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F-Nippon / Super GT News
SuperGT News - Firman And Ito Take The Championship
22/10/2007
The eighth round of the Super GT took placed in Autopolis on the weekend, an action-packed race which saw the Bridgestone-shod Honda NSX of Daisike Ito and Ralph Firman take its third win and clinch the title for the two racers in front of 24,600 avid fans.
In qualifying, the Bridgestone-shod Lexus SC430 of Yuji Tachikawa and Toranosuke Takagi took pole position - Tachikawa’s record 13th pole – followed by cousins Katsutomo and Toshihiro Kaneishi in their new Honda NSX, with Ito and Firman in third spot.
While on the grid before the race, Kaneishi’s NSX caught fire, and it was pulled from the race, moving Firman up to second place. Takagi led the race in theinitial stages and built up an eight second lead. But on lap 30 of the 65-lap race, Takagi ploughed into a car that spun in front of him, effectively handing fisrt plave to Firman. Ito maintain first place to clinch the race and the title championship.
“I did not think about the championship before the start,” said a jubilant Ito. “I just concentrated on winning the race. We were lucky that the leading car was out of the race after the accident, and the team prepared a fantastic car that let us win both the race and the championship in a very tough race!”
“I kept first position after the leading car retired, and we had a really good car. Daisuke drove the second stint and the tyres performamed very well. Thanks everyone!” said Firman.
“Autopolis was a tough track for tires with a rough and bumpy surface. I was very sorry for Tachikawa and Takagi as they had a chance to win. But Ito and Firman did a fantastic job too win the race and the championship with their weight penalty. We’ll head for the final round under full power even though the championship is now closed,” said Bridgestone tire engineer Yoshihiro Hosoya.
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