Atsushi Miyake, driving TEAM GOH’s car no. 55, unfortunately could not finish the race at Round 3 of the 2022 All Japan Super Formula Championship held at Suzuka Circuit on Saturday and Sunday, 23^rd/24^th April. He had started the race in 21^st position, but due to transmission problems had to retire with just six laps remaining, this means Miyake has been unable to score points for the third consecutive race.

Atsushi Miyake, Driver, #55

“We struggled with the set-up right from FP1 here in Suzuka and consequently we were unable to put together a good qualifying session which meant we had to start the race from the back of the grid. However, I drove at a steady pace and gradually improved my position, but unfortunately due to technicalities I was unable to finish the race.

However, we learned a lot, including the importance of having a good set-up right from FP1, so we will be putting a lot more effort into our preparation before we arrive at our next round in Autopolis.”

Masashi Yamamoto, Team Director

“The set-up we had prepared for Miyake’s car No. 55 just didn’t work, either for the car or the driver. Saturday morning’s FP1 was very difficult due to weather conditions which we are not used to in Suzuka at this time of year, air temperature was 20°C whilst the track surface was 26°C.

There is no such thing as “what if” in racing, so when we found the prepared set-up didn’t work, we should have made a major change right at the start.

However, we started right from the back of the grid and even though Miyake drove consistently, due to the transmission problems he encountered towards the end of the race he had to retire and I felt very sorry for him.

We will now investigate the cause of the problem in order to avoid it cropping up again in Autopolis.”

Shintaro Okajima, Engineer, #55

“Unfortunately on Saturday we made a mistake in changing the qualifying set-up after FP1. After the qualifying session we reviewed this and took a different approach to the No. 53 car by simulating a long wet set-up in preparation for Sunday’s race.

In FP2 on Sunday morning we encountered bad understeer in Sector 1, but despite being very close to where we wanted to be in terms of aerodynamics, etc., we were unable to get to the bottom of the problem before the race started.

I believe the transmission problem which appeared towards the end of the race could in fact have been a software problem rather than a mechanical one, but we have yet to analyze the data and to extract the information in order to determine the cause.

Before the next round we will go into greater depths with the analogy and look at that in conjunction with the positive data we can extract from Car 53.”

Round 3 of the 2022 All Japan Super Formula Championship got underway at the Suzuka Circuit on Saturday, 23^rd/Sunday, 24^th April.  Ren Sato had started from 15^th on the grid for Sunday’s 31-lap race and by finishing 10^th he was able to add a further point to his No. 53 car’s points tally for TEAM GOH.

Ren Sato, Driver, #53

“The car had felt good in our first two races at the Fuji Speedway, but during FP1 here at Suzuka on Saturday I couldn’t get comfortable with the set-up we had on the car. It has taught me just how important it is to get the set-up right, it’s never easy, but it’s very critical.”

“We changed the direction of the set-up from FP1 going into qualifying, but in Q1 we just couldn’t get the result we were looking for and consequently didn’t make it through to Q2, this meant we had to start the race from 15^th position.”

“It was a wet race and I was hoping the rain would slowly reduce; I was very nervous because I could barely see in front of me due to the heavy spray. I drove carefully paying close attention to the tyres, especially those on the front, this meant in the second half of the race I was able to gradually pass cars and move up to 10^th place. I think it was a good strategy.”

Masashi Yamamoto, Team Director

“Unfortunately the set-up didn’t suit the conditions you can encounter in Suzuka at this time of year.

I wanted Ren Sato to have a race car he felt comfortable with, so after the eight-minute warm-up Ren, Ryan Dingle and myself had a short debrief and on the grid, we made a last minute adjustment to the aero system.

Happily that seemed to work for Ren, and under today’s difficult conditions I think he did a great job earning a point which we can take to the next round. “

Ryan Dingle, Engineer, #53

“As our preparations for the race did not suit the weather conditions, we had to make changes to the car on Saturday between FP1 and qualifying.

For example, we made changes to the front and rear ride height and looked at ways to get more downforce on the car. However, without any free practice sessions it was difficult going into qualifying and although we were moving in the right direction we missed out on a solid performance in Q1 which lost us the opportunity to move to Q2.

During Sunday morning’s free practice, we encountered some problems which reduced our track time, so we made changes to the car based on what we had learned in warm-up which meant we were able to send the driver out shortly before the session ended.

Ren is a driver with a lot of potential and he drove the car well in the difficult wet conditions thus allowing us to improve our position and score a point. Now we will analyze all the data in preparation for the next round at Autopolis.”

Comments by Ren Sato and Atsushi Miyake after Qualifying session for Round 3, Suzuka.

