SUZUKA -RIJ- (March 31, 1996) Two McLaren F1 GTR dominated the first round of All Japan GT Championship, the Suzuka GT 300km Race at Suzuka Circuit, by 1-2 finish Sunday. Formula Nippon (former Japanese F3000) driver duo Naoki Hattori and German Ralf Schumacher started from pole position and won 300km semi-endurance race. This race was first non-formula car race for younger Schumacher. His qualifying time was slower than Japanese veteran Hattori, but almost same.
"I'm happy to win first race in GT car race," said Schumacher. "I hope to stay in Japan for two years to learn more about of the racing." His goal is Formula One as well as his brother Michael and hopes to follow many Formula One drivers who graduated competitive Japanese F3000 and other racings such as Johnny Herbert, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Mika Salo, Eddy Irvine, Jacques Villeneuve and Ukyo Katayama.
They started from pole and passed by Erik Comas and Hidetoshi Mitsusada's Tom's Toyota Supra on 12th lap. Then Hattori and Schumacher's McLaren F1 GTR led again on 30th lap after pit stop for driver change and re-fuel. Comas and Mitsusada's Tom's Supra chased Hattori and Schumacher's Lark McLaren, but Tom's Supra stopped after 49th lap of total 51 lap race.
David Brabham and John Nielsen in another Lark McLaren started from 9th grid and cut the positions as step-by-step. When Tom's Supra slowed down, Lark McLaren run at 4th position, then passed Japanese veteran Masahiro Hasami and young Tetsuya Tanaka's duo in Nissan Skyline GT-R on 50th lap.
Pos No Driver Driver CAR Laps Time/Behind
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1 60 N.Hattori R.Schumacher(D) McLAREN F1 GTR 51 1:53'59.892
(Ave.157.40Km)
2 61 D.Brabham(UK) J.Nielsen(DK) McLAREN F1 GTR 51 30.327
3 3 M.Hasemi T.Tanaka NISSAN SKYLINE BCNR33 51 36.778
4 2 A.Suzuki H.Fukuyama NISSAN SKYLINE BCNR33 51 44.033
5 36 M.Sekiya P.D.La Rosa (E) TOYOTA SUPRA JZA80 51 52.479
6 556 T.Suzuki M.Kondo SKYLINE BCNR33 51 2'13.439
7 30 Y.Yamada E.Tajima PORSCHE993/380LL 50 1 Lap
8 1 Kaz.Hoshino Masahiko Kageyama NISSAN SKYLINE BCNR33 50 1 Lap
9 34 H.Matsuda O.Nakako PORSCHE 911GT2 50 1 Lap
10 8 T.Kristensen(DK) T.Tanigawa TOYOTA SUPRA JZA80 49 2 Laps
11 55 K.Tohira H.Kawai NISSAN SKYLINE BCNR33 49 2 Laps
12 35 Anthony Reid T.Tsuchiya PORSCHE 911GT2 49 2 Laps
13 5 K.Iida T.Ota PORSCHE 911 GT2 49 2 Laps
14 26 K.Suzuki M.Nitta PORSCHE964 CARRERA RSR 48 3 Laps
15 31 K.Iketani K.Mogi PORSCHE993 CARRERA RS 48 3 Laps
16 72 N.Makiguchi T.Kinoshita BMW M3 E30 47 4 Laps
17 6 T.Kawasaki K.Wakita TOYOTA MR2 SW-20 47 4 Laps
18 70 Y.Ishibashi Kao.Hoshino PORSCHE993RS 46 5 Laps
19 20 Ken.Takahashi H.Suga PORSCHE 993 RS 46 5 Laps
20 95 N.Oyagi T.Mankumo NISSAN SILVIA PS13 46 5 Laps
21 69 K.Kwagoe S.Kasuya PORSCHE 911GT2 45 6 Laps
22 21 F.Mizuno T.Yamamoto BMW M3 E36 45 6 Laps
23 38 A.Fu (HK) R.J.Jones(?) PORSCHE CARRERA RS 44 7 Laps
24 15 S.Maxwell(CND) M.Sekine PORSCHE 911 TURBO 42 9 Laps
25 17 N.Nogami T.Okumizu MAZDA RX-7 FC3S 41 10 Laps
26 *51 M.Ishihara H.Noji PORSCHE911 CARRERA RSR 41 10 Laps
27 28 M.Nagashima J.Yamanashi BMW M3 40 11 Laps
28 37 E.Comas (F) H.Mitsusada TOYOTA SUPRA JZA80 49 2 Laps
29 9 K.Okamoto T.Hioki PORSCHE 993 RS 46 5 Laps
30 39 W.Gardner(AUS) A.FERTE (F) TOYOTA SUPRA JZA80 37 14 Laps
------(DNC: GT500=35 Laps, GT300=33 Laps)----------------------------------
100 Kuni.Takahashi K.Tsuchiya HONDA NSX NA1(E-NA1) 31 20 Laps
88 T.Wada T.Kaneumi LAMBORGHINI 19 32 Laps
43 Y.Okamoto Y.Hinoi PORSCHE CARRERA RS 19 32 Laps
19 T.Kobayashi N.Furuya NISSAN SKYLINE BNR32 9 42 Laps
7 S.Yamaji M.Yamamoto MAZDA RX7 FD3S 6 45 Laps
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Fastest Lap: #60, 2'08.243 (164.61km/h) on Lap 1/51.
*=Penalty: Pit Stop 10 sec. because of passing under blue flag.
Data: Suzuka Circuitland and ALl Japan GT Association.
by Mitsuru Sugaya