D'Station Racing eventually finish their return to the Super GT Series fourth overall after the delayed Suzuka race
Sunday, December 08, 2024
Competing again at Suzuka for what was effectively still round five of the season after its original scheduled date was postponed at the last moment due to an impending typhoon, the #777 Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT3 of Tomonobu Fujii and Charlie Fagg found themselves out of overall GT300 Championship contention but with still a top three position to race for.
Having won in class at the circuit last time out there was at least no championship winning or losing pressures to bear at the team went about Free Practice and Qualifying ahead of Sundays finale.
Nineth fastest in Free Practice, the new Vantage GT3 Evo was again off the pace going into Qualifying as the tyre battles between suppliers continued at an unabated pace with the Dunlop shod D’Station Racing car eventually qualifying twelfth – a position not experienced by the team since the first and second rounds when the car/tyre combination was still very new to them.
Starting the final race of the season at a dry, bright but chilly Suzuka circuit, the #777 car had soon elevated itself up to a more customary P6 position by lap twelve but that was as much progress that either driver would make eventually finishing in sixth, some sixteen seconds behind the leader and class winning #88 Venteny Lamborghini.
Those five championship points did, however, cement the team into fourth spot of the GT300 class – thirty-seven points behind the #88 car and crew with what was at the start of the season an unknown new car and tyre combination.
The team have now stepped away from the World Endurance Championship for next season to concentrate upon their Super GT efforts next season – just who will be within the green #777 car is still yet to be confirmed.
Great effort guys!
Photo credits – Team / series / Dunlop / social media
