MUGEN

2015.5.28

TEAM MUGEN placed the 4th position and gained another championship points!

Series name: 2015 Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA Round 2
Event: 2015 Japan Championship Super Formula Series
Round 2 Okayama International Circuit
Course: 3.703km × 68 laps (251.8041km)
Qualifying: May 23 (Sat) / Fine / Attendance 4,000 (Announcement from the organizer)
Race: May 24 (Sun) / Fine / Attendance 7,000 (Announcement from the organizer)

2015 Japanese Championship Formula Series Round 2 was held at Okayama International Circuit in Okayama Prefecture on May 23 (Sat.) and 24 (Sun).

It has been 7 years since Japanese top-class formula official race was last held in Okayama International Circuit. Before then, the course record of the car with V-8 naturally aspirated 3,000cc engine was 00:01:15.808. TEAM MUGEN developed the 2-liter in-line 4-cylinder engine to meet the today's standards and entered the race of Japan Championship Super Formula Series with it. TEAM MUGEN broke the course record in the joint test held in the same Okayama International Circuit prior to the official race.

The specification of instantaneous fuel restrictor has been reduced from 95kg/h to 90kg/h this time. The overtake system (OTS), which is allowed to use in the final race, will increase the flow rate restriction from 90 kg/h to 100 kg/h to gain power. This system is allowed to use 5 times during the race.

May 23 (Sat)

■  Free practice first round
#16 Naoki Yamamoto, 3rd position (00:01:14.047)

In the previous race, #16 Yamamoto started from the pole position and kept a good position in the final race. However, the turbo system trouble occurred in latter stage of the race, ended up with unsatisfying result. The HR-414E engine provided in Okayama International circuit this time, has been modified with its control system for higher reliability.

On May 23rd Saturday, free practice was held on dry track for an hour, starting from 9:30. #16 Yamamoto entered the course with his own used tires. After running a few laps, the machines had reached the lap time much faster than the course record of Japanese Top Formula (Formula Nippon), 00:01:15.808, and #16 Yamamoto was one of them.

The machines returned to their pits about 20 minutes before the session's end time, and started simulating for the official qualifying time attack. #16 Yamamoto ended the free practice in 3rd position, 0.056 seconds behind the top.

■  Official qualifying
#16 Naoki Yamamoto (Q1:1st position, 00:01:13.104 R, Q2: 2nd position, 00:01:13.109 R, Q3: 3rd position, 00:01:12.695 R)

The qualifying race features a knockout format with three sessions and started at 13:40 and lasted for 20 minutes in dry condition. #16 Yamamoto, on the machine tuned for the qualifying according to the data taken in the morning, lapped in a constant pace at the first half of the run to simulate for time attack, and returned to the pit in the 8th position.

With 7 minutes left in the session, all machines returned to the course for time attack. #16 Yamamoto positioned near the tail end of the group of machines, and started to warm-up the engine for time attack. #16 Yamamoto passed the control line right after the checkered flag was waved. He marked the first position with 00:01:13.104 and advanced to Q2. He broke his course record of the free practice in the morning.

7-minute-long Q2 started from 14:10. At the time point of 5 minutes 35 seconds, when each machine returned to the course to warm up tires and just about to get into time attack, one machine stalled on the course and the session was red-flagged. #16 Yamamoto had to stop time attack and return to the pit.

The session was resumed at 14:24 and allowed time was only 2 minutes 30 seconds, in which only one lap could be used for warming up tires, but #16 Yamamoto marked the 2nd position with time 00:01:13.109, and advanced to Q3.

Q3 started at 14:37, 10 minutes behind the schedule. During the interval, #16 Yamamoto had changed the setting slightly according to the change of course condition. He returned to the track at 1 minute 30 seconds after the course opened to arrange the time attack position, and started warm-up. This setting change did not work as expected, but he broke his previous course record and marked the 3rd position with time 00:01:12.695.

May 24 (Sun)

■   Free practice, second round
#16 Naoki Yamamot, 14th position (00:01:16.669)

The second free practice for the final race started at 9:10. Dry condition with cloudy and occasional sunshine in Okayama International Circuit. #16 Yamamoto checked the setting for the final race by himself, as always he did.

■   Final Race
#16 Naoki Yamamoto, 4th position (68 laps / 01:30:07.179 / Best lap 00:01:17.694)

By the time the final race started at 15:00, the sky cleared and the strong summer-like sun shone on Okayama International Circuit, which raised the air temperature and road surface temperature. Air temperature was 28°C, and the road surface temperature reached 45°C, the severest condition in that weekend. #16 Yamamoto picked up speed from the start, but had a minor wheel spin. 2 machines behind him, who could accelerate successfully, took this advantage and overtook him.

