SGC by KCMG claimed victory after a thrilling race during Round 7 of Japanese Formula 3 at Twin Ring Motegi yesterday. Gary Thompson successfully secured the team’s maiden win this season after besting other drivers in the highly competitive Japanese Championship.
Gary Thompson and Matt Howson worked hard with the team to deliver positive results from qualifying to race day. Thompson placed 4th in Session 1 and 3rd in Session 2 while Howson took 6th and 5th positions during qualifying.
Despite both drivers starting at less advantageous positions on the grid, this did not stop the team from achieving the weekend’s objective. Gary Thompson celebrated on top of the podium after a tenacious drive, fighting 4 cars for the lead during Race 1 on Saturday.
In extreme heat, the Irish driver defensively fought his way to victory after starting 4th and delivered a flawless drive in his Toyota Dallara. Thompson overtook Sasaki, Katsuta and Hiramine and emerged on top in a harrowing battle for the checkered flag. Meanwhile, British team mate Matt Howson managed to come in 5th after steadfast attempts to challenge further at the front.
The team came back the following day for Race 2 with renewed anticipation for another strong race. Starting 5th on the grid, Howson made his way to 3rd place and maintained this position for 4 laps until his rear tires gave up which caused him to spin off track but fought back to finish in 8th position. Meanwhile, Thompson dropped to 5th place after an overly aggressive move from Katsuta on Lap 1 and fought his way back to 3rd position after a determined drive.
Thompson is delighted over his win in Motegi and for withstanding the challenges that he faced during the weekend. He states, “It was a very good weekend for us. We started on the back foot a bit as we were very slow in the first practice. Everybody in the team worked really hard and we managed to improve the car a lot. It was a tough weekend as we were not as fast as some of the other drivers so I had to defend and fight very hard. In Race 1, I made a perfect start and managed to lead the race into the first corner. I had to spend the next 10 laps trying to keep everybody behind me. I’m delighted for the whole team as we have been working so hard all year for this. It’s great to come away with 2 podiums from the weekend.”
Despite the setbacks thrown his way during the weekend, Howson maintains his optimism. He states, “The Motegi race weekend was a learning weekend which highlighted the pains of car development in racing. The 37 degree ambient temperature caused me big problems during the races, only managing a few laps before massive loss of performance. But we have a new rear diffuser coming for Okayama, which will also be hot and through testing and racing, we have to know the correct setup direction. The KCMG team worked so hard in the heat, so they deserve more podiums this season, I will give them more!’
SGC by KCMG is in high spirits as it has achieved its goal to secure its first victory for the season. The team’s winning streak halfway through 2012 makes the championship title more attainable. KCMG Japan General Manager Ryuji Doi was quoted, “After several challenges during the weekend, the team is very happy that it has produced the result that it has been working hard for from the beginning of the season. Winning in Motegi is an achievement that we are very proud of. Thank you for everyone who has given their support. This gives us more confidence and we believe that the championship title is a possibility this year. We are motivated to do better in the upcoming rounds and I’m very proud of both Gary and Matt for the great job that they are doing.”
The team is looking forward to Rounds 9 and 10 of the Japanese series at the former Grand Prix circuit in Okayama in three weeks.
For more information about KCMG, visit www.kcmg.com.hk. To keep track of latest updates, please like KCMG’s Facebook page or follow @KCMotorgroup on Twitter.
