Amidst torrential rain, KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) completed the 6 Hours of Fuji in sixth position in the LMP2 class and finished in ninth position overall at Fuji Speedway over the weekend.
Ultimately, wet conditions and deteriorating visibility on the circuit brought a premature end to the sixth round of the FIA Word Endurance Championship in Japan.
With the majestic snow-capped Mount Fuji as backdrop, the international motorsport group started the race weekend in top form. KCMG Super Formula driver Richard Bradley, along with Japanese drivers Hiroshi Koizumi and Tsugio Matsuda, represented the team in the WEC event that was attended by over 41,000 motorsport enthusiasts during the weekend.
The British driver emerged as second fastest in class during Friday’s first free practice session. In both Free Practice 2 and 3, KCMG’s blue and white Morgan-Nissan prototype finished in sixth position.
After making a steady start during the initial sessions of the race weekend, Bradley and Matsuda went on to qualifying and secured sixth place on the 6 Hours of Fuji’s starting grid.
In very damp conditions, Tsugio Matsuda took the start at 11h00 local time aboard KCMG’s #47 LMP2. Sunday’s race commenced behind the safety car and was interrupted shortly by a red flag due to the worsening rain. Due to the erratic weather at Fuji Speedway, WEC Race Director Eduardo Freitas signaled two race suspensions to ensure the safety of the competitors.
After two restarts and 16 laps completed behind the safety car, the third red flag was finally waved – signaling the untimely finish of the 6 Hours of Fuji.
Richard Bradley, KCMG WEC/Super Formula Driver: “Whilst it is very unfortunate for the race to be cancelled due to the weather, I think the team and drivers can go home happy with the performance that we displayed in the 6 Hours of Fuji. To be second in one of the practices and be the top Michelin runner in qualifying shows what a good job we did. If not for the bad weather, I strongly believe that our race pace would be very good, but nevertheless, it was an excellent showing by everyone in the team. Also, I’d like to thank everyone who attended the event and showed their unyielding support for KCMG despite the rains.”
Hiroshi Koizumi, KCMG WEC Driver: “We were all looking forward to give the spectators an exciting race at Fuji this weekend. However, the weather simply did not permit us to do so. Despite the race being cancelled, the team had a good weekend with strong results. It was a great honor working with the team in this celebrated event. Once again, thank you to Paul Ip and Ryuji Doi for this opportunity.”
Tsugio Matsuda, KCMG WEC Driver: “First off, I’d like to thank everyone, most especially our Japanese fans who came out to see us at Fuji Speedway over the weekend. The support we received was overwhelming. I’d also like to thank Paul Ip and the rest of the KCMG crew for this wonderful experience. It’s unfortunate that the race was cancelled due to the weather, but nevertheless, the team and I had a fantastic weekend.”
Paul Ip, KCMG Managing Director: “It’s quite frustrating for the race to end this way as everybody present at Fuji Speedway anticipated a spectacular show of sports car endurance racing. However, safety of the drivers must come first. The organisers made the correct calls throughout the race given the tricky conditions of the circuit. On behalf of the team, we’d like to thank all our followers; most especially our Japanese fans who braved the heavy rains just to support the team and watch Richard, Matsudan-san and Koizumi-san compete this weekend. We had a good weekend in Japan after wrapping up the race in sixth position.”
For full results of the 6 Hours of Fuji, visit: fiawec.alkamelsystems.com
To find out more about the World Endurance Championship series, visit: www.fiawec.com.
For more information about KCMG, visit www.kcmg.com.hk. To keep track of latest updates, please like KCMG’s Facebook page or follow @KCMotorgroup on Twitter.
