Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA

Super Formula drivers pushed for return of pitstops

Super Formula drivers requested that mandatory pitstops be brought back for last weekend's Okayama race after a Motegi season opener that was notable for a lack of passing.

Watch: Super Formula acrobatic pit stop: Alex Palou

Japan's premier single-seater category came in for criticism after last month's Motegi race, which ran to a shortened 35-lap distance with no pitstop, leading to processional racing and little in the way of on-track action after the opening lap.

In the run-up to last weekend's second round of the season at Okayama, series organiser JRP announced that the mandatory tyre change would return, albeit not refuelling.

The result was a much more eventful race at the former Pacific Grand Prix venue, which featured a range of strategies and a number of passes towards the head of the field - most notably Sho Tsuboi's race-winning move on teammate Hiroaki Ishiura.

Read Also:

Speaking in the press conference, Ishiura revealed that the drivers had collectively agreed in the wake of the Motegi race to take action, leading to a dialogue between the drivers' association FRDA and JRP that ultimately resulted in the return of pitstops.

Ishiura said: "When the last race finished, I heard the opinion that ‘the race is too boring and [the drivers] are not satisfied’, so we gathered our opinions and told [JRP] our requests.

"We asked JRP to reinstate the mandatory tyre change this time. And as a result, I think it was a very interesting race.

"There were time races with unseen rivals [who had already done their pitstops], and offensive and defensive battles when the tyres were still warming out on the out-lap.

"The style of racing changed and it was interesting for us, and I think for everyone watching it was also interesting."

Hiroaki Ishiura, Inging, Sho Tsuboi, Inging

Hiroaki Ishiura, Inging, Sho Tsuboi, Inging

Photo by: Masahide Kamio

Reigning champion Nick Cassidy was one of the most strident critics of the Motegi race, but at Okayama he praised JRP for its quick reaction to the situation.

"It provided something for the fans, it made it more exciting," Cassidy, who finished third behind Tsuboi and Ishiura, told Motorsport.com.

"At the start of the race Ishiura was faster than me, but I was flat-out, not saving tyres. And at the end I was flat-out [trying to build a gap over Tsuboi].

"If you only consider the people that stopped around lap 10, I guess there wasn’t so much action, so that’s what it would have been like [without a pitstop]."

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Makino: Being taken out by teammate "unbelievable"
Next article Buemi on Red Bull duty as Sette Camara makes it to Japan

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA