Tyre Mishap Puts Amprex Team Behind
MISHAP FOR AMPREX MOTORSPORTS IN ROUND 4 JAPAN GT CHAMPIONSHIP 2004 SERIES
Tokachi Speedway, Hokkiado, Japan, July 18 —
A mishap in the 27th lap of the Japan GT Championship 4th round finals today at the Tokachi Speedway in Hokkiado, Japan curtailed Malaysian-based Amprex Motorsports Team plans to improve their overall position attained in Rd 3 at Sepang Circuit last month.
Driving their new Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT V12 6.0 litre car, the team with Kuala Lumpur-based Japanese driver cum owner Genji Hashimoto and second driver German Norman Simon, managed to attain only a poor 15th position in a field of 16 cars in the GT500 class. They also completed 84 laps in the 89 lap over the 3km circuit in northern Japan, about 900km from Tokyo.
Team director Hong Heng Soon said: “ The mishap happened with Norman as the first driver somewhere between the 27th and the 28th lap, when a tyre problem spun the car into the grass.
“This resulted in a damaged rear diffuser, forcing Norman, on advice from the race officials to make an unscheduled pit stop to repair the damage and make some changes.
“When the car was ready, second driver Hashimoto had to rush into the car minus his cool racing suit. With the extreme heat Hashimoto had to come back to the pit again after a few laps’.
Hong said Norman took over from Hashimoto to steer the car from last position into 15th by overtaking a Ferrari 500GT..
Hong expressed confidence that the car will be ready for Rd 5 at the Twin Ring Circuit in Motegi, Tochigi, Japan from Sept 4 to 5 where they hope to improve their overall position.
He said the team would work with Michelin, their tyre supplier and also get the drivers to spend more time with the car, considering that this is the second JGTC race they are participating after getting the car from Reiter Engineering of Germany, about a week before Rd 3 in Sepang. Their team is the only one using Michelin tyres in the current JGTC series.
He said the testing on the car would be in the Sepang circuit, which is their home base and after about five days, the car and team would leave for Japan to prepare for Rd 5.
Meanwhile, early unofficial results had Team Nissan Nismo with drivers German Michael Krumm and Japanese Masani Kageyama winning the 4th Round.
Driving a Nissan Z they clocked 1min 56. 111 secs in a car developed by Nissan International Sports Operations.
Second was Team Esso Toyota Le Mans with drivers Juichi Wakisaka and Ikira Iida. Driving a Toyota Supra they clocked 1min 56. 32.797 secs.
Third was Team G’Zox-SSR with French driver Eric Comas and Japanese Toshiro Kaneishi. Driving a Nissan Z they clocked 1min.57. 86.864 secs.
A total of 17 cars competed in the 500GT class and 25 cars took part in the 300GT class.
Driver Michael Krumm was the champion driver in the 2003 series driving with the Xanavi Nismo Team, who were also the overall champions in 2003.
Japanese driver Juichi Wakisaka was champion in 2002 with the Esso Ultraflo Supra Team, while drive Eric Comas was champion in 1999 for the then Pennzoil Nismo Team.
The winner of Rd 3 in Sepang Circuit last month, Team Denso Sard Supra GT with French driver Jeremie Dufour and Portugese driver Andre Couto only managed 7th position. Sepang Second place Team Yellow Hat YMS Supra and third place team Xanavi Nismo Z were not placed in the top 10 positions.
