Mine Circuit, Yamaguchi Pref., Japan -RIJ- 1996 All Japan Formula Nippon Champion Ralf Schumacher from Germany set the fastest time 1'24.847 and got pole position for Sunday's All Japan GT Car Championship Final round (Rd.6) at Mine Circuit Saturday. Schumacher drove McLaren F1 GTR and marked his best time on lap 5 of total 8 laps in morning First Qualifying Session. He run total 10 laps in afternoon's Second Qualifying session, but his morning best time was broken. His team mate Naoki Hattori's best time was 1'26.678 in Second Qualifying session.
Ausie David Brabham set second fastest qualifying time 1'25.256 in First Qualifyin session. He will drive another McLaren F1 GTR with John Nielsen from Denmark.
French driver Erik Comas will start from third grid with young Japanese Hironori Takeuchi in Toyota Supra, followed by Japanese veteran Masanori Sekiya and young Spanish Pedro De La Rosa in Toyota Supra.
Tom Kristensen from Denmark and French Bertrand Gachot in Toyota Supra will start from fifth grid and former FIM Motorcycle Road Race World Champion Wayne Grdner from Australia and Italian Gianpiero Simoni will start from seventh grid. They are driving Toyota Supra, too.
1996 All Japan GT Championship Round-6,
Mine GT Race Starting Grid
Mine Circuit (3.23898km)
Weather: Cloudy, Course: Dry October 26, 1996
Pos No Class Driver Driver CAR TIME km/h
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1 60 GT5 N.Hattori R.Schumacher(D) McLAREN F1 GTR R1'24.847 137.42
2 61 GT5 D.Brabham(UK) J.Nielsen(DK) McLAREN F1 GTR 1'25.185 136.88
3 37 GT5 E.Comas (F) H.Takeuchi TOYOTA SUPRA JZA80 1'25.256 136.76
4 36 GT5 M.Sekiya P.D.La Rosa (E) TOYOTA SUPRA JZA80 1'25.804 135.89
5 8 GT5 T.Kristensen(DK) B.Gachot (F) TOYOTA SUPRA JZA80 1'26.161 135.33
6 30 GT5 Y.Yamada E.Tajima PORSCHE993/380LL 1'26.197 135.27
7 39 GT5 W.Gerdner(AUS) G.Simoni (I) TOYOTA SUPRA JZA80 1'26.258 135.17
8 2 GT5 Aguri Suzuki H.Fukuyama NISSAN SKYLINE BCNR33 1'26.595 134.65
9 556 GT5 Toshio Suzuki M.Kondo SKYLINE BCNR33 1'26.743 134.42
10 3 GT5 M.Hasemi T.Tanaka NISSAN SKYLINE BCNR33 1'26.822 134.30
11 34 GT5 H.Matsuda O.Nakako PORSCHE 911GT2 1'26.960 134.08
12 25 GT5 Masami Kageyama H.Tachikawa NISSAN Fairlady Z 1'27.102 133.86
13 1 GT5 Kaz.Hoshino Masahiko Kageyama NISSAN SKYLINE BCNR33 1'27.159 133.78
14 100 GT5 Kuni.Takahashi K.Tsuchiya HONDA NSX NA1(E-NA1) 1'27.552 133.18
15 35 GT5 O.Larrauri(RA) A.Reid (UK) PORSCHE 911GT2 1'28.665 131.50
16 43 GT5 Y.Okamoto Y.Hinoi PORSCHE CARRERA RS 1'28.717 131.43
17 5 GT5 K.Iida T.Ota PORSCHE 911 GT2 1'28.771 131.35
18 88 GT5 T.Wada S.Ikezawa Lamborghini Diablo 1'28.980 131.04
19 19 GT5 T.Kobayashi M.Koma NISSAN SKYLINE BNR32 1'30.600 128.70
20 6 GT3 T.Tuschiya Y.Daimonji TOYOTA MR2 SW-20 R1'31.486 127.45
21 12 GT3 S.Motoyama F.Mizuno NISSAN SILVIA 1'31.775 127.05
22 16 GT5 O.Nakajima I.Iizuka PORSCHE 933GT2 1'32.784 125.67
23 26 GT3 K.Suzuki M.Nitta PORSCHE964 CARRERA RSR 1'33.873 125.55
24 21 GT3 Y.Hitotsuyama T.Yamamoto BMW M3 E36 1'33.395 124.84
25 91 GT3 M.Matsunaga T.Kawai TOYOTA MR-2 1'33.641 124.52
26 31 GT3 K.Iketani K.Mogi PORSCHE993 CARRERA RS 1'33.735 124.39
27 910 GT3 S.Sodeyama H.Tamamoto PORSCHE 933RSR 1'33.820 124.28
28 72 GT3 T.Kinoshita N.Makiguchi BMW M3 E30 1'34.946 124.11
29 7 GT3 S.Yamaji H.Matsumoto MAZDA RX7 FD3S 1'34.373 123.55
30 38 GT3 A.Fu M.Nagashima Porsche Carrera 1'34.990 122.75
31 95 GT3 N.Oyagi T.Mankumo NISSAN SILVIA PS13 1'37.775 119.25
32 20 GT3 K.Takahashi H.Suga PORSCHE 933RS 1'38.461 118.42
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GT5=GT500, GT3=GT300
R=New Course Record (old record: GT500 = 1'28.189, GT300 = 1'33.876)