FNIPPON: Couto Fuji race recap

Andre Couto ran the fourth pointable Formula Nippon 2001 event this weekend at the Fuji Track. Although the Portuguese driver ran a good race, Couto ended the event in the 12th position due to the Stop & Go received, for allegedly making a false start.

"I was having problems putting in 1st gear, and when I finally managed it the car moved a bit. The race commissionaires understood it as a false start and I was forced to a Stop & Go penalty", remarked the BPN Creditus sponsored driver, who held the 12th positions after starting the race from the 20th place. "My start was normal, but right after the first corner I started overtaking my adversaries. I was running a good race, but due to the false star situation I was quite damaged".

The ultimate and last overtake the young Portuguese driver made in Fuji, was Alex Young who ended the race in 7th: "Hadn't I been penalized, I am quite sure I would've been able to score. I made innumerable overtakes during the race, which is very motivating for any driver", recalled Andre Couto, who will be able to rely on a new chassis for the next Formula Nippon event: "Our Team is the only one using the G-Force chassis, which has been proven to be of low quality and provoking strange reactions on the car. We managed to convince them to change to the Reynard Chassis, and I am hopping this will change in Suzuka, where we will run the next race, on the 1st of July". <pre> Overall Standings:

1st Naoki Hattori (5Zigen), 50 laps in 1h 06m 34.546s 2nd Michael Krumm (5Zigen), at 0.9s 3rd Ryo Michigami (Mooncraft), at 12s 12th Andre Couto (Team Morinaga Nova), at 1 lap

-Praça João Martinho de Freitas