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F-Nippon / Super GT News
Matsuda claims Formula Nippon title with one round remaining
02/09/2008
Lawson Team Impul driver Tsugio Matsuda has claimed his second consecutive Formula Nippon Series title after finishing fourth in race 1 at the Fuji Speedway on Sunday 31 August. Matsuda won the title with 78 points and with one round still remaining.
Over 22,000 spectators attended on race day to witness Joao Paulo de Oliveira win race 1 from pole position in dry conditions. Heavy rain descended on the circuit for the afternoon session leaving the field to start behind the safety car. Kosuke Matsuura won race 2, taking advantage of the reserve grid system that has been utilised since round 5 of the series.
Matsuda’s fourth place finish in race 1 was enough to give the Japanese driver his second consecutive title. The Lawson Team Impul driver then went on to finish fifth in race 2.
2008 Formula Nippon champion, Tsugio Matsuda, said:
“I am very glad to be able to achieve two consecutive championship. I struggled to win the title last year but this year I had a great deal of motivation to win from the first round. I have been able to achieve this with one event remaining. I thank all of you and I will still try to win in the final round.”
Race 1 winner, Joao Paulo de Oliveira, said:
“I was confident in the wet during qualifying but race 1 was a different story on the dry track. I made a good start to lead and I kept my position even though I was struggling with oversteer. I am very happy to claim my first win and I would like to say thank you to everyone who played their part, especially Bridgestone.”
Bridgestone tyre senior technical advisor, Yasuo Teranishi, said:
“Congratulations to Matsuda on winning the 2008 series title. De Oliveira set the pace and drove well in the dry to claim his maiden win. Race 2 was dominated by heavy rain. The weather was extremely strange this weekend.”
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