Tsugio Matsuda, Kosuke Matsuura Okay After Monster Crash At Suzuka (Updated)
NISMO driver Tsugio Matsuda and JLOC driver Kosuke Matsuura are confirmed to be okay after being involved in a horrific shunt during the SUPER GT Series Suzuka GT 450km Race.
During the final stages of Sunday’s race, the #23 Motul Autech Nissan Z of Matsuda went up the inside at 130R to get passed two GT300 class cars. Matsuda made contact with the #30 apr Toyota GR86 GT of Manabu Orido, who was in between Matsuda and the #87 Bamboo Airways Lamborghini Huracán GT3.
Matsuda’s car was speared off to the right, blew over and slammed into the catch fence on approach to the final chicane. Matsuura’s car was collected and hit head-on at the same portion of the barriers.
Orido was able to drive away, and Matsuura returned to his garage after walking away. Matsuda was conscious, communicating with officials, and able to move.
As a precaution, the 43-year-old Matsuda was airlifted to a nearby hospital after complaining of pain in his hip and blood in his mouth, per a trackside report from J SPORTS pit reporter Shima Takeuchi.
A statement from NISMO reads: “Matsuda was examined at the hospital and no major injuries were found. We are relieved to hear this, but we are planning to follow up and re-examine. We apologize for any concern this may have caused our fans.”
Matsuda will remain at the hospital overnight.
潰れるとこは潰れて衝撃を分散してるのかなぁ
とにかく次生さんが元気になるのを祈ります #supergt pic.twitter.com/ijjxLzmxec
— る (@silent_star__) June 4, 2023
This is another testament to the safety and integrity of modern SUPER GT racing vehicles, and a reminder of the inherent risk embedded at Suzuka Circuit’s most infamous high-speed corner.
The race was red-flagged and concluded after the completion of 58 out of 77 scheduled laps.
Seiji Ara and Masataka Yanagida won the GT300 class aboard the #7 Studie BMW M4 GT3, one year on from BMW Team Studie x CRS’ first win with the new M4. The #2 muta Racing GR86 (Yuui Tsutsumi/Hibiki Taira) finished second followed by the #52 Saitama Toyopet GreenBrave Toyota GR Supra (Hiroki Yoshida/Kohta Kawaai).
Katsumasa Chiyo and Mitsunori Takaboshi were originally declared the winners in GT500. The #3 Niterra Motul Z did not complete its two compulsory pit stops prior to the red flag, however, and after a protest from ten of the other teams in the field, the Niterra Z was given a 60-second time penalty after the race.
This means that the #19 WedsSport Advan GR Supra of Yuji Kunimoto/Sena Sakaguchi is now the winner of the race, having led since the first round of pit stops. It’s the first win for Racing Project Bandoh since the October 2016 race at Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand – and only the second GT500 win for the WedsSport team!
The #36 au TOM’s GR Supra (Sho Tsuboi/Ritomo Miyata) was elevated to second, and the #1 Marelli Impul Z (Kazuki Hiramine/Bertrand Baguette) was third in the end. The penalty to Chiyo and Takaboshi dropped them to fourth place.
More to follow.
Images © GTA
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