May 2nd, Fuji Speedway (Oyama town, Shizuoka prefecture)
Under clear, sunny skies on Sunday, May 2nd, Fuji Speedway (1 lap: 4.563km)
was the scene of Round 3 of this year’s SUPER GT. At a distance some
100kms longer than regularly contested, the 400km race necessitated 2 pit
stops, bringing added dynamics to the event. Qualifying 9th, the CALSONIC
IMPUL GT-R (#12 – Tsugio Matsuda/Ronnie Quintarelli) put up a determined
fight to finish in sixth. In addition, starting from 8th on the grid, the
HIS ADVAN KONDO GT-R (#24 – Joao Paolo de Oliveira/Hironobu Yasuda)
completed the 88 laps to finish in the same spot it had started, eighth.
Held on the Sunday of the Golden Week holidays, more than 53,000 race fans
gathered at the circuit for the big event. By the time the race got
underway at 2pm, the grandstands were packed to the rafters with eager
motorsport fans. Driving the #12 GT-R, Ronnie Quintarelli moved up to
eighth place on lap 6. He stayed in this position for a little while before
the car gained one more position at the 2nd round of pitstops, emerging in
7th. Passing the #18 HSV on lap 73, the machine advanced to sixth, a
position it would keep until the chequered flag.
Meanwhile, netting seventh in the early stages, the #24 GT-R had Joao Paolo
de Oliveira as starting driver. He maintained a solid pace, at one point
running as high as 5th before the car made its first pit stop on lap 30.
Teammate Yasuda then kept up the pressure for his stint, running in eighth
until being passed by the #18 HSV at the first corner on lap 52, dropping
the car to ninth. Oliveira then got back in the car for the final stint,
returning the #24 GT-R to the track in 8th, a position he maintained to the
finish, earning valuable championship points.
The most unfortunate story of the weekend belonged to the MOTUL AUTECH GT-R
(#23 – Satoshi Motoyama/Benoit Treluyer). In qualifying, held on the day
prior to the race, Treluyer set the audience alight with his skill in the
time attack, vaulting the car to 4th place from an initial eighth position
going into Super Lap. Having secured a strong starting position, trouble
was uncovered with the #23 GT-R’s drive system in the warm-up session
immediately prior to the race. The car would not line up on the starting
grid, receiving repairs instead. The job was completed only moments after
the race got underway, and the #23 GT-R entered the fray two laps behind
the pack. Matching the pace of the race leader, Treluyer kept the hammer
down until handing the car over to Satoshi Motoyama on lap 34. However,
engine trouble dashed all efforts as the car came to a halt on lap 58,
signalling retirement.
-General Director of the NISSAN teams Kunihiko Kakimoto’s comment:
“This time, GT-Rs scored 6th and 8th-place finishes, while against our
expectations, the #23 machine retired. Because we are running a new engine
this year, a variety of measures to improve reliability and performance
have been taken. The trouble we’ve experienced with the engine this time
will be put to good use in the future through rigorous testing. We will be
relentless in our efforts to get back in the championship title fight in
the remaining races. We ask for your continued and unwavering support.”
