Super GT Fuji: a difficult second race for Cyndie
Allemann, but full of learning experiences
Press release
For immediate release
Shizuoka, Japan, May
4th, 2012 – The second Super GT race in career
for Cyndie Allemann was on at Fuji Speedway during the ‘Golden Week’, the traditional
Japanese vacation week. This second race proved to be somewhat more difficult
than the first one a month ago at Okayama, with a torrential rain on Thursday,
practice and qualifying day. Things started well with a 12th place in the
morning practice session.
“Interesting round because we were three
drivers sharing the car instead of the usual two, with the addition of Yuki
Taniguchi in the team for this longer race of 500km. This and the fact that the
weather conditions on Thursday were catastrophic – the track looked like a
swimming pool – meant that we didn’t practice much. Nevertheless, I did well
under the rain, despite having made a mere five laps. For qualifying, the
format was new with a Q1 session, followed with a Super Lap shootout for the
top-10. I was supposed to do the Super Lap but unfortunately, we didn’t make it
into the top-10 group with a 20th fastest lap time.”
Race day also provided Cyndie with a
lot of new experiences, one of them being her participation in the ‘Circuit Safari’,
an activity specific to the Super GT series.
“During the warmup, I was driving
during the ‘Circuit Safari’, which was a brand new experience for me. The
Safari means that we drive at full speed around buses full of fans at the same
time on the track. However, we cannot spin or go off-track or else, we get
penalized. Furthermore, in those mixed wet and dry track conditions, driving at
the same time than those buses on the track brought a few close call situations.
Nevertheless, it was a funny experience, but also very strange at the same
time.”
For the race, weather conditions were
once again a factor for the #21 Audi.
“Aki took the start and gained a few
positions all the way to the 14th place, but Taniguchi spun and we
were back to the 26th spot before I could even start my stint. I
then got in the car for a very long stint with a hard tire compound. After 6-7
laps, I started to get a fast pace and found my way back up in the field. At
the end, we finished 15th which was somewhat of a disappointment
compared with Okayama, considering the fact that our goal was a top-10 finish.
But this is racing. The third round of the championship in Sepang is coming
fast and the key will be to prepare ourselves better for this race.”
‘Cyndie-mania’ once again hit the Super
GT paddock, with more and more supporters for the Swiss driver.
“In conclusion, I would like to thank
my team, Hitotsuyama Racing, and sponsors, Zent and Racerbook. I would also
like to thank all those fans who came out here to support me this week. There
is more and more of them and I must admit that it was impressive to this
never-ending crowd and to sign all those autographs during the two pitwalk
sessions. I think that, yes, they are intrigued to see a girl participate in
Super GT in a competitive way, but I also feel a genuine passion on their part.
It’s all for the best if it can also help my team and partners, as well as the
series.”
This press release comes with two
photos. More are available upon request at cyndie.allemann.pr@gmail.com.
About Cyndie Allemann:
Cyndie Allemann: a World class driver,
top athlete and brand ambassador. Always a fan favorite, whether in Europe, in
the USA and soon in Japan, 25 years old Cyndie Allemann was literally born for
speed.
Her 18-year racing career has seen her compete at the highest levels in many different series and tracks around the World: karting (winning the European junior title when she was only thirteen), open-wheel (EuroF3, Indy Lights, etc.), GT (FIA-GT1 World Championship) and endurance racing (GT1 podium at Spa in the Le Mans Series, 24 Hours of Le Mans, etc.). In 2012, she races in the Japan Super GT Series with the Hitotsuyama Racing team on the Audi R8 LMS.
Her 18-year racing career has seen her compete at the highest levels in many different series and tracks around the World: karting (winning the European junior title when she was only thirteen), open-wheel (EuroF3, Indy Lights, etc.), GT (FIA-GT1 World Championship) and endurance racing (GT1 podium at Spa in the Le Mans Series, 24 Hours of Le Mans, etc.). In 2012, she races in the Japan Super GT Series with the Hitotsuyama Racing team on the Audi R8 LMS.
For more info on Cyndie or to follow
her, visit her web site and her facebook fan page at:
www.facebook.com/CyndieAllemannOfficialPage
Photo material available upon request.
About Hitotsuyama Racing:
Founded
in 1990 by Mikio Hitotsuyama, Hitotsuyama
Racing team has an experience of more than twenty years in auto racing. The
team has competed in many top level championships such as the Super GT (formerly
known as the JGTC), the Le Mans Series, the Japan Le Mans Challenge (in LMP1,
GT1 and GT2 classes), the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan and the
Japan Touring Championship. The team has raced many top drivers and set itself
apart by its bold vision regarding its racing programs, as well as its
ultra-professional approach. Her 2012 racing program includes a full
participation in the Super GT championship with two Audi R8 LMS in the GT300
class.
For more info on Hitotsuyama Racing,
visit the team web site at:
www.hitotsuyamaracing.net
About the Super GT series:
Born 20
years ago under the name of All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC),
the Super GT is the most prestigious auto racing GT series in Japon and Asia.
With its two classes (GT300 and GT500), Super GT races are highly competitive
with more than 40 regular car entrants. The series is authorized by the FIA and
many teams get official support from car manufacturers.
For more info on the Super GT series,
visit the series web site at:
www.supergt.net
Cyndie Allemannn Press
Photos: Eric Gilbert
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