The second round of the opening double-header of the 2022 All Japan Super Formula got underway on Sunday, 10 April, at the Fuji Speedway, with rookie driver, Atsushi Miyake, at the wheel of the No. 55 TEAM GOH car who scored points in his second consecutive race by finishing in fifth place.

Since Car 55 had encountered set-up problems the previous day, it was decided some modifications were necessary and to use Car 53’s set-up which conversely had been quick. It worked perfectly and Miyake progressed through Q1 setting the fastest time. However, that did not translate into Q2 and unfortunately he had to start the race from ninth position.

Miyake got off to a good start in the race and kept up a solid pace throughout taking the chequered flag in fifth place.

Atsushi Miyake, Driver, #55

“I set the fastest time in Q1, but unfortunately when we switched to Q2 I made a mistake and ended up ninth. However, I made a good start in the race and was able to keep up the pace which gave me a fifth placed finish; admittedly it was not a podium, but I had a good race.”

“Our next race is at Suzuka which means a different atmosphere and different track characteristics; it’s not going to be easy, but I will do my best so please give me your support.”

Masashi Yamamoto, Team Director

“Miyake drove a great qualifying session today, he set the fastest time in Q1, but was unable to use his tyres to their full potential in Q2 and finished ninth. He got off to a good start in the race and his pace was good, even overtaking yesterday’s winner, Hirakawa, which created great excitement here in the pits, however, not unexpectedly, Hirakawa took the place back. Our strategy and our pace were both good today and I thought we might even be able to overtake Yamashita for fourth place, but that was asking a bit too much and we ended up in fifth.”

“As rookies Sato and Miyake are not only composed, but are both beginning to show a calm and mature driving style so I’m looking forward to a great year ahead.”

Shintaro Okajima, Engineer #55

“Whilst we sailed through Q1 finishing first today, we just could not put it all together in Q2 and had to settle for ninth position. However, the car’s performance, including the set-up, has improved and I believe we have made good progress since yesterday’s round 1.”

“We fine-tuned yesterday’s set-up in preparation for today’s race and Miyake made a really good start and was quickly able to progress from P9 to P7 putting him immediately behind Hirakawa. He had really good pace and initially we thought about going for an early pitstop, but given our position and lap times, we decided to make a mid-race stop. After leaving the pits Miyake was able to maintain his pace and finished the race in fifth. Both the team and Miyake have made a good step forward and learned a lot this weekend, now we want to take this to Suzuka and aim for a podium, but even a place higher than today’s finish would be welcomed.”

Sunday, 10^th April, saw the 2^nd Round of the 2022 All Japan Super Formula Championship, a double-header hosted at the Fuji Speedway with Ren Sato driving the No. 53 TEAM GOH car, but after a start position of fourth on the grid he was to finish 13^th in the 41-lap race.

Sato’s first attempt in Q1 was unsuccessful, but he managed to get through in sixth position on his second attempt; then in Q2 he finished fourth.

A slow start in the race meant he was running in heavy traffic, and this, coupled with a pit strategy that let him down, meant he was unable to move forward and eventually took the chequered flag in 13^th place.

Ren Sato, Driver, #53

“Today was a real mixture, I qualified P4 and finished the race P13.  In Qualifying I went off track in my first attempt in Q1, but after some changes I managed to get through on my second attempt.  In Q2 the team made some adjustments to the set-up which worked well and I finished P4.”

“I got off to a slow start in the race so we tried for the undercut, but then lost time in my pitstop, this meant when I rejoined the race I was back in heavy traffic and couldn’t increase my pace so I had to settle and hold my position.  We need to understand where we could have done better, then to analyse the information and resolve the issues in time for the next round in Suzuka.”

“We have tested twice in Suzuka, in December last year and again last month and as a team we feel quite confident about the circuit.  We will do our best, beginning with our Qualifying which will then give us the best kick-start for the race.”

Msashi Yamamoto, Team Director

“Sato didn’t get off to the best start in Q1 today, he went off in his first attempt, but on his second attempt he managed 6^th which got him through to Q2.  In Q2 he was P4, I was expecting more, but as a rookie it was an acceptable result.”

“Then unfortunately Sato got off to a bad start in the race, he began over-thinking things and didn’t release the clutch quickly enough, consequently he lost a lot of positions and became buried in the pack.  Our strategy then was to pit him early in order to get him back out in clean air, but the pit stop was too slow and this has become an area the team must work on.  These opening two races in Fuji have taught Sato and his team a lot, now this information has to be digested and fed into the next round in Suzuka.  Please continue to give us your support.”

Ryan Dingle, Engineer #53

“Based on what we learned yesterday we fine-tuned our set-up for qualifying today, but Sato ran off track on his first attempt, and we barely got through Q1 on his second attempt. In Q2 he managed P4.”

