Nakajima Racing driver Yamamoto set the quickest time of the two-day check on the afternoon session of the opening day, posting a 1m21.897s to outpace nearest rival Tadasuke Makino by 0.112s, additionally topping the second day.
Ren Sato accomplished an encouraging check for the Nakajima squad with the third-fastest time on the primary day and total.
The workforce’s sturdy pace follows a disappointing first half of the season for each drivers, with Yamamoto’s fourth-place end within the opening spherical of the season at Fuji the excessive level of the marketing campaign up to now.
Sato sits eighth within the standings with a finest end of sixth in the identical race, whereas Yamamoto is eleventh, having solely scored factors on one different event because the curtain-raiser with ninth at Autopolis.
Talking after topping the opening day, Yamamoto stated that the Nakajima squad has but to totally perceive why he was in a position to present such sturdy tempo after a tough first half of the season.
“We hung out engaged on issues we would not usually do throughout race week, however actually, it wasn’t good,” stated Yamamoto.
“On the finish of the session, I used to be really shocked how a lot grip there was and I used to be in a position to set time, however why it was so good is one thing now we have to analyse. It wasn’t a time that I set with confidence.
“Additionally, not everybody was utilizing OTS (Overtake System) or new tyres, so it is onerous to judge. However I wish to perceive why I used to be in a position to set such time and make use of this for the second half of the season.”
Pressed for extra particulars on his points up to now this season, Yamamoto replied: “Mainly, I’ve by no means been in a position to really feel sufficient grip. We’re unsure if that is due to the aerodynamics or the mechanical aspect.
“If we understood that, we may work on it throughout race week, however we do not know the present state of affairs, so we’re looking for the trigger.”
Nakajima workforce director Takuya Izawa, who took over the position initially of the yr, struck a extra upbeat observe when requested concerning the pace of the workforce’s vehicles, saying it may very well be a results of set-up modifications made within the earlier spherical at Sugo.
“Because the begin of the season now we have been struggling, however as a result of we modified the set-up at Sugo and this check has gone effectively, I really feel like what we’re doing is shifting in the correct course,” stated Izawa.
“We have now modified the way in which we arrange the vehicles. We will not hold occurring as we’re with out attempting issues, so we made fairly a couple of large modifications. We examined them in a rush at Sugo, so we wished to attempt them right here at Fuji to see how they’d work.
“Setting quick instances is little doubt a optimistic factor, so I wish to make use of that within the remaining races.”
Motorsport.television is exhibiting all Tremendous Method qualifying periods and races reside in 2023. Click on right here for additional data and to enroll at this time.
