2017 Japanese Super GT

[bentley speed 8]

After a double pole, ARTA does it again. Double win for their NSX and M6. Honda's six race streak of race wins is safe for now.

[J Jay]

It was very close to being a different result in GT500 though. Looking imperious through the first (Nojiri's) stint, the Motul Autech GTR & Zent LC500 were on Kobayashi's tail at the end, despite fighting each other for at least 20 laps. Speaking of the #23, that was a masterclass of defensive driving from Matsuda - there are more than a few GT pros of late who could do with watching that drive a few times. The whole GT500 field was full of battles, with the Lexus Cup contested fiercely by every other LC500 and a constant charge from both Mardenborough & Yasuda - including a last lap overtake - to get to 5th on the line.

In GT300 it was more placid, with the Arta M6 untroubled and finishing well ahead of the #4 Miku AMG and #31 apr Prius. Now the chroma-destroying M6 will be known for something other than having its front end swiftly removed by the Motegi bridge, and Sean Walkinshaw should be especially proud with his efforts in a season where the car has let him down more often than not. After a frustrating Spa debut for the Ukyo team where all their ills were not their fault, this result should be a welcome return to form.

[MagVanisher]

Well, I have to say that @ss_collins and @rjoconnell jinxed Lexus' 6th straight victory at their home track!

Gotta say that Aguri Suzuki's team is lucky to win both classes at Fuji Speedway. Hats off to Autobacs and their orange jackets!

[Downforce1]

Totally forgot about the Fuji race... thank goodness for NISMO TV and YouTube. Next event is the Suzuka 1,000 km August 26-27.

[Japanese Samurai]

According to jp.motorsport.com,
Key factor of victory of ARTA (#55) was untested new tire of Bridgestone.
Warm up performance is good, and less degradation.
Shinichi Takagi thinks this new tire will be suitable also in Suzuka round.

https://jp.motorsport.com/supergt/ne...%83%A4-938957/

[Japanese Samurai]

LEON (#65) overruns, returns and has contact with B-MAX (#3) at 1st corner.
https://twitter.com/kentaroo666/stat...58471049887744

[Japanese Samurai]

Ryo Hirakawa (#37) tweets that they got "previously planned" 6th position.
In a word, he gave team IMPUL (#12) 5th position intentionally.
They escaped the restrictor shrinkage in the Suzuka round.
https://twitter.com/ryohirakawa/stat...85306861125632

[bentley speed 8]

Originally Posted by J Jay

Speaking of the #23, that was a masterclass of defensive driving from Matsuda - there are more than a few GT pros of late who could do with watching that drive a few times. The whole GT500 field was full of battles, with the Lexus Cup contested fiercely by every other LC500 and a constant charge from both Mardenborough & Yasuda - including a last lap overtake - to get to 5th on the line.

Agree. No weaving around nor contact. And it wasn't just a for a couple of laps either. No wonder he's still in the #23 after all this time.

I missed Team Impul taking 5th. That was also a good race, after starting from the bottom of the field.

In GT300, the FIA GT3 cars weren't as dominant as they were in the 500km race, with both the Subaru and Prius being in a podium contending position, and even the Evora (with Katoh at the wheel) and two of the MC 86s running in point scoring positions at times.

[Japanese Samurai]

Team GSR and Ukyo (#4) had a risk of run out of gas in the second stints.
So NOB Taniguchi couldn't catch up to ARTA (#55).
https://supergt.net/news/single/17366

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by bentley speed 8

I missed Team Impul taking 5th. That was also a good race, after starting from the bottom of the field.

In GT300, the FIA GT3 cars weren't as dominant as they were in the 500km race, with both the Subaru and Prius being in a podium contending position, and even the Evora (with Katoh at the wheel) and two of the MC 86s running in point scoring positions at times.

We all did - it wasn't caught by the cameras. If we had in car footage for this race (hint hint Bandoh-san) then we could have at least seen it after the flag.

