Petronas takes Super Taikyu Series title in Motegi
The 2011 Super Taikyu Series season came to its conclusion last weekend at Honda’s Motegi circuit with the Petronas Syntium Team putting a dominant display in Round 5 and Round 6 to take the top two spots in the final standings. This is the team’s fourth consecutive Super Taikyu title since 2008.
Representing the team were a pair of BMW Z4 M Coupes numbered 1 and 28. Car Number 1 was piloted by Nobuteru Taniguchi, Masataka Yanagida, and Dominic Ang, while Tatsuya Kataoka, Fariqe Hairuman, and Ooi Fei Hoong were behind the helm of Car No. 28. For rookie drivers Ang and Ooi, this outing is their first at the Twin Ring Motegi.
Round 5 consisted of two races of 50 laps each. Car 28 qualified for pole position for both races but fortune did not favour them as mechanical failure forced an early retirement in Race 1, paving the way for sister Car 1 to take the chequered flag. In Race 2, Taniguchi in Car 1 overtook Kataoka in Car 28 before passing the wheel to Ang. Car 1 eventually finished second ahead of thrid-placed Car 28. The results of Round 5 allowed Car 1 to seal the overall title with one round to spare.
Round 6 was a 63-lap endurance race. Taniguchi started the race for in Car 1, pulling away from Kataoka in Car 28, but the lead was exchanged between the two cars over the course of the race, with Car 1 eventually emerging victorious and Car 28 coming in second to also take second place in the overall championship.
Pictures: Official Petronas release.
