TOM’S #37 car risks making dubious piece of SUPER GT history

Whereas the #36 TOM’S machine of Sho Tsuboi and Ritomo Miyata is within the thick of the title battle, the identical can’t be mentioned of the sister #37 automobile crewed by Ukyo Sasahara and Giuliano Alesi, who’ve mustered a mere 9 factors within the first six races of the season.

In most years, that may be sufficient to keep away from ending final among the many 15 GT500 crews, however such has been the advance particularly of the Dunlop- and Yokohama-shod in latest seasons that TOM’S, the powerhouse outfit of the Toyota secure, is in actual hazard of ending up on the backside of the pile when the mud settles on 2024.

There are nonetheless two rounds left for Sasahara and Alesi to spare themselves this destiny, however proper now they danger turning into the primary ever TOM’S pairing to complete on the foot of the standings. That may be the worst championship place for the group since Seiji Ara and Toshio Suzuki in 2000, who had been positioned seventeenth in a discipline of 20 full-season vehicles, additionally in automobile #37.

What’s extra, the groups which have monopolised final place lately – specifically Nakajima Racing, Kondo Racing and Workforce Mugen – have been capable of level the finger at their tyre suppliers, Dunlop within the case of Nakajima and Yokohama within the case of the opposite two. However the final time a Bridgestone squad ended up final was ARTA method again in 2012.

It’s in all probability truthful to say that no person was anticipating miracles from Sasahara and Alesi, particularly after the latter’s uncompetitive rookie season paired with Tsuboi within the #36 automobile. However that season, by which Tsuboi and Alesi at the least scored one podium and completed each race within the factors, seems to be like a picnic in comparison with the #37 squad’s present marketing campaign.

 

Final month’s Sugo race appeared to supply a very good probability for Sasahara and Alesi to cease the rot, as they made it into Q2 for under the second time all season (and the primary time for the reason that opening spherical again in April), qualifying a good sixth.

And but, someway, the #37 duo contrived to finish up eleventh on the highway, solely choosing up a single level when the profitable Actual Racing Honda was disqualified. So what went flawed?

Workforce boss Jun Yamada admitted that the #37 squad went flawed with its tyre alternative owing to the cooler-than-anticipated temperatures at Sugo, and mentioned Sasahara’s struggles to get on prime of the GR Supra in his first yr as a part of the Toyota secure have additionally been an element.

“Within the race, the temperature was too low for us and we suffered with pick-up,” Yamada advised Motorsport.com. “Giuliano struggled so much with pick-up in his stint, and so did Ukyo. 

“It’s nonetheless Ukyo’s first yr with Bridgestone tyres, so he nonetheless must discover ways to cope with pick-up correctly. Additionally, it’s his first yr with the GR Supra, so he’s nonetheless not driving completely. The sensation with the GR Supra may be very completely different to the Honda.

“We’re in a troublesome state of affairs. Ukyo’s efficiency has been increased than Giuliano, who remains to be performing on the identical degree as final yr, however nonetheless he’s struggling in each race. If we hold the identical drivers subsequent yr, I’m assured the outcomes might be higher.”

 

It’s truthful to say that the #37 crew has had some unhealthy luck this yr, notably with Sasahara’s penalty within the opening spherical at Okayama and Alesi being hit by Toshiki Oyu’s ARTA Honda whereas working within the factors at Suzuka in August. However then once more, the identical will be mentioned for Kondo Racing and Cerumo, the 2 next-lowest positioned vehicles within the standings.

The very fact of the matter is that Sasahara and Alesi haven’t proven the tempo to be actually difficult on the entrance of the sector, at the least for the reason that first spherical at Okayama.

This month’s penultimate spherical of the season at Autopolis is the final probability for Sasahara and Alesi to make the most of their low success handicap. Though the ballast is halved, with 9kg on board they are going to nonetheless be carrying a full 40kg lower than their counterparts within the #36 automobile, so the strain is on to transform this serving to hand right into a stable outcome.

Alesi particularly wants to make sure he ends the yr strongly at Autopolis and Motegi to place himself in the very best place to stick with TOM’S in 2024, notably with the group recognized to be fielding curiosity from a quantity drivers presently racing in Europe.

 

“At Autopolis the #37 automobile will nonetheless be comparatively mild,” Yamada mentioned. “So we now have to push and goal being on the rostrum. The tyre alternative is all the time troublesome for Autopolis, however I believe all [Bridgestone] GR Supra crews might be utilizing roughly the identical.”

Title-contending #36 crew faces crucial Autopolis spherical

In the meantime, the #36 TOM’S crew faces what might be an important race in its hopes to win this yr’s championship. The disqualification of the Actual Racing Honda at Sugo did Tsuboi and Miyata an enormous favour, not solely by awarding them an additional level but additionally placing the #3 NDDP Racing Nissan simply over the edge to have a stage one gasoline circulation restrictor.

After an in-season tyre take a look at at Motegi in early September, previous to the Sugo spherical, the place the Michelin-shod #3 automobile was flying and the #36 automobile was considerably extra subdued, Yamada is aware of that TOM’S has to choose up each level potential at Autopolis to take a cushion into the ultimate race, which additionally proved a troublesome occasion for the group final yr.

“It was a troublesome take a look at for the #36 automobile at Motegi,” admitted Yamada. “The Michelin runners had been very quick and our drivers mentioned they didn’t really feel a lot enchancment with the tyres. However at Autopolis, the #36 won’t have a gasoline circulation restrictor, and the #3 automobile may have a stage one restrictor, so it’s an enormous probability for us to make up floor.”

 

Motorsport.television is exhibiting all qualifying periods and races for the 2023 SUPER GT season. For extra info, click on right here.