Duval ends 2009 season with spectacular win at Sportland Sugo12/10/2009

Sportland Sugo played host to the season finale of the Formula Nippon Championship on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September. Loic Duval, who had previously claimed the 2009 Championship title at the Autopolis, dominated the race claiming his fourth win of the season.   

It was the first time for Formula Nippon to visit the Miyagi Prefecture based track this year, and the first time for the drivers to take part in a knock out style qualifying at the circuit. The Nakajima Racing duo of Duval and Takashi Kogure set the pace and battled hard for pole position.  In Q2 Kogure set a new course record with a 1 min 06.322 second lap, though he could not carry this pace through to Q3 and Duval was able to claim his fourth pole position of the year.  Two drivers fighting for Rookie of the Year, No.10 Koudai Tsukakoshi (HFDP Racing), who leads the contention by 5 points, secured third position, whilst No.37 Kazuya Oshima (Petronas Tom’s) claimed sixth position.  

In contrast to Saturday’s running, race day began under a cloudy sky with light drizzle, the track was still dry however and all cars started on Bridgestone slick tyres. Duval was slow off the start line allowing team mate Kogure to move into the lead. By the tenth lap rain was falling on the circuit and Kogure made an early decision to enter the pits and change tyres. It was a decision he would soon regret as a few laps later he was back in the pits to return to slick tyres.  The changeable weather conditions made tyre choices difficult and for approximately ten laps there was not much pace difference between the slick and rain tyres. On lap 23 Duval changed to rain tyres and began his domination of the race claiming his fourth win of the season.   

Nakajima Racing Driver and 2009 Formula Nippon Champion, Loic Duval, said;
“It was tough race in the wet as the circuit was very slippery and there was little traction. I was happy to win the season finale as champion. I would like to thank my team, Bridgestone and all of my fans for supporting me this season.”  

Bridgestone Senior Technical Advisor, Yasuo Teranishi, said;
“It was a tough and difficult race with changeable conditions. Kogure’s early decision to change tyres was unfortunate as it lost him the lead. The decision to run on slick or rain tyres was difficult but Duval made the right choice. Bridgestone worked extremely hard to fit the new car FN09 this year and the balance of the car and tyres is good once the teams set up the cars.”