FNIPPON: Lola Cars Suzuka official test practice notes

Motoyama sounds warning to Nippon rivals.

Last years Formula Nippon championship runner-up Satoshi Motoyama in the Team Impul Lola B3/51 was this morning fastest in official testing ahead of the first round of the series at Suzuka, which will take place on Sunday. Despite brake balance problems the 22 year old was almost half a second faster than fellow Japanese racer Ryo Michigami in the 5 Zigen car.

There were two one-hour sessions for the Nippon cars today with the first being rendered meaningless by overnight rain. However, it had dried out for the afternoon running where Motoyama used all his experience to set a scintillating 1m45.668s lap, one that compares favorably to the pole position time for the final round of last years championship of 1'47.687 set by Ryo Michigami.

First of the oversees drivers today was Frenchman Benoit Treluyer in third place ahead of former Jordan F1 test driver Juichi Wakisaka in the Team 22 outfit. The first of the Nakajima cars was 5th with reigning Japanese F3 champion Takashi Kogure again impressing in his new environs with a succession of consistent quick laps that just shaded his German team mate and former Champ Car runner Andre Lotterer who is still learning the circuit after only signing his deal with the former Lotus and Tyrrell driver two weeks ago.

Ulster's Richard Lyons made it in to the top ten in his Dandelion entry which is to be overseen this year by experienced ex DAMS engineer Rob Arnott.

Qualifying will take place tomorrow with the 35 lap race scheduled to start at 05.00 gmt on Sunday morning.

SUZUKA TEST TIMES - 21/03/03
1. SATOSHI MOTOYAMA TEAM IMPUL 1'45.668 Lola B351
2. RYO MICHIGAMI 5ZIGEN 1'46.080 Lola B351
3. BENOIT TRELUYER TEAM IMPUL 1'46.459 Lola B351
4. JUICHI WAKISAKA TEAM 22 1'46.729 Lola B351
5. TAKASHI KOGURE PIAA NAKAJIMA 1'46.829 Lola B351
6 TAKESHI TSUCHIYA Team LeMans 1'47.273 Lola B351
7 ANDRE LOTTERER PIAA NAKAJIMA 1'47.302 Lola B351
8 RYO FUKUDA 5ZIGEN 1'47.459 Lola B351
9 TOSHIHIRO KANEISHI Team LeMans 1'47.480 Lola B351
10 RICHARD LYONS DoCoMo DANDELION 1'47.549 Lola B351
11 YUJIIDE COSMO OIL CERUMO 1'47.599 Lola B351
12 HARUKI KUROSAWA PLANEX EBBRO NOVA 1'47.622 Lola B351
13 TSUGIO MATSUDA COSMO OIL CERUMO 1'47.646 Lola B351
14 NAOKI HATTORI DoCoMo DANDELION 1'47.863 Lola B351
15 YUJI TACHIKAWA Olympic KONDO 1'47.885 Lola B351
16 HIDEKI NODA CARROZZERIA Team MOHN 1'48.191 Lola B351
17 DOMINIK SCHWAGER Olympic KONDO 1'49.315 Lola B351
18 TETSUYA FUJISAWA CARCIAO TCPRO NOVA 1'51.540 Lola B351