Lexus shines in 2017 Super GT 500 Series

WITH purebred racing DNA, Lexus has made an impressive mark on racing circuits with its vehicles. Recently Lexus stormed to its fourth consecutive victory in the 2017 Autobacs Super GT 500 series as the reigning champions Heikki Kovalainen and Kohei Hirate, in their No 1 Denso Kobelco Sard LC 500, came from seventh position on the starting grid to take their maiden win of the season at the Sportsland Sugo circuit in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

The No 6 Wako’s 4CR LC 500, driven by Kazuya Oshima and Andrea Caldarelli, finished third in the race to consolidate Lexus’ runaway lead in the manufacturer’s standings.

Following intermittent drizzles during the qualifying sessions, the race day dawned with rain and occasional cloudiness as predicted. Four of the cars in the field — including the No 19 WedsSport Advan LC 500 and No38 Zent Cerumo LC 500 — chose to start the race on slick tires, but the rain only grew heavier during the Formation Lap. Shortly thereafter, the No 19 WedsSport Advan LC 500, running in the fourth position, ran off the track at the first turn. The continued rainfall meant the cars on slick tires could no longer wait for their routine pit stops to change tyres and had to hurry back to the pit prematurely, and take a time loss.

After just two laps, one of the competitor cars was forced to drop out of the race after its engine cover flew off on the pit straight. This incident was soon followed by the first of the safety cars, which shook up the grid. Then, at the end of the 46th lap, the No 6 Wako’s 4CR LC 500 and No 37 KeePer Tom’s LC 500 headed in for their pit stops, followed by the No 1 Denso Sard Kobelco 500 on the next lap. At around the same time, two GT300 cars collided and ran off the track, bringing out the safety car once again.

This meant the No 1 Denso Sard Kobelco LC 500, having already finished its pit stop, was now on the same lap as the top four cars. As the race restarted at the end of the 52nd lap, the four cars in the lead all made their way into the pits; and taking advantage of the situation, the No 1 Denso Sard Kobelco LC 500 raced ahead into the lead.