Super GT Suzuka: Bandoh team leads all-Toyota front row

Mitsunori Takaboshi set the early pace in the all-important pole-shootout in the #3 NDDP Racing Nissan, just over three weeks after a terrifying shunt at Fuji that forced him to spend a night in hospital.

However, a comeback pole position for Takaboshi wasn’t to be, with Kunimoto finding a major chunk on his final flying lap to post a 1m44.112s to claim pole position in the Yokohama-shod #19 Toyota GR Supra.

Ritomo Miyata made it a front row lockout for Toyota with a last-ditch attempt in the #37 TOM’S car, also usurping Tomoki Nojiri’s previous lap record to secure a season-best second spot on the grid.

Kunimoto and Miyata’s late efforts left Takaboshi third on the grid, albeit still top Nissan, with team-mate Katsumasa Chiyo having been first to go underneath the lap record with a 1m44.230s in Q1.

The #3 Nissan was built around a spare chassis following Takaboshi’s horrifying crash at Fuji, but NISMO escaped a penalty for the chassis change due to force majeure. 

Toshiki Oyu was Honda’s top representative in fourth in the Dunlop-shod Mugen car, ahead of Nobuharu Matsushita in the Real Racing NSX-GT Type S running on Bridgestone tyres.

Yuichi Nakayama was sixth in the SARD Toyota, beating the Impul Nissan of Bertrand Baguette and the #36 TOM’S Toyota piloted by Giuliano Alesi.

The points-leading Rookie Toyota will start ninth on the grid, with Kenta Yamashita failing to get into Q2 by just 0.020s in a session where the top 10 cars were separated by just over a second.

Practice pace-setter Matsuda was only 12th in the #23 NISMO Nissan

Photo by: Masahide Kamio

The #23 NISMO Nissan that set the pace in practice could only qualify 12th in the hands of Tsugio Matsuda, ahead of the remaining Bridgestone Hondas of ARTA (Nirei