#16 Yamamoto was the 5th position to enter the first corner, and increased power with overtake system (OTS) in straight to overtake the machine in front. However, #40 also used OTS to outrun. OTS lasts only 20 seconds per one operation. #16 Yamamoto, who started OTS first, got close to the competitor and was about to enter the inner lane at hairpin, but Yamamoto's OTS had ended by that point and could not overtake the competitor, who started OTS later and still kept the power.

As the SF14 engine is very much aerodynamically designed, downforce tends to be lost when the machine gets close to another machine in front before overtaking, which can damage tires. Therefore, #16 Yamamoto had to keep a distance to the machine in front to keep a stable air distribution to the body, and there was very little he could do to overtake the car in front but waiting for the driver in front to make a mistake.

All the team could do to advance the position was saving the time at pit stop. The team decided to change only rear tires to save time at pit stop for refueling. On the other hand, #16 Yamamoto tried to decrease the amount of fuel consumption by fuel-efficient drive in order to saved time for refueling.

The team called #16 Yamamoto for pit stop at the 33rd lap, where a little before the middle of race. They quickly finished the work before he returned to the course. The competitor running in front of him made pit stop one lap after Yamamoto, and took the same strategy as Yamamoto to change only rear tires. Therefore, although #16 Yamamoto shortened the distance to the competitor, he could not advance the order.

On the other hand, the machine running at the 2nd position made pit stop at 38th lap and replaced all four tires, which took long time, and #16 Yamamoto succeeded in shortening the distance to this machine.

The newly replaced cold tires prevented the competitor from gaining speed, and that allowed #16 Yamamoto and the machine in front of him to catch up the competitor. Yamamoto took over the competitor at 39th lap and advanced to the 4th position. With the warmed-up tires, the overtaken competitor tried to catch up, but #16 Yamamoto skillfully held on his lead and did not give up his position. While chasing after #16 Yamamoto, the competitor had his tires worn out and could not keep the speed.

#16 Yamamoto kept the 4th position until the checkered flag was waved. With the 4 points gained in this series and the 5 points given for the pole position he won in the opening race, he ranked the 8th position as a driver, and TEAM MUGEN gained 4 points and ranked in the 6th position.

■ Comments from driver, Naoki Yamamoto

I did not have a good feel in the pre-session test, but it turned out to be good once I started driving this weekend. After that, I concentrated on how to get the pole position. I could not get the pole position, but I thought the second position was OK.

In last race, I got delayed at the start because the machine did not respond when I released clutch. It did respond well this time, but I had wheel spin after that and that was the cause of the failure. The machines behind me were accelerating better and I had to lose the position. I started OTS too early so it ended earlier. OTS of Nojiri was working until the end of straight. If I had pushed one more time and overtook him, I could have been on the podium. I had regretted that during the race.

Driving with only rear tires changed was so tough, but I thought I could manage as long as I do not make serious mistakes. I had a good pace in Suzuka, but not this time. I will analyze what went wrong and prepare for the next race in Fuji. The machine we brought this time may not have fit to the course in Okayama, but I am afraid of changing machine setting too much because it may turn out to be wrong in Fuji. The race of last year in Fuji was not bad at all, so we will discuss how to make a package with the good points of last year and those of this year.

I think we will have a chance in Fuji. Compared to last year, the engine has improved a lot and I think its level is high enough to win the race. I can tell that we can advance the position in the qualifying, so what to consider is the final. I will study how to occupy the front position at the start and how to maintain the race pace.

■ Comments from the team director, Nagataka Tezuka

It was a tough race. We took a good start and won the third position in the qualifying. Condition of engine was good and we were expecting a good result in the final. It was unfortunate that we were overtaken by the machines behind right after the start. We practiced and checked the start many times. I regret that I could have given more appropriate advice.

The car balance kept unstable in the final, but Yamamoto did his best to control the machine with delicate technique and managed difficult situation. Pit crews' performance was fast and accurate, and that helped the two-tire-change strategy. They showed improvement and the benefit of practice. We advanced one position, but it was difficult to overtake the machine in front because of aerodynamic factor.

I am not satisfied with this position now. We will analyze problems and spare no effort to make improvement. You can count on us to show you a satisfying result in the next race in Fuji.

♦ Photo Gallery (Round2)