(June 1, 1997)
Race Report
Kurosawa won for Hoshino!
Fuji Intl. Speedway, JAPAN -RIJ- Takuya Kurosawa started from Pole Position and won the of All Japan Formula Nippon Championship Round-3 at Fuji International Speedway on Sunday. Kurosawa took mistake at start and passed by Argentina Norberto Fontana and Spanish point leader Pedro de la Rosa, but Kurosawa managed to pass de la Rosa on Lap 2 and Fontana on Lap 4. De la Rosa moved up to second and chased Kurosawa hard, but couldn't catch Kurosawa until checkered flag.
Kurosawa replaced Japanese veteran Kazuyoshi Hoshino at just one week before Round-1 Suzuka because Hoshino suddenly announced his retirement from Formula Nippon. Hoshino decided it because his schedule has been very hard to drive Touring Car, GT Car and Le Mans 24 Hours Race for Nissan. Kurosawa, lost seat of Formula Nippon this year, got call from Mr. Kaneko, manager of Hoshino's Team Impul, and got chance to drive Hoshino's Lola T96 Mugen. Kurosawa, son of former Japanese top racing driver Motoharu Kurosawa and elder brother of Haruki Kurosawa who is running in British F3, took second twice before today's race.
"I didn't think Kurosawa would win this year because it was sudden dicision to hire him as our driver," said Kaneko of Hoshino Impul team. "Today, I told him how Hoshino managed to keep tire wares and he has done it. It was perfect!" Kaneko continued.
Spanish Pedro de la Rosa stood on second podium and kept his lead in point standing.
Toranosuke Takagi started from fourth grid, dropped to ninth position at start, but he got third until Lap 15. It was too late to chase Kurosawa and de la Rosa, then he kept his position.
Fourth finisher was Hidetoshi Mitsusada. He started from eleventh grid, but his speed was faster than front runners and managed to pass seven cars until Lap 23.
Fuji Intl.Speedway -RIJ- Here are the Results of All Japan Formula Nippon Round-3 at Fuji International Speedway: (4.470 km)
P No. Driver------------- Car------------------Lap--Time------km/h---
1 19 Takuya Kurosawa (J) Lola T96/Mugen 45 59'08.195 203.821
2 9 Pedro de la Rosa (E) Lola T97/Mugen 45 59'10.181 203.707
3 64 Toranosuke Takagi (J) Reynard 97D/Mugen 45 59'27.302 202.729
4 11 Hidetoshi Mitsusada(J) Lola T96/Mugen 45 59'30.164 202.567
5 20 Masahiko Kageyama (J) Lola T95/Mugen 45 59'31.115 202.513
6 1 Norberto Fontana (RA) Reynard 97D/Mugen 45 59'49.548 201.473
7 33 Toshio Suzuki (J) Reynard 97D/Mugen 45 1h00'05.254 200.595
8 65 Koji Yamanishi (J) Reynard 97D/Mugen 45 1h00'12.807 200.176
9 2 Esteban Tuero (RA) Reynard 97D/Mugen 45 1h00'25.825 199.457
10 6 Risto Virtanen (SF) Reynard 96D/Judd 44
11 27 Masami Kageyama (J) Reynard 96D/Mugen 43
12 17 Masahiko Kondo (J) Reynard 97D/Mugen 43
13 36 Tetsuji Tamanaka (J) Lola T95/Mugen 43
14 63 D.R.B.Malagamuwa (SRI) Reynard 96D/Mugen 43
15 18 Ralf Firman (GB) Reynard 97D/Mugen 42
16 3 Atsushi Kawamoto (J) Reynard 96D/Mugen 41
------[ Did Not Classified ]------------------------------------------
5 Marc Goossens (B) Reynard 96D/Judd 34
34 Mauro Martini (I) Lola T96/Mugen 32
35 Michael Krumm (D) Reynard 96D/Mugen 32
8 Juichi Wakisaka (J) Dome F104R/Mugen 31
28 Katsumi Yamamoto (J) Reynard 95D/Mugen 31
55 Katsutomo Kaneishi (J) Reynard 96D/Mugen 27
10 Akira Iida (J) Lola R97/Mugen 9
37 Masao Yamada (J) Lola T94/Mugen 9
56 Satoshi Motoyama (J) Reynard 97D/Mugen 3
Fastest Time: #19 Takuya Kurosawa, 1'17.919 (206.522km/h) On Lap 42/45.
Weather: Fine, Course: Dry.
POINT STANDING:
Round
P. Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total
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1 Pedro de la Rosa (E) 10 10 6 26
2 Takuya Kurosawa (J) 6 6 10 22
3 Hidetoshi Mitsusada(J) 4 0 3 7
4 Akira Iida (J) 1 4 0 5
5 Toranosuke Takagi (J) 0 -- 4 4
6 Satoshi Motoyama (J) 3 -- 0 3
6 Ralf Firman (GB) 0 3 0 3
8 Koji Yamanishi (J) 2 0 0 2
8 Toshio Suzuki (J) 0 2 0 2
8 Masahiko Kageyama (J) 0 0 2 2
11 Juichi Wakisaka (J) 0 1 0 1
11 Norberto Fontana (RA) 0 0 1 1
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