MUGEN

2013.4.17

TEAM MUGEN learned a lot for next race.
Yamamoto won 4th place prize.

Series name: 2013 Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA Round1 SUZUKA CIRCUIT
Event name: SUZUKA 2&4 RACE
Course: 5.807km × 43 laps (249.701km)
Qualifying: 2013-04-13 Sat / Fine / Attendance 21,000 (Announcement from the organizer)
Race: 2013-04-14 Sun / Fine / Attendance 29,000 (Announcement from the organizer)

Japanese Championship Formula Nippon has been running as one of the top categories of racing in Japan since 1996, and for 2013 has been renamed as Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA. The opening round took place at SUZUKA CIRCUIT in Mie pref. with TEAM MUGEN entering two cars; one for #15 Takuma Sato, the other for #16 Naoki Yamamoto. This is the fourth season in the category for TEAM MUGEN, but for #15 Takuma Sato, a former F1 driver and current Indy driver it was just his fourth race as a driver for TEAM MUGEN in the domestic top formula race. #16 Naoki Yamamoto is now entering his third season.

█   Race
#16 Naoki Yamamoto 4th place (51 laps: 1hr28mins11.920secs / Best lap: 1min41.850secs)
#15 Takuma Sato 15th place (51 laps: 1hr29mins13.842secs / Best lap: 1min42.049secs.)

Race day was partially cloudy but still warmer than previous day at SUZUKA CIRCUIT and since it was scheduled as a longer than usual, 300km race, each team needed to pay particular attention to tire management and pit timing compared to normal races. #15 Takuma Sato used the warm-up run to finalise his best setting before coming to the dummy grid.

From the flag both two machines started off with very good speed, with #16 Naoki Yamamoto trying to pass the two machines running in front of him. However, a sudden change of line from the cars in front caused Yamamoto to slow down in order to avoid an incident. In the meantime #15 Sato took the opportunity to pass the #16 car, but at the 130R corner Yamamoto re-passed Sato back into 5th position.

By lap 7 #15 Sato, having dropped down to 9th position, was given a drive-through penalty being adjudged to have made a false start. On rejoining the race Sato was down in 18th position and after a 22 second pit-stop had recovered to 15th on lap 15.

Meanwhile team-mate Yamamoto was involved in a lengthy battle for 4th position leading up to the scheduled pit stops. On the 20th lap a quick pit-stop of 23 seconds got #16 Yamamoto back out on to the circuit in 4th position.

After the fueling and tire change #16 Yamamoto had very good speed and progressively reduced the gap to the 3rd position car down to 2.663 seconds on lap 35, and then to 0.846 seconds on the 40th lap, and 0.415 seconds by the 45th. However once in the disturbed air from the aerodynamic wake of the car in front, the number #16 car picked up understeer and Yamamoto was not able to follow closely enough to capture 3rd position.

In a dramatic last lap as the machine in the lead encountered mechanical trouble and slowed down, #16 Yamamoto made one last effort for 3rd but in the end crossed the line a mere 0.065 seconds behind in 4th. #15 Sato ended the race with an exhaust system problem in 15th position.

█ Comment from the team spokesman Katsumata

We believe this race was quite profitable for us because we competed on level terms with top machines. This I am sure was due to growth of our team and machine construction matched to race pace. Our next target should be to improve the set up of our cars in relation to track conditions during qualifying and advance through Q1 to Q3. If we can achieve this, then for sure we are able to claim a victory. We will keep doing our best for the next race. Please cheer for our team.

♦ Photo Gallery (Round1)