2019.08.30

[Round 6 Preview] Gotta survive through Autopolis to be a Champion

Round 6 Autopolis : Preview

Autopolis round (Oita Prefecture) was held as Round 7 in October last year, but this year the race will be held as the Round 6 "AUTOPOLIS GT 300km RACE" on September 7th (Saturday, Qualifying) and 8th (Sunday, Race). It's only one round or one month earlier than last year's timing in terms of when the event is held, but this year's Autoplis race is predicted to be a lot different from last year. What would not change are the fact that it's one of the most challenging circuits and that it draws a lot of spectators for being the only SUPER GT event held in Kyushu area. We will probably see even more intense battle than any other years because the survival game in route to the championship is already starting from the Kyushu round this year.

 

 

Autopolis event is held as the sixth round this year. When the event was held as the seventh round last year, handicap weight was calculated based on a formula, the points scored multiplied by 1kg. However, if it's a sixth round (sixth participation in the same year for a team), then the weight calculation would be the points captured multiplied by 2kg. In another words, in a simple comparison, the teams would be racing with a heavier handicap weight than last year at upcoming Autopolis event. How will the teams consider in this factor in their strategy for the race as well as for the series contention? Paying attention to the personality of team management or driver could add another fun element in predicting the race outcome.

 

Handicap weight would be a concern for any teams, but Autopolis is said to be a circuit that has less effect from the handicap weight. Key characteristics of Autopolis track layout are high-speed and non-stop up-and-downs. Which means a team can ease the drop in lap time caused by handicap weight by utilizing the turbo power in acceleration on uphill and then gain speed as much as possible on downhill (which would also require some courage). Of course, this only applies to one hot lap with no other cars around. In real situation during the race, there can be a car with a handicap weight weighing over 80kg or a car losing against the rival in acceleration because of the heavy weight. Nonetheless, last year's winner (No.1 KeePer TOM'S LC500) had third heaviest handicap weight and in 2005 a car with heavies handicap weight (No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R) was able to finish second, thus, a heavy handicap weight does not give teams a reason to simply give up trying finishing in the top group.

 

 

LEXUS LC500 squad is in a streak of four wins from Round 2 to 5 this season. Among the powering squad, No.6 WAKO'S 4CR LC500 (Kazuya Oshima / Kenta Yamashita) has won two races in a row, which put them at the top of point ranking, and that allows them to take on upcoming race in a good atmosphere. However, 100kg (120kg in actual accumulation) handicap weight is indeed a heavy load. Despite the situation, Oshima expressed to give 100%, "We have maximum handicap weight because we won the previous race in Fuji and easing off the pace here doesn't mean anything (it would not give enough decrease in handicap weight for Round 7), so I will push to a limit."
Looking at other LC500 teams, defending winner No.37 KeePer TOM'S LC500 (Ryo Hirakawa / Nick Cassidy) is also carrying a heavy handicap weight. Will that make them to ease off during the race? Contrastingly, the first objective of No.36 au TOM'S LC500 (Kazuki Nakajima / Yuhi Sekiguchi), No.19 WedsSport ADVAN LC500 (Yuji Kunimoto / Sho Tsuboi), and No.39 DENSO KOBELCO SARD LC500 (Heikki Kovalainen / Yuichi Nakayama) would be to stay in the title contention and only a win can do that for them.

 

 

NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT500 and Honda NSX-GT squads are not necessarily in a slump, however, they consequently appear to be left behind by the LC500 squad. For them to stay in the title contention, upcoming Round 6 Autopolis would be critical. Among the both fleets, No.1 RAYBRIG NSX-GT (Naoki Yamamoto / Jenson Button), No17, KEIHIN NSX-GT (Koudai Tsukakoshi / Bertrand Baguette), and No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R (Daiki Sasaki / James Rossiter) could be coming in with must-win determination. After going through a drastic change in team organization, the things are finally starting to come together and work for No.3 CRAFTSPORTS MOTUL GT-R (Kohei Hirate / Frederic Makowiecki) and they can be a dark horse.

No.23 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R (Tsugio Matsuda / Ronnie Quintarelli) went neck and neck against LC500 squad in terms of speed which put them at third in the point ranking, but it's not yet clear how the team is considering to take on the race. GT-R has a pretty good track record at Autopolis, but last year was not such an appreciable result to them. Will the team go for a revenge or just focus on trying to reduce the gap against the two teams ahead of them considering there are still three race left? Not only No.23 car but also what other teams are intending at Autoplis could only be seen after the practice session is over in the morning of September 7th.

 

 

 

By looking back the qualifying of GT300 class at Autopolis from past few years, it shows that JAF-GT300 cars (including mother-chassis cars) have clinched pole in four straight years. However, in terms of the winner, FIA GT3 cars won two races including last year's win by No.96 K-tunes RC F GT3, which can indicate that these two types of cars are equally competitive on the track.
In the point ranking, No.55 ARTA NSX GT3 (Shinichi Takagi / Nirei Fukuzumi) is standing at top position, however, there are 13 cars within the 20-point (equaling to one win) gap, a range which a team can still have a chance to make a come-from-behind upset given that it is still at the midpoint of the season, and 15 cars if you look to 22-point deficit. From a different perspective, the championship candidates can be narrowed down drastically depending on the result of Round 6 Autopolis. This is why the upcoming race at Autopolis is critical to the season as a whole.

 

   

 

By taking into account the suitability to the track as well as the position in the ranking, No.25 HOPPY 86 MC (Takamitsu Matsui / Kimiya Sato), No.52 SAITAMA TOYOPET GB MARK X MC (Shigekazu Wakisaka / Hiroki Yoshida), and local Kyushu team No.5 ADVICS MACHSYAKEN MC86 MACH GO of the mother-chassis cars are in must-win situation. Out of the FIA GT3 cars, No.4 GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG (Nobuteru Taniguchi / Tatsuya Kataoka) and No.65 LEON PYRAMID AMG (Naoya Gamou / Togo Suganami) would want to score a big point. No.65 car is depended on if Suganami, who is participating in the series for the first time, can execute a similar huge work of consecutive wins that he accomplished in the FIA-F4 Championship last year. Despite with a heavy handicap weight, No.56 Realize Nissan Automobile Technical College GT-R (Kazuki Hiramine / Sacha Fenestraz) and No.96 K-tunes RC F GT3 (Morio Nitta / Sena Sakaguchi) would want to climb up on the podium to be in a good position for the remaining two races.
First pick for the winner candidate would probably be No.10 GAINER TANAX triple a GT-R (Kazuki Hoshino / Keishi Ishikawa). The team would want to score a second win of the season and jump up to the top group of the point ranking. No.61 SUBARU BRZ R&D SPORT (Takuto Iguchi / Hideki Yamauchi) is also equipped with the speed to win the race.

 

   

 

 

Three races are remaining in this season including the Autopolis round. Surviving for the championship is indeed essential, but the finishing position, even one position difference, can also be critical at upcoming sixth round, and this will for sure generate intense and severe battle at many different parts of Autopolis for the fans to enjoy the race at full extent.

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