2020.08.09

GT300: SYNTIUM・Apple・LOTUS runs from 3rd on grid to first victory in 10 years!

The Takanokono Hotel FUJI GT 300km RACE, Round 2 of the 2020 AUTOBACS SUPER GT series, was held at the Fuji Speedway (one lap 4,563m×66 laps) in Shizuoka Prefecture on August 9 (Sun). In the GT500 class, the No. 17 KEIHIN NSX-GT (Koudai Tsukakoshi/Bertrand Baguette) starting from 2nd position on the front row of the grid took the lead and continued to run far ahead of the pack to win the race. It was the first win of the new season for the Honda NSX-GT. In the GT300 class, the SYNTIUM・Apple・LOTUS (Hiroki Katoh/Masataka Yanagida) won their first team victory in 10 years.

 

 

 

　Starting from pole position, Sakaguchi in the No. 6 ADVICS muta MC86 (Ryohei Sakaguchi/Kazuto Kotaka) was able to secure the lead ahead of Katoh in the No. 2 SYNTIUM・Apple・LOTUS (Hiroki Katoh/Masataka Yanagida) and Yamauchi in the No. 61 SUBARU BRZ R&D SPORT (Takuto Iguchi/Hideki Yamauchi), which put two JAF-GT300 cars at the front. Although No. 6 was able to expand its lead for a while, soon car No. 61, which had emerged from the pack to take 2nd position, was closing on No. 6 as the race entered its sixth lap. Soon car No. 2 also caught up to make it a 3-way battle for the lead.

　Maintaining his momentum, Yamauchi in car No. 61 took the lead in the 9th lap of the race with a move from the outside in the Dunlop Corner. Then Katoh in car No. 2 also passed No. 6 to take over 2nd position. Meanwhile, an intense battle was playing out behind the leaders between Takagi in the No. 55 ARTA NSX GT3 (Shinichi Takagi/Toshiki Oyu) and Suganami in the No. 65 LEON PYRAMID AMG (Naoya Gamou/Togo Suganami). It was No. 65 that won this contest to move into 4th position.

 

　The first in the GT300 class to make an early routine pit stop on the 19th lap was car No. 65 then running 4th position. The driver change was made from Suganami to Naoya Gamou. Then on the 20th lap, No. 6 made its pit stop. By the time the race was reaching its half-way point, the over teams began returning to the pit one after another. From this race, a new rule was adopted for the GT300 class saying that all cars had to change all four of their tires at the routine pit stop, which eliminated the possibility of strategies such as no tire changes or changing only two tires in order to save pit time.

 

 

 

　The leading No. 61 SUBARU BRZ R&D SPORT made its pit stop on the 25th lap. After some fast pit work taking on 36 seconds, it was back in the race with Iguchi at the wheel. Meanwhile, the No. 2 SYNTIUM・Apple・LOTUS opted to keep running until the 29th lap before making its pit stop. After some fast pit work and changing drivers from Katoh to Yanagida, No. 2 was able to get back in the race in front of the previous leader, No. 61.

　By the time all of the cars had finished their routine pit stops, it was car No. 2 that held the lead. About 4 seconds behind in 2nd position came car No. 61, and 8 sec. behind it came the No. 65 LEON PYRAMID AMG (Gamou). On the 37th lap, the No. 55 ARTA NSX GT3 (Oyu) had pulled up behind car No. 65 and succeeded in passing it. For the No. 55 team that had only managed to qualify in 22nd position in the season’s Opening Round and struggled to finish the race in 7th place, things were looking much better this time, as they now had a shot at a podium finish.

 

 

　As the air temperature rose to 31℃ in the last stages of the race, it made for stifling conditions on the racetrack. But Yanagida in the leading car No. 2 maintained a steady pace and extended his lead over car No. 61 in 2nd place. Driving like the experienced veteran he is with former championship titles in both classes of SUPER GT, Yanagida played out his margin of lead skillfully in the final stages of the race, but the gap between him and No. 61 continued to narrow. Still, Yanagida in car No. 2 was able to run on safely to take the checkered flag first.

　Thus, the race ended in victory for the No. 2 SYNTIUM Apple LOTUS (Hiroki Katoh/Masataka Yanagida). For the team and for Katoh, this was their first win since Round 5 of the 2010 series at Sportsland SUGO. Also, this was the first win for a Lotus car in SUPER GT. For Yanagida, this was his first win since he became GT500 Class champion in the 2016 season, while in the GT300 class it is his first win since the 2002 season Round 3 at SUGO.

　Finishing 2nd was the No. 61 SUBARU BRZ R&D SPORT (Takuto Iguchi/Hideki Yamauchi). The last spot on the Podium this day went to the No. 55 ARTA NSX GT3 (Shinichi Takagi/Toshiki Oyu) in 3rd place. In 4th and 5th places came the No. 65 LEON PYRAMID AMG (Naoya Gamou/Togo Suganami) and the No. 56 REALIZE NISSAN AUTOMOBILE TECHNICAL COLLEGE GT-R (Kiyoto Fujinami/Joao Paulo de Oliveira) respectively. Sixth place went to the No. 52 SAITAMATOYOPET GB GR Supra GT (Hiroki Yoshida/Kohta Kawaai) carrying it weight handicap of 60 kg for having won the season opener. With this finish, No. 52 manages to keep its spot at the top of the season standings.

 

 

 

 

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