The prototype RC F GT3 raced in the GT300 class of the SUPER GT in 2015. In 2017, two RC F GT3 machines competed from the first round of the SUPER GT series. After placing 8th in that debut race, it was no sooner than in its second race that the RC F GT3 finished in 1st place. Its final series results included victories in two of the eight races, and a gratifying 3rd-place season ranking. Together with an interview with Yuichi Nakayama, first driver of car No. 51 responsible for the RC F GT3's two 1st place finishes, a summary of the RC F GT3's performance in the SUPER GT series are featured below.
Victory at only its second race of the series at Fuji
In the Asian arena, with Japan as the location for most of its rounds, two LEXUS GT3s competed in the SUPER GT series. Many formidable Japanese teams compete here. In the GT300 class, GT3 cars must compete alongside Japanese-regulation GT cars. United under the team name LM Corsa were the duo in their 20s driving the No. 51 JMS P.MU LMcorsa RC F GT3 (Yuichi Nakayama/Sho Tsuboi) and the veteran duo in the No. 60 SYNTIUM LMcorsa RC F GT3 (Akira Iida/ Hiroki Yoshimoto).
Of the two machines the No. 51 JMS P.MU LMcorsa was able to win itself points in Round 1 at Okayama International Circuit. In the ensuing 500 km Round 2 race at Fuji Speedway, it was then able to capitalize on its edge in fuel economy for a win-from-behind, after Q in 4th position. For the new RC F GT3, this followed a victory in Europe, and marked the first SUPER GT victory. The GT500 race for this round was also taken by the LEXUS LC500; the double victory across classes was a cause for celebration.
Grabbing a second season victory at Round 7 in Buriram, Thailand
While garnering itself series points in what became a heated Round 3 at Autopolis, the No. 51 JMS P.MU LMcorsa RC F GT3 met with an accident in Round 4 at Sportsland SUGO in the form of a vehicle collision.Rising to the challenge at this race was the No. 60 SYNTIUM LMcorsa RC F GT3, the other RC F GT3 car; Q at 3rd position, it came first among the GT3 cars.
The No. 60 then went on to finish the race in 5th place, proving itself capable of making a bid for the win. The No. 60 SYNTIUM LMcorsa RC F GT3 further went on to perform admirably at the long, 1000 km Round 6 race at Suzuka in Japan, where LMcorsa had previously taken a win, finishing 4th place; and while the No. 60 did miss a top-3 finish, it earned the team its 3rd top-5 finish.
Unfortunately for Round 7, held at Chang International Circuit in Thailand, a squall immediately preceded the race, which meant that the track drying as the race progressed, making for difficult racing conditions. In this situation, it was the No. 51 P.MU LMcorsa RC F GT3, coming from a 2nd position start, that opted for an early pit stop to replace their rain tires for slick ones. The 22-year-old rookie Tsuboi then kept the lead for the long second half of the race and brought home the team's second victory of the season. The team then moved on to Round 8, at Twin Ring Motegi, with a Championship title clearly in view.
In the final round, the situation looked difficult for the No. 51 JMS P.MU LMcorsa RC F GT3 after placing 8th in the Q. Opting not to change tires during this 250-km race, they finished 6th, having improved their position by two. They were thus unable to obtain the Championship title. Ultimately the Nakayama/Tsuboi pair of the No. 51 JMS P.MU LMcorsa RC F GT3 placed 3rd in the Drivers ranking, and the Iida/Yoshimoto pair of the No. 60 SYNTIUM LMcorsa RC F GT3 ranked 12th, as the 2017 season drew to an end.
Yuichi Nakayama
RC F GT3's superb balance is well suited for aggressive driving
I want to come back next season and take the Championship Title.
−−What first impressions did you have after driving the RC F GT3 for the first time?
I initially had some misgivings due to the machine's weight, however as I drove it I was impressed by its feeling of rigidity, and the machine's stability was especially felt during the high-speed turns. The engine's torque was deep, and the acceleration excellent. Our shakedown test was held at Fuji Speedway: the RC F GT3 was extremely well suited for the Fuji track, and, considering that it was our first run, the times that we got were excellent. I knew right then and there that we were going to be in for a good season.
−−What strengths does the LEXUS RC F GT3 have?
It is very well balanced, and consequently it has few negative traits, which makes it good for racing aggressively. It doesn't require compensation for any idiosyncrasies that are specific to the machine. This means that turns can be entered (at high speeds) with confidence during Q rounds. And during the races this means that the RC F GT3 can both lessen the wear on the tires while maintaining speed at the same time, and it will help in curbing driver fatigue, as well. Its ease of handling will certainly help to prevent collisions, which may help reduce any associated costs. And as far as machine trouble, I don't recall there being a single incident throughout the entire season. This kept us competing in all of the races from start to finish.
−−You had two victories this season. What do you think contributed to these wins?
I believe it was the fuel efficiency and a lack of undue strain on the tires that brought these victories. It was having these two assets that allowed us the leeway we had to strategize, and to make bids for the win in a way took into account the race conditions, which are always changing.
−−What are your goals for 2018?
We raced the RC F GT3 for the first time over the full course of this season. The machine's superb performance allowed us to continue to gain points, finally finishing 3rd in the season ranking, despite the limited amount of track and machine data that we had. And for those races where we came up short, we now know what needed to be done differently. We are extremely confident that we will be able to race at an even higher level come next year. Our sights will be set on the Series Title.
No.51 JMS P.MU LMcorsa RC F GT3
| Rd.1 | Rd.2 | Rd.3 | Rd.4 | Rd.5 | Rd.6 | Rd.7 | Rd.8 | Ranking | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | |
| 4 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
*This overall ranking is the driver's ranking.
No.60 SYNTIUM LMcorsa RC F GT3
| Rd.1 | Rd.2 | Rd.3 | Rd.4 | Rd.5 | Rd.6 | Rd.7 | Rd.8 | Ranking | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | Q | R | |
| 22 | 22 | 21 | 8 | 21 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 23 | 27 | 6 | 4 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 18 | 12 |
*This overall ranking is the driver's ranking.
