APRIL 17, 2007

Meanwhile in Japan

The second round of the Formula Nippon series at Suzuka in Japan was an interesting affair with an earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter Scale, with the epicentre just 15 miles from the track just before the start. Qualifying had resulted in Tsugio Matsuda taking pole position in his Toyota-engined Mobilecast Team Impul entry, ahead of Satoshi Motoyama in his Arabian Oasis Team Impul entry. Third and fourth fastest were the two Honda-engined PIAA Nakajima entries of Takashi Kogure and France's Loic Duval with Benoit Treluyer fifth for Mobilecast Team Impul ahead of Ronnie Quintarelli (Inging Toyota), Yuji Ide (ARTA Honda), Yuji Tachikawa (Cerumo Toyota), Michael Krumm ( Arabian Oasis Team Impul) and Toshihiro Kaneishi in Aguri Suzuki's second ARTA car.

At the start Matsuda got away slowly and so Motoyama went into the lead while Treluyer jumped from fifth to third. After a couple of laps Treluyer challenged his team mate Matsuda for second. The two collided and Treluyer ended up retiring, leaving Motoyama and Matsuda to finish 1-2 with Kogure third, Duval fourth and Andre Letterer fifth in his TOM'S Toyota ahead of Quintarelli.

Matsuda now leads the title for Team Impul from Duval with an unhappy Treluyer third.