On the 6th (Sunday), which was the first weekend in August, the 5th race of 2017 AUTOBACS SUPER GT series was held at Fuji Speedway. In the previous round at SUGO, Nissan brought four engines of the second season this season, so-called Spec 2 all at once, but this time Honda only had # 100 RAYBRIG replaced with Spec 2.
In SUPER GT, various restrictions have been imposed by competition rules and technical rules so that race costs doesn’t skyrocket. The number of engine used per season is also limited, until last year it was 3 units a year. From this season the restrictions are being strengthened to two per year.
For that reason we are interested in the time of introduction of Spec 2. We think, generally, that it will be from the fifth race where the second half battle of the season begins, because the SUPER GT series has 8 races. Or if we think that Suzuka as the 6th race with a race distance of 1000 km, we can think that using Spec 1 until the 5th race, Spec 2 will be introduced in the 6th round.
On the contrary, according to an engine technician, “Since the series midfield battle should have been narrowed down by the restrictor, there are also easy aspects for the engine, so using Spec 1 up to Suzuka and lift the remaining two games A strategy using Shortened Special Spec 2 was also considered.”
By the way, the restrictor is a device that limits the usage fee per hour of fuel, and it is usually decided by the rules of competition that it will be somewhat narrowed down by the increment of weight handy at 95.0 kg/h. Aside from the difficult thing, please notice that the performance of each team has been more uniformed with the restrictor and the weight handicap, and it is a great excitement for the SUPER GT race scene.
By the way, did you know that the previous round at SUGO, this round at Fuji and the next round at Suzuka 1000 km held at the end of the month together are called “three consecutive bouts of summer”? Originally in the 1980s F1GP, we called the three consecutive races in France, England and Germany “high-speed 3 series of battles”.
Based on that I have remembered that it was the first time that a domestic motor sports specialty magazine called “Midsummer’s high-speed 3 series of battles.”. The 3 races at this time are SUGO at the end of July, two races of Fuji in mid-August and late August. I remember that it was the predecessor F2 of Super Formula (predecessor of F3000 which is its predecessor) as a category.
In any case, the stage is really fast. SUGO, before renovation, was a layout that aimed directly from the straight end to the high point corner. Although Fuji also had a B corner set up beyond the hairpin, once the car gets up here it is full throttle to the first corner! There were really high-speed 3 series of battles. Before the renovation of Silverstone and Hockenheim of F1 GP, this high-speed 3-round series was also amazing. Even now it is a long time ago….
Although the technical part increased in the previous major renovation, Fuji Speedway, which is one of the domestic high-speed circuits, is undoubtedly the power circuit. In the fifth race of SUPER GT there was an interesting thrilling battle scene.
ARTA NSX was running at the top of the field alone, and NISMO’s GT-R and CERUMO’s LC 500 fought a tail-to-nose super close-up a little behind that. The weight handicap was almost equal with 52 kg equivalent of GT-R (35 kg + one step reinforcement of the restrictor), and LC500 corresponding to 60 kg equivalent (also 43 kg + one restrictor reinforced).
Hiroaki Ishiura’s LC 500 ran over the last corner in a sector that could catch up with the tail and cling to it. However, Matsuda Tsugio’s GT-R gradually pulled away from LC500, which is trying to catch up with the slip stream, before the control line. The GT-R uses Michelin tires and the LC500 is using Bridgestone, so the excitement of the audience reached its peak for the tires to be fitted to the prestige of automakers.
Tire makers, teams, and above all, the intense battle where the driver’s own pride was placed. After all, the two drivers that did not make a fatal mistake until the end of the last, passed through the control line of the final lap as it was. Tomoki Nojiri and Takashi Kobayashi at the winning driver’s press conference after the race … with the first overall victory, the drama up to here cannot be enumerated, but on another occasion … “I wanted to reflect more on TV”. But with a bitter smile, it was a spectacular second-place battle to the end. And if you understand the background, you can enjoy it even more interestingly. After all the race is deep!
By R. Harada