Good point about the evenness in GT300, it might be because the BoP was better sorted this time, or the hotter conditions could have worked against the heavier GT3 cars somewhat.

@JS - Thanks for that, it did look odd that the #4 drive clean past the #31 but never got close the the Arta M6 which was only a few seconds ahead.

[ss_collins]

Well, I have to say that @ss_collins and @rjoconnell jinxed Lexus' 6th straight victory at their home track!

I blame RJ!

[Japanese Samurai]

Shokumo GT-R T-shirt (#48, 3000 yen) is sold out!
https://twitter.com/fam_ster/status/894002093794639872

[rjoconnell]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

I blame RJ!

Whoops! >_>

Report coming soon to DSC...

[TF110]

There were some weaves by the #23 that I saw on the straight into the braking zone. He got away with it though. The fact that it takes a power restriction and double digits of ballast to beat that Zent Lexus was seemingly ignored by the commentators. Not to take anything away from the victory by the NSX, but it wasn't by a any type notable margin. Still was a good race as typical in Super GT!

[AoB Special Stage]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

Ryo Hirakawa (#37) tweets that they got "previously planned" 6th position.
In a word, he gave team IMPUL (#12) 5th position intentionally.
They escaped the restrictor shrinkage in the Suzuka round.
https://twitter.com/ryohirakawa/stat...85306861125632

Have I ever mentioned I don't like success ballast for this very reason?

Originally Posted by ss_collins

I blame RJ!

Hey Sam, when's that 45 minute explainer video going up on NISMO TV?

[hvr777]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

Ryo Hirakawa (#37) tweets that they got "previously planned" 6th position.
In a word, he gave team IMPUL (#12) 5th position intentionally.
They escaped the restrictor shrinkage in the Suzuka round.
https://twitter.com/ryohirakawa/stat...85306861125632

Spot on - now they are saddled with 84kg weight handicap. It's still on 68-84kg region which means using 89.8kg/h fuel flow restrictor. If he finished 5th they will got 86 kg handicap (43 pts) and will have to use smaller (87.4kg/h) fuel restrictor.

But that's not all, 84kg handicap means 50kg physical ballast, and 86kg means 36kg physical ballast. Need some compromise.

With Suzuka as the next one, they will make sure that the car won't lose speed at such circuit.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by AoB Special Stage

Have I ever mentioned I don't like success ballast for this very reason?

Success ballast is definitely the elephant in the room for SGT, but would you prefer any of the alternatives? Performance adjustment is a core tenet of the series, so it isn't going away. Personally I'd stick to weight only; as seen here, more than one variable introduces break points that make manipulating the car's result to avoid them more likely. But results are altered for other reasons anyway (e.g. switching team cars) so I don't think it's such a big issue.

[ss_collins]

Hey Sam, when's that 45 minute explainer video going up on NISMO TV?

You thought I was joking! (might not be 45 minutes)

[Matt]

Dunno why y'all complain about the success ballast.

SGT from the onset has said it's entertainment first, racing second.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Matt

Dunno why y'all complain about the success ballast.

SGT from the onset has said it's entertainment first, racing second.

Imo it's both. Success ballast has been a part of SGT for as long as I have been watching and it works.

[J Jay]

I want it on record that I was not complaining about success ballast.

Apologies for the pedantry.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by TF110

Imo it's both. Success ballast has been a part of SGT for as long as I have been watching and it works.

The chairman of the series has repeatedly said that it's entertainment first.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Matt

The chairman of the series has repeatedly said that it's entertainment first.

That's cool. I think it's some of the best racing on the planet and it's entertaining. Win win in my book. Ballast is a form of bop that's easy to understand. You place higher you get higher weight, nice and simple.

[AoB Special Stage]

But then you have one race worth more and people intentionally dropping places to gain an advantage.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by AoB Special Stage

But then you have one race worth more and people intentionally dropping places to gain an advantage.

And they get less points by placing in the lower position. If they want to game the system, they take the risk of scoring less. The one car in question that did this finished behind the new points leader. Was it worth it?