2012 JAF Grand Prix

Track map of the Fuji Speedway

The 2012 JAF Grand Prix Fuji Sprint Cup was the final racing event for both the 2012 Super GT season and the 2012 Formula Nippon season. It took place over November 17 and November 18, 2012.

Background

Due to commitments in the 2012 Guia Race of Macau, André Couto was replaced in the #19 Lexus Team WedsSport Bandoh by Marino Franchitti. In GT300, due to Hideki Yamauchi racing in the 2012 Macau Grand Prix Formula Three, his seat in the #87 JLOC Lamborghini Gallardo was replaced by Yuya Sakamoto, who had competed in five races in the #85 JLOC entry in 2012. The #27 LMP Motorsport Ferrari F430 GTC was the only team that competed at Motegi that did not enter at Fuji, while the #86 JLOC entry returned after last racing in the 2012 41st International Pokka 1000km.

There were no driver changes in Formula Nippon. It was also the last event that the series name Formula Nippon would be used, as for 2013 it will be renamed to the Japanese Championship Super Formula.[1]

Unlike the eight points-scoring races in Super GT, the Fuji Sprint Cup was run under slightly different rules.[2]

  • The GT500 and GT300 classes were split into their own set of two races.
  • Each driver in GT500 and GT300 would have their own 22 lap sprint race without any mandatory pitstop.
  • Standing starts were also implemented for each of the four races instead of the rolling start normally seen.

East versus West

There was one final intranational competition. All Japanese drivers, including those in support races, were divided into East and West teams according to the prefectures of their birth; visiting international drivers were randomly assigned to one team by the organizers. The race results of 8 races (4 in Super GT, 1 each in other events), plus bonus points added from sales events outside the circuit would determine the winning team. An extra bonus would be issued to all drivers and supporters on that team.

GT300 Race 1 results

The first GT300 race was held on Saturday November 17.

Pos No Team Driver Chassis Tyre Time/Difference Laps
1 33 Hankook KTR Japan Tomonobu Fujii Porsche 911 GT3-R H 42:04.613 22
2 16 Team Mugen Japan Daisuke Nakajima Honda CR-Z B +9.022 22
3 43 Autobacs Racing Team Aguri Japan Kosuke Matsuura ASL Garaiya B +12.701 22
4 3 S-Road NDDP Japan Katsumasa Chiyo Nissan GT-R GT3 Y +13.048 22
5 0 GSR Hatsune Miku Japan Tatsuya Kataoka BMW Z4 GT3 Y +44.177 22
6 52 Green Tec & Leon with Shift Japan Haruki Kurosawa Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 Y +44.531 22
7 11 Gainer Japan Katsuyuki Hiranaka Audi R8 LMS ultra D +49.044 22
8 911 Team Taisan ENDLESS Japan Kyosuke Mineo Porsche 911 GT3-R Y +1:17.826 22
9 77 investors Hitotsuyama Racing Ukraine Igor Sushko Audi R8 LMS Y +1:36.647 22
10 360 RunUp Tomei Sports Japan Takuya Shirasaka Callaway Corvette Z06.R GT3 Y +2:27.106 22
11 31 Hasepro apr Japan Koki Saga Toyota Prius Y +1 Lap 21
12 88 MonePa JLOC Japan Takayuki Aoki Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 Y +1 Lap 21
13 14 Team SGC Japan Ryo Orime Lexus IS350 Y +1 Lap 21
14 66 A speed Japan Kazuki Hoshino Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 Y +1 Lap 21
15 87 JLOC Japan Koji Yamanishi Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 Y +1 Lap 21
16 86 Verity BOMEX JLOC Japan Junichiro Yamashita Lamborghini Gallardo RG-3 Y +1 Lap 21
17 4 GSR Project Mirai Japan Masahiro Sasaki BMW Z4 GT3 Y +1 Lap 21
18 2 Evangelion-01 Cars Tokai Dream28 Japan Kazuho Takahashi Mooncraft Shiden Y +2 Laps 20
19 61 R&D Sport Japan Kota Sasaki Subaru BRZ Y +2 Laps 20
20 48 NEON Dijon Racing Japan Shogo Mitsuyama Callaway Corvette Z06.R GT3 Y +2 Laps 20
21 5 Team Mach Japan Masayuki Ueda Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 Y +3 Laps 19
22 22 R'Qs Motorsports Japan Masaki Jyonai Vemac RD350R Y +3 Laps 19
23 30 Iwasaki Moda apr Japan Yuya Sakamoto Audi R8 LMS ultra Y +4 Laps 18
DNS 21 ZENT Hitotsuyama Racing United Kingdom Richard Lyons Audi R8 LMS Y

