KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) garnered their best result so far in the season after concluding Super Formula’s third event with an impressive top 10 finish at Fuji Speedway over the weekend (July 12-13).
Yuichi Nakayama started Sunday’s race from 19th place after a frustrating qualifying session on Saturday. The #19 blue and white Dallara SF14 was knocked out during the first leg of qualifying after struggling with gearbox issues.
Undeterred by this disadvantage, the Japanese driver was off to a superb start at Fuji’s scenic 4.563km circuit. Nakayama moved up several places after successfully overtaking opposition and managed to weave his way through traffic.
Rain fell over the circuit with just 10 laps remaining in the race. At this point, Nakayama moved up to 8th place and was steadily defending his position from Hideki Mutoh. As the rain intensified, the Safety Car was deployed as the last remaining laps saw multiple collisions across the track.
Unfortunately, Nakayama was unable to pit for wet tyres and had to finish the race on slicks in the rain. As the 55-lap affair came to a dramatic end, the Japanese driver crossed the finish line in 10th place despite the challenging circuit conditions.
Yuichi Nakayama: “It wasn’t one of the easiest outings as the team struggled with some technical issues during the start of the weekend. We had a faulty gearbox, which massively affected our qualifying run. But the team managed to get the car ready before the race and it turned out to be one of the best races that we’ve had so far in the season. Finishing in the top 10 after starting from the back of the grid in tricky conditions is an achievement, especially in such a highly competitive series. Overall, it was a very encouraging weekend and I cannot wait for the next event in Motegi!”
Ryuji Doi, KCMG Japan General Manager: “I am pleased with the results that the team delivered over the weekend. Despite the setback that we had during qualifying, the team made an impressive comeback and Nakayama did an excellent job throughout the race in variable circuit conditions. Evidently, Nakayama’s skill and pace is very competitive. There is still a lot of work to be done before the next race in Motegi and the team will be working round the clock to ensure that we’ll score our first championship point.”
The team will stay in Fuji to take part in Super Formula’s two-day mid-season test session this week (July 14-15). To know more about Super Formula, please visit: www.superformula.net
For more information about KCMG please visit www.kcmg.com.hk. To keep track of all the latest updates ‘Like’ KCMG ’s Facebook page or follow @KCMotorgroup on Twitter and Instagram.
