2019.11.24

ITR Chairman Berger and GTA Chairman Bandoh hold Press Conference at the SUPER GT x DTM Dream Race

 

 

On Sunday November 24, prior to Race 2 of the “AUTOBACS 45th Anniversary presents SUPER GT x DTM Dream Race,” a joint press conference was held by the SUPER GT organizing body GTA Chairman Masaaki Bandoh and the DTM organizing body ITR Chairman Gerhard Berger to talk about this exchange race event.

 

 

 

 

 

Chairman Berger : I want to express my gratitude to Bandoh-san. It is a wonderful thing that through our joint efforts we have been able to bring together five manufacturers to the same grid at the same circuit during this weekend to compete, thanks to the great cooperation of Mr. Bandoh and all of the ITR and GTA people who have worked together over the past two years. I am looking forward to great things for the future. When I actually stood on this grid, it was something that I couldn’t have imagined five years ago, but I realized it was the right step, and I felt great expectations for the future of DTM and SUPER GT. That first step we took several years ago has resulted in this great weekend, and I am sure that what we have done is the right thing, and something that has great potential for the future.

 

This event was something that could not have happened without sponsors. I want to thank all of the sponsors for their trust and cooperation. With regard to the logistics and everything else, this event would not have been possible without your cooperation, but this is just the first step and there are still many points we have to find solutions for. I think there are still things we have to talk about based on the results of this event, but I am looking forward to this and I am sure that Bandoh-san feels the same way. I want to see us continue discussions in order to make this an event that will be better for everyone.

 

 

 

 

Chairman Bandoh : In October at the final race of the DTM series at Hockenheim, cars of the three makers competing in the GT500 class participated. The fact that we were able to participate not in a special side event but in the DTM series final round where the teams were competing for the championship was because of the warm reception we received from ITR and all of the people involved. I want to express my heartfelt thanks for that to the ITR staff, the manufacturers and the spectators.

This exchange race was made possible in this short time thanks to the efforts of the ITR and GTA staff involved and the cooperation of the people at Fuji Speedway involved in the preparations. I am very happy to see the results that came from all of these efforts. It is all thanks to the cooperation of everyone involved on the Japanese and German sides and the efforts we have made together with ITR until now. Being able to show this Dream Race to all of the Japanese fans who support SUPER GT has opened a new page in the history of motorsports, and I think that this race has truly been a big step forward. I want to express this feeling of gratitude to all of the fans.

Even though there are race series that are run in different countries or regions under the same technical regulation, there has never before been a case like this Dream Race where two race series of completely different categories have created a unified technical regulation and held a race where they could compete together. It was our dream to hold this race and it is the beginning of something new. I believe this is the start of a new chapter that will change Japan’s motorsports.
I am filled with gratitude for the efforts of the people of Fuji Speedway, the efforts of ITR, the manufacturers and the GTA staff and all the other people involved. From this start a lot of things will be decided, and I believe there are certainly differences that have to be worked out in the CLASS 1 regulation, and that is the work that lies before us to be tackled with diligence and determination.

 

 

 

 

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