Yamamoto took over the #1 Honda NSX-GT from teammate Tadasuke Makino, who had been quickest within the predominant section of qualifying, for the eight-automobile pole shootout.
He proceeded to beat Racing Project Bandoh Toyota man Ritomo Miyata by upright 0.051s to get his and Makino’s first pole as a duo, to boot to the team’s first for the reason that 2018 season.
Qualifying has been a fight for the Kunimitsu squad so far in 2021, with the Stanley-liveried #1 machine managing easiest 11th on the grid for the Okayama opener and 15th at Fuji.
Nonetheless Yamamoto believes his dangle errors bask in masked the improvements the team has made to its one-lap tempo beneath the stewardship of fresh depart engineer Satofumi Hoshi.
“Remaining 365 days, there had been a form of races by which we recovered [from a poor grid slot], but to position it one other formulation, there had been a form of races by which we needed to glean effectively, so this 365 days we in actuality focussed our efforts on bettering our qualifying efficiency,” acknowledged the 2-time champion.
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“That’s now to now not assert the qualifying efficiency became once defective closing 365 days, but because we tended to focus essentially on making a upright automobile for the depart, so this 365 days I wanted to home making a automobile that became once now now not upright upright for the depart but would possibly per chance salvage effectively in qualifying.
“All the map throughout the off-season we mentioned that and now we had been in a get 22 situation to enhance that put of dwelling.
“Within the predominant two races I made errors and issues didn’t toddle effectively, but within the fracture within the third spherical we were in a get 22 situation to glean pole, and this time in qualifying I bask in I became once in a get 22 situation to position in a champion-relish efficiency.
“I bask in that is one in all the most efficient poles I’ve had till now, because as the champions we went and came across what we were lacking and we attach the entirety collectively to glean the cease end result.”
Miyata impressed by fresh Yokohama tyre
After Yamamoto get 22 situation the pole-profitable time, Miyata regarded poised to divulge on his final flying lap, having been marginally ahead after sector two. Nonetheless after losing time in sector three, the 21-365 days-aged abandoned his lap and pitted.
No matter lacking out on a 2nd consecutive pole for the Bandoh team, Miyata acknowledged he became once elated to rating one other entrance row space and expressed self belief that a fresh Yokohama tyre would possibly per chance help the #19 GR Supra be an even bigger threat in depart tidy than it became once at Fuji.
#19 WedsSport ADVAN GR Supra
Characterize by: Masahide Kamio
In that depart, Miyata and teammate Yuji Kunimoto would possibly per chance manage no greater than seventh, albeit matching their easiest end result from 2020.
“On the closing lap, sector two became once upright, but by the level I reached sector three the tyres had no grip left,” Miyata defined to Motorsport.com. “I misplaced about three tenths, so I sure to pit [instead of completing the lap]. It became once greater to assign the tyres for the depart.
“[After Fuji] we did a makers’ take a look at at Motegi and we tried a fresh compound of tyre, and we did a form of testing in both immediate and long runs. I am joyful with P2 in qualifying, and I am hoping we is likely to be P1 the next day. I bask in we can bask in a upright depart.”
Additional reporting by Kenichiro Ebii