GT500 Race 1 results

The first GT500 race was held on Saturday November 17. Due to heavy rain, the race was halted after 11 of the scheduled 22 laps.[3]

Pos No Team Driver Chassis Tyre Time/Difference Laps
1 1 S-Road REITO MOLA Italy Ronnie Quintarelli Nissan GT-R M 21:01.979 10
2 17 Keihin Real Racing Japan Koudai Tsukakoshi Honda HSV-010 GT B +0.764 10
3 6 Lexus Team ENEOS LeMans Japan Kazuya Oshima Lexus SC430 B +2.726 10
4 23 Motul Autech NISMO Germany Michael Krumm Nissan GT-R B +4.821 10
5 100 Raybrig Team Kunimitsu Japan Naoki Yamamoto Honda HSV-010 GT B +6.046 10
6 12 Calsonic Team Impul Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Nissan GT-R B +7.672 10
7 18 Weider Honda Racing Netherlands Carlo van Dam Honda HSV-010 GT B +9.649 10
8 8 Autobacs Racing Team Aguri Japan Takashi Kobayashi Honda HSV-010 GT B +11.013 10
9 24 D'Station ADVAN Kondo Racing Japan Hironobu Yasuda Nissan GT-R Y +12.391 10
10 32 EPSON Nakajima Racing Japan Yuhki Nakayama Honda HSV-010 GT D +15.380 10
11 39 Lexus Team DENSO SARD Japan Hiroaki Ishiura Lexus SC430 M +41.838 10
12 35 Lexus Team KeePer Kraft Japan Yuji Kunimoto Lexus SC430 B +43.592 10
13 38 Lexus Team ZENT Cerumo Japan Kohei Hirate Lexus SC430 B +44.966 10
14 19 Lexus Team WedsSport Bandoh Japan Seiji Ara Lexus SC430 Y +45.323 10
15 36 Lexus Team Petronas TOM'S France Loïc Duval Lexus SC430 B +3 Laps 7

Formula Nippon results

The Formula Nippon race was held on Sunday November 18.

Pos No Team Driver Engine Time/Difference Laps
1 40 Docomo Team Dandelion Racing Japan Takuya Izawa Honda HR12E 32:10.212 22
2 19 Team Impul Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Toyota RV8K +0.315 22
3 8 Team Kygnus Sunoco France Loïc Duval Toyota RV8K +1.346 22
4 39 Project μ Team Cerumo Japan Yuji Kunimoto Toyota RV8K +4.593 22
5 20 Team Impul Japan Tsugio Matsuda Toyota RV8K +5.420 22
6 38 Project μ Team Cerumo Japan Kohei Hirate Toyota RV8K +7.336 22
7 2 Petronas Team TOM'S Japan Kazuki Nakajima Toyota RV8K +8.044 22
8 16 Team Mugen Japan Naoki Yamamoto Honda HR12E +21.036 22
9 31 Nakajima Racing Japan Daisuke Nakajima Honda HR12E +24.146 22
10 7 Team LeMans Japan Kazuya Oshima Toyota RV8K +26.583 22
11 32 Nakajima Racing Japan Takashi Kogure Honda HR12E +26.647 22
12 10 HP Real Racing Japan Toshihiro Kaneishi Honda HR12E +32.861 22
13 15 Team Mugen Japan Takuma Sato Honda HR12E +33.723 22
14 62 Tochigi Le Beausset Motorsports Japan Koki Saga Toyota RV8K +38.424 22
15 18 SGC by KCMG Japan Ryo Orime Toyota RV8K +54.551 22
16 3 Kondo Racing Japan Hironobu Yasuda Toyota RV8K +1 Lap 21
DNF 41 Docomo Team Dandelion Racing Japan Koudai Tsukakoshi Honda HR12E +6 Laps 16
DSQ1 1 Petronas Team TOM'S Germany André Lotterer Toyota RV8K +0.000 22
  • ^1 – André Lotterer was disqualified post-race due to irregularities with the skid block on his car.[4]

GT300 Race 2 results

The second GT300 race was held on Sunday November 18.

