松下 信治/HFDP RACING

●第5戦も松下が制しポイントリーダーの座へ
　F3-Nでは久保凛太郎が3勝目をマーク

久保 凛太郎/TOCHIGI Le Beausset Motorsports

　第4戦の終了よりわずか4時間足らずのインターバルを経て、全日本F3選手権の第5戦決勝レースがツインリンクもてぎで開催された。気温は26℃、路面温度は37℃。周回数は第4戦より6周多い20周での戦いに、それぞれのドライバーに体力的な負担が懸念された。
　なお、この第5戦のグリッドは、第3戦の決勝順位で決まるため、第3戦で優勝したHFDP RACINGの松下信輝が3戦連続でポールポジションからのスタートに。そして、PETRONAS TEAM TOM'Sの山下健太、B-MAX Racing Team with NDDPの高星明誠、PETRONAS TEAM TOM'Sの勝田貴元の順で続くこととなった。F3-NクラスのトップはTOCHIGI Le Beausset Motorsportsの久保凛太郎で、連勝を狙うHANASHIMA RACINGの小泉洋史が2番手、そしてEXCEDY RACING TEAMの三浦愛、TAIROKU EXCEEDの山口大陸がその後ろに並んだ。

◎スタートを決めた松下に山下、勝田迫れず
　フォーメイションラップを終えて、トラブルに見舞われたHFDP RACINGの高橋翼がピットに滑り込んでくる。そのため、14台で切られたスタートは前2戦同様、松下が大成功。これに山下が続き、高星をかわした勝田がまたしても3番手に浮上。一方、F3-Nクラスでは久保が好スタートを切り、小泉と三浦を従えて1コーナーに飛び込んでいく。
　今回はオープニングラップ終了時のギャップが1秒あまりだったこともあり、「これなら後半勝負出来るのでは」と手応えを感じていた山下ながら、トップの松下はそれ以上の手応えを感じていた。その証拠に前2戦では中盤以降詰められたギャップを、最後まで広げていったからだ。4周目にファステストラップをマークし、その後も12周目まで1分46秒台で周回。ラスト5周はさすがに47秒台に落ちるが、それでも1分47秒台前半をキープされ続けては山下もなす術なし。3連勝を飾った松下は、これで1ポイント差ながら山下を抜いてランキングのトップに立つこととなった。
「次の岡山でも連勝したい。今回同様、いい流れを作っていきたいですね」と、松下はすっかり自信を身につけたようだ。2位は山下が3戦連続で獲得し、3位は勝田となった。

◎首位争いの久保と小泉がまさかの接触
　F3-Nクラスではトップの久保に、小泉がぴたりとついてマッチレースの様相を呈す。だが、それも5周目までのこと。5コーナーで小泉が久保のインに飛び込むも、その直後に両者は接触。久保はフロントウイングとタイヤを傷めながらコースに踏み留まったものの、小泉はコースアウトして最後尾まで後退を余儀なくされる。
　また、2周目には山口が三浦を抜いて3番手に浮上。小泉の後退によって、それぞれひとつずつ順位を上げる。しかし、そのまま久保に迫っていくことはできず、徐々にリードを広げられるように。手負いの状態ではあったものの、逃げ切った久保は今季3勝目をマークして、ランキングトップをキープすることとなった。小泉はその後の激しい追い上げを果たすも、表彰台には一歩届かず4位でのフィニッシュとなった。

山下 健太/PETRONAS TEAM TOM'S	山口 大陸/TAIROKU EXCEED

久保 凛太郎/TOCHIGI Le Beausset Motorsports	三浦 愛/EXEDY RACING TEAM 吉田 基良/B-MAX RACING TEAM

小泉 洋史/HANASHIMA RACING	DRAGON/B-MAX Racing Team	清原 章太/TODA RACING
勝田 貴元/PETRONAS TEAM TOM'S	Nanin Indra-Payoong/CERUMO・INGING Jr.	松下 信治/HFDP RACING 高橋 翼 /HFDP RACING

高星明誠/B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP	松下 信治/HFDP RACING

● Matsushita Takes Title Lead After Winning the 5th Race Kubo Notches His Third Win

 In less than 4 hours from the end of the previous round the 5th race of the Japanese Formula 3 Championship was held at Twin Ring Motegi. Each drivers was expected to fight a tougher battle for a total of 20 laps, 6 laps more than the 4th race with air temperature of 26 deg. C and track temperature of 37 deg. C.
The grid for the race was determined by the results of the 3rd race, and so Nobuharu Matsushita of HFDP RACING, the winner of the 3rd race started from pole for the third time in a row ahead of Kenta Yamashita (PETRONAS TEAM TOM’S), Mitsunori Takaboshi (B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP) and Takamoto Katsuta (PETRONAS TEAM TOM’S). Rintaro Kubo of TOCHIGI Le Beausset Motorsports started first grid in the F3-N class followed by Hiroshi Koizumi (Hanashima Racing) aiming for consecutive win with Ai Miura (EXCEDY RACING TEAM) in 3rd and Tairoku Yamaguchi (TAIROKU EXCEED) in 4th.

◎ Yamashita and Katsuta were struggling to close in on fast starter Yamashita
With Tsubasa Yamaguchi of HFDP RACING having had to retire after the formation lap due to a mechanical failure the race started with 14 cars. Matsushita got away best as he did in the last two races ahead of Yamashita with Katsuta in 3rd place having passed Takaboshi again. While in F3-N class Kubo made a good start into the first comer with Koizumi and Miura behind him.
As Yamashita completed the opening lap he had a good feeling from over 1 second gap to the lead and thought he might be able to challenge Matsushita later in the race. Matsushita, however, had even a better feeling from the fact that in both the last 2 races he continued to build up his lead till the end that had been reduced in the middle stages. Once he set the fastest lap on the 4th lap the race leader continued his pace at 1m46s level before slightly showing fatigue with 5 laps to go in which he still set 47s level. There was nothing Yamashita could do. The 3 consecutive wins at Motegi promoted Matsushita to the top in point standings by 1 point ahead of Yamashita. “I will aim at extending my winning streak at Okayama. I hope to race well as I did in this race weekend,” Matsushita showed confidence. Yamashita finished second for the 3rd time in a row ahead of Katsuta.

◎ Unexpected contact in a battle for the top Between Kubo and Koizumi
A match race was being fought in F3-N class between Kubo and close pursuer Koizumi before the lead two had a contact with each other on lap 5 as Koizumi tried to put his car down the inside of Kubo into turn 5. With damaged tyres and front wing Kubo managed to remain on the track, while Koizumi went off the track and slipped to the foot of the field. Meanwhile Yamaguchi shot past Miura to third spot on lap 2, and then was moved up to second by the Koizumi’s drop, but he was not so fast as to close in on Kubo. Despite being badly damaged Kubo gradually opened up his lead and scored his 3rd win of the season to maintain the lead in the point standings. In his fierce comeback attempts Koizumi reclaimed some of his lost ground but failed to score a podium finish to place 4th.