After a difficult Suzuka round, Team KCMG looks to return to form at the third round of the 2021 Super Formula season from Autopolis.
30 kilometres northeast of Kumomoto on Japan’s southern island, the stunning mountain venue is one of the most picturesque on the calendar. The 4.673km layout consists of a series of high-speed sweepers, big braking zones and a long pit straight, all laid out over 50m of elevation change in a thrilling lap for the drivers to enjoy.
Much like Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the low atmospheric pressure as a result of being 820m (2,690 feet) above sea level means high downforce levels are required.
Back in its usual slot on the calendar in May, the track conditions this weekend will be vastly different to what was experienced at the series’ most recent visit to Autopolis in November, where the cooler weather offered enough grip for the track record to be broken.
Continuing to stand in for Kamui Kobayashi as he completes his World Endurance Championship duties, Toyota junior Kazuto Kotaka returns to the #7 machine alongside 2016 series champion Yuji Kunimoto in the #18.
Qualifying for the third round of the 2021 Super Formula season from Autopolis will take place on Saturday at 14:40 local time, with lights out for the race at 14:00 on Sunday.
#18 YUJI KUNIMOTO
“I feel fine and ready to go after my big crash in Suzuka and the team has done a great job repairing the car. We’ve made some improvements to the set-up as well so hopefully we can score big this weekend. Autopolis is my favourite circuit, the elevation change makes it so enjoyable to drive and the scenery is amazing. We’ll do our best to keep moving forward in the championship.”
#7 KAZUTO KOTAKA
“I’m happy to continue substituting for Kamui Kobayashi this weekend. I have learnt a lot in the first two races of the season with the team and am looking forward to getting back on track. We know this will be a difficult race for everyone, the circuit itself is tough but the low air pressure also means you are always missing some downforce. But we’re prepared for the challenge and I hope we can come away with some good points.”
TSUGIO MATSUDA TEAM MANAGER
“Autopolis is a very high downforce circuit. The high altitude means that if we changed nothing on the car, we would have a lot less downforce than at the last round as the air is thinner, which also results in better straight-line performance. We are also expecting it to be a lot hotter than the last time we came here as we are in May, rather than November so the track will likely be more slippery. We’ve continued to work hard on improving the car and hopefully this weekend we can make up for not scoring points at Suzuka.”
For more information about KCMG please visit www.kcmg.com.hk. To keep track of all the latest updates, please like KCMG’s Facebook page or follow on Twitter and Instagram.
Who is KCMG?
KC Motorgroup Ltd (KCMG) is an international motorsport services group established in 2007 by Paul Ip. The group, with its headquarters located in Hong Kong, has operations reaching across the Asia Pacific region. KCMG operates closely with many partner companies and racing organisations around the world to provide unrivalled motorsport services, equipment, team management and quality distribution in the automotive industry. For more information on all of the team’s activities please visit www.kcmg.com.hk or email info@kcmg.com.hk.
