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F-Nippon / Super GT News
Matsuda and Philippe dominate Suzuka 1000km race
25/08/2008
Tsugio Matsuda and Sebastian Philippe claimed their first SuperGT victory on Sunday 24 August at the 37th International Pokka 1000km race, held at the Suzuka Circuit, Japan. The classic 1000km race is the longest event of the championship. Matsuda and Philippe started from fourth on the grid and battled hard with the leading runners to take the chequered flag.
Saturday’s first qualifying session took place on a wet track as rain had fallen consistently from Friday evening. Yuji Ide, Shinya Hosokawa and Kosuke Matsuura set the quickest time of the morning session. The second qualifying and Super Lap session was then cancelled due to further heavy rain, leaving the starting grid to be decided by the morning’s activities. Ide, who had set the quickest time of the morning, was unable to keep pole position as an engine change moved him back to 10th position. Michael Krumm, Masataka Yanagida and Dominik Schwager took pole position.
Krumm’s luck didn’t last long however, as the Motul Autech GT-R driver ran off the track during Sunday’s warm up session causing damage to his vehicle. The vehicle was repaired in time for the start of the race.
The Motul Autech GT-R team led the first half of the 173 lap race, though an unscheduled pit stop on lap 29 provided an opening for Ide to take the lead. By lap 118 Matsuda had battled his way through the field to second position and by lap 141 team-mate Philippe led the race.
Matsuda and Philippe’s victory gave Team Impul its first SuperGT victory since round 6 of the Pokka 1000km race in 2006.
Calsonic Impul GT-R Driver, Tsugio Matsuda, said:
“I had to make an early pit stop due to contact with another car which caused a loose wheel nut. I had to make two stints that were hard for me but our Bridgestone tyres supported us perfectly. I am very happy to win here.”
Calsonice Impul GT-R Driver, Sebastian Philippe, said:
“I am very happy to win the 1000Km race here as we were lacking in confidence slightly up until this race. The tyres helped me to create a gap to the NSX at the very end of the race. I would like to say thank you to Bridgestone”
Bridgestone tyre engineer, Yoshihiro Hosoya, said:
“Congratulations to Matsuda and Philippe. The passion of Mr. Hoshino made them strong and gave them the confidence to win. Ide, Hosokawa and Matsuura had a super drive from the pit lane but they could not quite claim the win. This year the 1000Km race was much cooler then previous years, so our tyres showed off their full performance without any trouble to support the longest race of the series.”
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