July 28, 2019 Rd 15 Sportsland Sugo

Miyata sweeps to lights-to-flag win and sets the fastest lap

Ritomo Miyata(Collora Chukyo Kuo TEAM TOM'S)

■Miyata takes the holeshot at a scorching Sugo

Ritomo Miyata(Collora Chukyo Kuo TEAM TOM'S)

　Ritomo Miyata in Corolla Chukyo Kuo TOM’S F317 won the longest 25-lap Rd 15 race of this Sugo weekend that took place on Sunday again in the scorching conditions. Sacha Fenestraz (B-Max Racing with motopark F3) and Kazuto Kotaka (Corolla Chukyo Kuo TOM’S F317) claimed podium finish in second and third respectively.

　The grid of the race was determined by the finishing order of Rd 13, which means Miyata would start from pole position with Fenestraz as a fellow front row starter, followed by Kotaka, Enaam Ahmed (B-Max Racing with motopark F3), Harrison Newey (B-Max Racing with motopark F3), Toshiki Oyu (TODA FIGHTEX), Yoshiaki Katayama (YTB by Carlin), Shunsuke Kohno (RS FINE K&N F318), Hiroki Otsu (ThreeBond F319), Ameya Vaidyanathan (B-Max Racing with motopark F3) and Esteban Muth (YTB by Carlin).

　The heat appeared to ease at noon when the sky was overcast, but the sun came out just before the race and the formation lap started at 2:20 pm with air temperature over 30℃ and track temperature approaching 50℃.

　As the lights went out at the end of the lap the pole-sitter Miyata took the holeshot to leap into turn one unopposed. Fenestraz and Kotaka followed, keeping the grid order. “I rehearsed different starting scenarios in my mind not to repeat my mistake this morning,” said Miyata.

　Ahmed got a bit tardy getaway, allowed the fast starting Newey to catch up around the outside of turn one, the pair going side-by-side before having a light contact exiting turn two, which clipped the bodywork of Newey.

　Further back Muth got past Vaidyanathan to give chase to Otsu.

■Miyata charges to a dominant victory, picking up 2 wins in 3 races of this weekend
Despite struggling for grip Fenestraz secured second place

Sacha Fenestraz(B-Max Racing with motopark)

　Up front, Miyata was pulling away from the field while setting fastest laps, posting 1m15.050 on lap three and 1m14.899 on lap four before running at a stable pace ranging from 1m14.500 secs to 1m15.500.

　Fenestraz by contrast spent his 20th birthday struggling for grip, coming under pressure from Kotaka in the early stages, but held on to the second spot. “I felt like I was running on ice. All I could do was concentrate on avoiding any mistakes to stay on the track,” he revealed.

　Kotaka was instead left battling it out with charging Ahmed in the closing stages as he ran wide under braking into turn one on lap 15, picking up dusts on his degrading rubber.

　Damaged by the contact with his team-mate Newey now saw Oyu whittling away the gap, the latter getting it down to less than a second in the final stages, while a little further back Otsu overtook Kohno on lap eight and quickly set about closing the gap to Katayama, putting Kohno under mounting pressure from Muth and Vaidyanathan.

　With the order not changing any further Miyata led home and set the fastest lap of the race.

　Fenestraz finished second for three consecutive races, with Kotaka, Ahmed and Newey closing out the top six.

　DRAGON came back from his retirement in Rd 14 to win, extending his lead in the Master class.

　Now with Fenestraz 28 points clear of Miyata at the top of the drivers’ championship with two events, or five races remaining the focus will be on whether Fenestraz will claim the title in the next Motegi race, or Miyata will be able to keep the title race alive.