No 39 LEXUS RC F DENSO KOBELCO SARD clinches victory at final round of GT500 class race, wins 2016 AUTOBACS SUPER GT series

 A strong and consistent run by the No. 39 LEXUS RC F DENSO KOBELCO SARD, driven by Heikki Kovalainen and Kohei Hirate, in Round 8 of the 2016 AUTOBACS SUPER GT series kept the Lexus camp in the driver’s seat throughout the final leg of the GT500 class race. The final round was held at the Twin Ring Motegi in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, where other Lexus racers too put up a strong fight for the big prize. 

Pole positions in the final race were dominated by Lexus cars as No. 6 LEXUS RC F WAKO’S 4CR and No. 19 LEXUS RC F WedsSport ADVAN took the second and third spots. No. 36 LEXUS RC F au TOM’S and No. 37 LEXUS RC F KeePer TOM’S battled fiercely to take the fourth and fifth positions. 

Round 8 came at the back of a historic rescheduling, when the aftermath of the Kumamoto Earthquakes pushed Round 3 from its original date, leading to a reshuffle that saw both the Round 8 qualifier and race taking place on the same day. The changes had little impact on No. 39 LEXUS RC F DENSO KOBELCO SARD’s performance as it extended its pole positon from Round 3 to the Round 8 qualifier. 

The No. 39 LEXUS RC F DENSO KOBELCO SARD was in command from the onset, with close contest coming from No. 6 LEXUS RC F WAKO’S 4CR and No. 37 LEXUS RC F KeePer TOM’S in the initial half. Competitor car No. 1 lost its shine and was left starting in the eighth spot. Smooth work at the pit stop meant that No. 39 LEXUS RC F DENSO KOBELCO SARD was back to the racing track in the leading position, as driver Heikki Kovalainen braced for the final laps of the all-important race. A brief moment of worry for the lead racer emerged in the form of No. 6 LEXUS RC F WAKO’S 4CR when the car started to close in, but driver Heikki Kovalainen’s expert skills ensured that the he sped past the checkered flag like a tracer bullet. The second pole finisher came in just behind 0.472 seconds. 

The celebrations were special for Heikki Kovalainen who recorded his first win after he started competing in the previous season of SUPER GT. Adding to this, the victory also handed the pair of Heikki Kovalainen and Kohei Hirate the season’s Drivers Championship title. Kohei Hirate expressed his emotions: “I am happy to have won the championship, but more than anything, I wanted to end the season with a win, and I am very happy that goal was realized.” 

Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief Representative, Middle East and North Africa Representative Office, Toyota Motor Corporation, said: “We are beaming with pride and happiness after having witnessed a decisive win by the No. 39 LEXUS RC F DENSO KOBELCO SARD. What makes this victory special is the strong and consistent performance that the team carried from the previous round (Round 3), where five Lexus teams dominated the top positions, from the sixth all the way up to the runners-up spot. Throughout the final race, our Lexus teams were a force to reckon with as the winning pair gave their competitors few chances to dislodge them from the leading position. We congratulate the racers and support staff for their tireless efforts throughout the competitive season.” 

Yoshitsugu added: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank our fans for their constant support. Motorsport events are an important training ground, where our engineers work closely with racers to process their feedback and incorporate the on-field experience into the cars. This dedication and collaborations with sports personalities, car enthusiasts and valued customers inspire us on a quest for creating ‘ever-better’ cars.” 

Race Notes: 

• No. 39 LEXUS RC F DENSO KOBELCO SARD (Heikki Kovalainen and Kohei Hirate)

o Race: 1st, 53 laps 

o Best Lap: 1’39.971

• No. 6 LEXUS RC F WAKO’S 4CR (Kazuya Oshima and Andrea Caldarelli)

o Race: 2nd, 53 laps 

o Best Lap: 1’40.272

• No. 19 LEXUS RC F WedsSport ADVAN (Yuhi Sekiguchi and Yuji Kunimoto)

o Race: 3rd, 53 laps 

o Best Lap: 1’40.621