These new comers will be covered in detail in tomorrow's report.

 

   

 

 

Although we were able to mark the top time, it's not like the car is finished up perfectly. But the time is limited (until the season opener) and, especially, we need to make a decision on the tires (to be used at the season opener) during this test, so we are working on a testing menu that focuses on the tire already. And the (top) time was just something that came out during the exercise. I think there are still some points in the car as well as the tire where we can make improvements. Anyways, I don't think the lap time will get surprisingly faster (from here) even if made improvements. Since we were able to run on a dry track, we finished the scheduled testing menu smoothly. I think that was the biggest thing we gained today. Of course, I'm happy about the top time. We will continue working on the test tomorrow again, so we can take on the season opener fully prepared.

 

Balance of the car was not bad. We ran the car for a distance at a (private) test and this (Okayama) test is like a continuation from there. I understand about the car pretty well because I have a long career with the GT-R GT3. But, to me, there are still some more room in improving the lap time. Especially in terms of tire development, we are still not at the level. Of course, it's not like I'm not happy about getting the top time during a session today, but this is a test (and not the season opener). There must be more than a few in our rivals that were not doing their 100% in the lap time. That's what I think. That's why I can't be just happy.

Page Top