Japan GT Championship Round 3 – SUGO

During the first qualifying, we are still finding a good balance for car set-up as both our drivers complaining huge oversteer and some understeer. We did some changes for the second qualifying and manage to improve the lap time and for the first time, Hashimoto set the fastest lap and put us on 18th on the grid for the race.

As we remember last year we had a big accident on the first lap in the first corner during the race because this circuit is quite narrow and tight. Besides trying to do well in the qualifying, we also have to concentrate on the race set-up. The tyre wear on this circuit is quite bad compared to other circuit.

Hashimoto started the race and he was attacking right from the beginning but with cautiously. By the third lap, he managed to overtake few cars and maintained at 14th position in GT 300 class.

Just before the pit-stop, we were lying in 11th position and Kwan took over and did the second stint. As he was catching up the middle field group, the engine gave up after 8 laps. There is big cloud of white smoke from the car as the car drove pass the main straight on lap 42.

“I feel much confidence this time and that’s why I went quicker than my team mate in the qualifying. I think I drove well in the race cause I gained a few position but unfortunately, we were hit by engine problem” said Hashimoto.

“Once I took over the car, I was driving conservatively because I’ll be doing a longer stint and I’ve to preserve the tyre. I didn’t push too hard and suddenly there are lot of vibration and then the engine lost power before I see a thick smoke on my rear view mirror” said Kwan.