Pos No Team Driver Chassis Tyre Time/Difference Laps
1 66 A speed Japan Hiroki Yoshimoto Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 Y 37:17.346 22
2 2 Evangelion-01 Cars Tokai Dream28 Japan Hiroki Kato Mooncraft Shiden Y +1.273 22
3 88 MonePa JLOC Japan Manabu Orido Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 Y +17.060 22
4 52 Green Tec & Leon with Shift Japan Hironori Takeuchi Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 Y +21.594 22
5 31 Hasepro apr Japan Morio Nitta Toyota Prius Y +22.368 22
6 11 Gainer Japan Tetsuya Tanaka Audi R8 LMS ultra D +23.225 22
7 16 Team Mugen Japan Hideki Mutoh Honda CR-Z B +23.377 22
8 87 JLOC Japan Yuya Sakamoto Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 Y +25.746 22
9 43 Autobacs Racing Team Aguri Japan Shinichi Takagi ASL Garaiya B +32.731 22
10 30 Iwasaki Moda apr Japan Yuki Iwasaki Audi R8 LMS ultra Y +39.167 22
11 21 ZENT Hitotsuyama Racing Japan Akihiro Tsuzuki Audi R8 LMS Y +42.593 22
12 4 GSR Project Mirai Japan Taku Bamba BMW Z4 GT3 Y +51.816 22
13 22 R'Qs Motorsports Japan Hisashi Wada Vemac RD350R Y +1:22.068 22
14 33 Hankook KTR Japan Masami Kageyama Porsche 911 GT3-R H +1:22.701 22
15 48 NEON Dijon Racing Japan Hiroshi Takamori Callaway Corvette Z06.R GT3 Y +1:38.601 22
16 61 R&D Sport Japan Tetsuya Yamano Subaru BRZ Y +1:40.844 22
17 86 Verity BOMEX JLOC Japan Hideshi Matsuda Lamborghini Gallardo RG-3 Y +1 Lap 21
18 911 Team Taisan ENDLESS Japan Kyosuke Mineo Porsche 911 GT3-R Y +2 Laps 20
19 3 S-Road NDDP Japan Yuhi Sekiguchi Nissan GT-R GT3 Y +2 Laps 20
20 0 GSR Hatsune Miku Japan Nobuteru Taniguchi BMW Z4 GT3 Y +4 Laps 18
DNF 360 RunUp Tomei Sports Japan Atsushi Tanaka Callaway Corvette Z06.R GT3 Y +15 Laps 7
DNF 14 Team SGC Japan Naoya Yamano Lexus IS350 Y +15 Laps 7
DNF 77 investors Hitotsuyama Racing Japan Kenji Kobayashi Audi R8 LMS Y +21 Laps 1
DNF 5 Team Mach Japan Tetsuji Tamanaka Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 Y +22 Laps 0

GT500 Race 2 results

The second GT500 race was held on Sunday November 18.

Pos No Team Driver Chassis Tyre Time/Difference Laps
1 38 Lexus Team ZENT Cerumo Japan Yuji Tachikawa Lexus SC430 B 34:51.361 22
2 36 Lexus Team Petronas TOM'S Japan Kazuki Nakajima Lexus SC430 B +2.632 22
3 100 Raybrig Team Kunimitsu Japan Takuya Izawa Honda HSV-010 GT B +3.319 22
4 23 Motul Autech NISMO Japan Satoshi Motoyama Nissan GT-R B +12.563 22
5 24 D'Station ADVAN Kondo Racing Sweden Björn Wirdheim Nissan GT-R Y +17.439 22
6 6 Lexus Team ENEOS LeMans Japan Daisuke Ito Lexus SC430 B +20.093 22
7 18 Weider Honda Racing Japan Takashi Kogure Honda HSV-010 GT B +22.192 22
8 39 Lexus Team DENSO SARD Japan Juichi Wakisaka Lexus SC430 M +26.676 22
9 8 Autobacs Racing Team Aguri Republic of Ireland Ralph Firman Honda HSV-010 GT B +29.299 22
10 35 Lexus Team KeePer Kraft Italy Andrea Caldarelli Lexus SC430 B +30.723 22
11 12 Calsonic Team Impul Japan Tsugio Matsuda Nissan GT-R B +33.505 22
12 32 EPSON Nakajima Racing Japan Ryo Michigami Honda HSV-010 GT D +43.229 22
13 19 Lexus Team WedsSport Bandoh United Kingdom Marino Franchitti Lexus SC430 Y +52.224 22
14 1 S-Road REITO MOLA Japan Masataka Yanagida Nissan GT-R M +55.484 22
15 17 Keihin Real Racing Japan Toshihiro Kaneishi Honda HSV-010 GT B +1 Lap 21

References

  1. ^ "Forumula Nippon to be renamed Super Formula starting 2013, possible expansion in Asia". Response.jp. IID.Inc. 6 August 2012. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
  2. ^ "Final battle of the season! Don't miss the SUPER GT in a different touch!!". supergt.net. November 9, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  3. ^ "With a champion's pride on the line, Quintarelli wins Race 1". supergt.net. November 17, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  4. ^ "JAF GP Formula Nippon: Lotterer disqualified, Izawa is the winner". as-web.jp. November 18, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.