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The third round at Autopolis, which is an annual event in Kyushu, follows a one-race format unlike the Motegi round, with qualifying held on Saturday and the race on Sunday. Additionally, this event features Q3, where the top five cars compete for pole position, adding a three-stage knockout format to the qualifying process. Super Formula is known for its fiercely competitive time attacks, and this event was enveloped in even greater tension.
On Friday, the day of equipment transport, rain fell throughout the day, shrouding the circuit in fog. However, on the qualifying day of April 25 (Saturday), clear skies emerged from the morning, and the weather significantly improved. Although wet patches remained on the track, the conditions were dry with a temperature of 15 degrees and a track temperature of 19 degrees, allowing free practice to start at 9:15 AM. A red flag was displayed early due to a spin by one car, but the session progressed smoothly thereafter. Stanek focused on accumulating experience at Autopolis, completing consecutive laps from the beginning to familiarize himself with the track, steadily building up his lap count within the limited running time.
After completing a certain number of laps, new tires were fitted around the 60-minute mark in preparation for the qualifying attack. Just as he was about to begin his attack, a regrettable spin occurred at the exit of Turn 1, causing the car to stop in the gravel. This resulted in a red flag. Fortunately, damage was minimal, and both driver and car were unharmed, allowing the session to resume. As the session transitioned to the final grouping, Stanek, running in Group B, took to the track on his second set of new tires. However, he suffered a second unfortunate spin in Sector 3, preventing him from completing sufficient adjustments before the end of free practice.
Stanek, known for his adaptability, commented, "While trying to push and experiment, I had two spins. I hadn't made such mistakes before, so it's disappointing." He felt the difficulty of Super Formula. However, he also noted the good balance of the car and the potential to aim for the top 10, maintaining a positive attitude as Navikuru Buzz MK Racing prepared for qualifying.
About three hours after free practice, qualifying began at 2:15 PM under conditions of 20 degrees and a track temperature of 32 degrees. Stanek, who participated in Q1B, entered the track from the back and, after an out lap, was preparing to heat up his tires when a yellow flag was waved at Turn 1, causing a halt. A spin by one car led to an early red flag, and the session was reset. After approximately 7 minutes and 30 seconds, the session resumed, and Stanek carefully warmed up his tires again, entering his attack just under the one-minute mark. He completed a clean lap, setting a personal best in all sectors and marking a time of 1:27.966, securing his advancement to Q2 in sixth place.
In Q2, contested by 12 cars for a spot in Q3, conditions were slightly calmer at 19 degrees and a track temperature of 30 degrees compared to Q1. Stanek altered his timing slightly and entered the track on used tires. After just one lap, he returned to the pits to switch to new tires, carefully warming them up over two laps before launching his attack. Although he initially placed 10th with a time of 1:27.366, he dropped positions due to time updates in the latter stages, ultimately securing the 12th grid position.
After qualifying, Director Hasegawa expressed, "I think we lacked balance in the car and performance in Sector 3 during Q2. If we could clear that, we could have aimed for the top 10." While the performance exceeded Q1 times, struggles in Sector 3 prevented significant improvements in position. Nevertheless, the team identified clear areas for improvement and focused on a comeback and point acquisition for the race.
On race day at Autopolis, rain fell intermittently from the morning as forecasted, with fog lingering in the air. As the Super Formula start procedures progressed, the rain intensified. While meticulous preparations were underway on the grid, the race start time approached, but a delay was announced two minutes before the start. Subsequently, under the guidance of the safety car (SC), the race was started, but after just one lap, a red flag was displayed. Although the race was interrupted, it was ultimately called off due to the lack of expected weather improvement. Discussions regarding a substitute race are ongoing, and further announcements are awaited.
Although the race did not take place, Navikuru Buzz MK Racing achieved their goal of advancing to Q2 in qualifying, following their success in the opening round. The performances and solid feelings accumulated over the first two rounds will undoubtedly carry over to the next events. The team is united in preparing for the upcoming fourth and fifth rounds at Suzuka, scheduled in about a month.
As it was my first time at Autopolis, I focused on familiarizing myself with the track during free practice. The car's condition and my own feeling were good, and I was gradually able to push harder, making it a fulfilling session. Despite being a new team, I was very pleased to once again achieve advancement to Q2 in qualifying following the Motegi round. I believe this result is thanks to the strong support from the mechanics and engineers.
I had the performance to aim for the top 10, but there is still a gap to the leaders, so I want to further improve my performance moving forward. It is very disappointing that the race was canceled due to bad weather. We will continue to prepare thoroughly for the next round at Suzuka, so I appreciate your continued support.
In the opening round, both qualifying and the race had good car balance, so we brought a slightly adjusted car for Autopolis based on the previous race. There were two spins during free practice, and we went into qualifying without being able to gather data on new tires, which caused some anxiety. However, in Q1, Stanek managed to advance to Q2 amidst fierce competition, which was a very happy moment for the team.
On the other hand, there were aspects of the car that we could not fully refine, and we identified areas for improvement moving forward. Unfortunately, the race was canceled due to bad weather, but we will continue to prepare for the next round at Suzuka, aiming for Q1 advancement and point acquisition.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our sponsors and everyone involved for their warm support. Thank you for your continued support.