“However, our strategy and timing in the race were not good.  We released Sato from his pitstop into very little space on track and I felt sorry for him because we had put him in a situation where he couldn’t progress.  We need to improve not only our team skills in the future, but also our decision making and then how we execute those on-the-spot decisions.”

Rookie driver, Atsushi Miyake, driving the No. 55 TEAM GOH car, finished 10^th in his debut race, scoring one point in Round 1 of the 2022 All Japan Super Formula which took place at Fuji Speedway on Saturday, 9 April.

Miyake made it through Q1, but was unable to replicate it in Q2 which placed him 11^th on the grid. However, as chaos ensued at the start of the race he dropped further down the order.

The team pitted Miyake to change tyres after 11 laps and whilst the race continued at a steady pace with some overtaking and a few battles, he was only able to move up one position from his grid start to finish in 10^th place overall.

Atsushi Miyake, Driver, #55

“I had to fight for position at the start and I lost a few places, but my pace after the tyre change coupled with the team’s strategy was good enough to finish in 10^th place. Looking back on the race I was not able to put the sectors together well in Q2 which had a big impact on my position. We will now review the qualifying sessions and the way we drive in the early stages of the race to give the team a chance to work out a strategy which will put us as far ahead as possible in qualifying and make us even more competitive in the race. I will do my best.”

Masashi Yamamoto, Team Director

“Miyake qualified 11^th, but had a poor race start, and, through no fault of his own, he did go off track a little, but the early pit stop strategy enabled him to run consistent lap times through the rest of the race and to finish in 10^th gaining one point in the process .  It was very significant for the team to score points on our race debut and I am looking forward to the next nine races. Please continue to support us tomorrow.”

Shintaro Okajima, Engineer, #55

“In qualifying whilst we came through Q1, our lap times in Q2 were not good enough. We encountered a problem in the set-up which caused oversteer and made the car difficult to drive; this will be corrected for tomorrow’s qualifying.”

“In the race we started from 11^th, but lost some positions as battles were fought out. The pit stop strategy, combined with Miyake’s overtaking on track, meant we were able to recover our position and eventually finish in 10^th place scoring our first point in the process and this is a good result leading us into the next round. The balance of the car was good and our race pace was faster than those around us. I also think our long-run race pace will be good tomorrow, but first of all I want to make sure we can show good speed in qualifying which we can then build on in the race.”

Fuji Speedway staged the opening round of the 2022 All Japan Super Formula Championship on Saturday, 9 April.  Ren Sato, in TEAM GOH’s No. 53 car, finished  ninth on his race debut taking a total of four points which included two points gained after qualifying in second position.

But despite Sato making a poor start from his second place on the front row of the grid, he pushed hard making up time and was running strongly until he spun after being rear-ended at Dunlop Corner dropping him back to 18^th position

However, Sato’s speed on his high-mileage tyres, combined with track conditions, led the team to adopt a stay-out strategy.  Lapping steadily at the same pace as the leaders, he was able to eventually take the chequered flag in ninth place.

Ren Sato, Driver, #53

“Having got off to a slow start I was caught up in the chaos and found myself trying to catch up from almost last place.  I stayed motivated, communicated with the team and finally managed to score some points.  It’s frustrating, but we harvested some positive data and will do our best to convert that to a race win tomorrow.  I look forward to your support.”

Masashi Yamamoto, Team Director

“Sato qualified brilliantly on the front row, but following a slow start and being rear-ended on the opening lap, he dropped to 18^th. But the team, including the engineers, supported him well and he persevered to recover his losses.  Strategically the pit stop was a bit late, but having gained two points for qualifying second and a further two points for finishing ninth, we have gathered a total of four points.  I think it was a good debut race which will serve us well for the future and I look forward to your continued support in round 2 tomorrow.”

Ryan Dinge, Engineer, #53

“Tyre management is very important at Fuji so for qualifying we had a good discussion with the drivers and came up with a strategy to warm-up the tyres.  The 10-minute Q1 went very well, but Q2 did not, however for Round 2’s race tomorrow we will have an opportunity to make some improvement if necessary in the 7-minute Q2 session in order to prepare for the race.”

“For the race we combined the set-up we used in testing together with driver’s input from yesterday’s free practice and adjusted it all to suit today’s track conditions.  Unfortunately we got off to a bad start then we were rear-ended at Dunlop Corner on the opening lap, but Sato didn’t give up, staying calm, very focused and maintaining a good pace.  I think we will be able to fight with the leaders in tomorrow’s second round as we can still make improvements in the set-up, and with our race start, as well as eliminating some losses in our pit work.”

“Several of the engineers did their jobs well in the race today too, analysing things very quickly which culminated up giving us a good result, so thanks to everyone”