An exclusively Pirelli-equipped grid of 35 cars raced from daylight to darkness in Suzuka, with the GruppeM Racing Mercedes-AMG crew of Raffaele Marciello, Maro Engel and Tristan Vautier winning one of the most prestigious endurance races in the world.
The German marque took a historic one-two finish, becoming the third different brand to win out of three races so far in the 2018 Intercontinental GT Challenge. Mercedes, along with Marciello and Vautier, now lead the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ standings respectively, leap-frogging Audi and Robin Frijns with one round remaining.
The summer endurance classic at Suzuka The 10-hour endurance epic ran largely uninterrupted, with just one safety car early in the race. The winning Mercedes-AMG put on a dominant display, taking the lead at the start of the second hour after the pole position Auto Hub Ferrari of Nick Foster was handed a drive-through penalty. When the GruppeM Mercedes moved into the lead it ran almost flawlessly, apart from a fiery moment in the pit lane in the closing stages of the race. The leading car was able to show good pace early on after finding a good balance between performance and consistency. To win, the Mercedes-AMG had to fend off the best efforts from other top manufacturers including Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche and Ferrari. It was an intense race right to the finish: just 1.5 seconds separated second from fourth.
Keeping cool in the heat of the moment
Exceptionally high temperatures meant that a fresh driver was needed after each stint because of cockpit temperatures in excess of 50 degrees. As a result, very few drivers double-stinted, including the winning Mercedes-AMG crew. Managing tyre temperatures was just one part of the challenge, as the uncomfortable Japanese heat could be felt by everybody: from pit crew to tyre fitters. The P Zero tyres also demonstrated perfect reliability in these extreme conditions.
From Pirelli’s point of view Matteo Braga, racing activity manager: « The conditions here in Suzuka were extremely challenging for everybody, with high track and air temperatures as well as humidity. These conditions, with a peak of 36 and 48 degrees in ambient and track temperatures, allowed us to showcase the reliability of the P Zero DHD2 tyre. The first Intercontinental GT Challenge race at Suzuka has proved a really great event for the whole profile of the series. The event has unique characteristics in the same way Bathurst and Spa are one of a kind, with specific challenges delivering a high level of competition. The Super GT teams such as Goodsmile, with ex-Formula 1 driver Kamui Kobayashi, were able to easily adapt to what was a new tyre for them without any issues. »
What’s next? The next round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge is the California 8 Hours; the series finale from October 26-28. This race will also see a support race from 2018 Pirelli World Challenge TCR class, part North America’s premier production-based racing championship.
Press release Pirelli]]>
