-
2016.10.3
Solid finishes for Team KAGAYAMA SUZUKI Asia in India
Qualification Practice and Race 1 took place on Day 2, and Team KAGAYAMA SUZUKI Asia continued its Top 10 Finish streak, as #41 Noriyuki Haga finished 10th in Race 1.
Qualifying session took place in the morning. Both Haga and his teammate #98 Patis Chooprathet spent the session setting up the Suzuki GSX-R600 for the race. Haga qualified 12th with a lap time of 1’57.178, while Patis qualified 17th with a lap time of 1’58.473.
Race 1 started at 14:30 with Haga making a good start, moving up position in the opening lap. However, Patis crashed on the final corner of the opening lap, causing the race to be red-flagged. Patis was taken to the medical centre at the circuit, and first diagnosis found no major injuries.
After restart, Haga once again began moving up the front, when he found no where to go at Turn 4, forcing him to slow down to avoid crashing. This incident pushed back Haga to the back of the grid, but found a good pace, lapping at the same average as the top group. Haga’s paced slowed down a bit towards the end of the race, but managed to finish 10th for the team.
Haga prepared for Race 2 on Sunday, but Patis made a decision to sit out Race 2, as he had a mild concussion and bruises ont the ribs from the crash in Race 1.
Haga battled for an another Top 10 finish all througout Race 2, making his best laps of the weekend. Haga would move up to 9th at several points during the race. However, it was difficult for him to pass other riders on the straights. He managed to finish 11th in Race 2.
Round 6 and the final round of the season will be held at Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, 3-4 December.
Noriyuki Haga | #41
We tried a different setup in the warmup session on Sunday morning, but that didn’t work, so we went back to the setting we had on Race 1 with a mild change to it. The feeling of my Suzuki GSX-R600 was better than that of Race 1. I managed to move up to P7 at start, but I was battling for P9 the hole race. I just couldn’t find the speed, and had to take 11th. I am dissappointed that I couldn’t hold on to the Top 10 at the final lap, but I think we managed to have a good race. The next race is the final race of the season, so I will be trying my best to finish the season with a good result.Patis Chooprathet | #98
I crashed in Race 1, and I had to pull out of Race 2, due to the pain in my ribs, and I am dissappointed that I had to pull out. The next race would be in my local course, so I am looking forward to it, and do my best for my local fans.Yukio Kagayama | Team Manager
We had to have Patis sit out Race 2, because of his pain in the ribs, and from a mild concussion he had in Race 1. The next race would be in his home country, so I believe he will show us the best race of the season. Haga managed to finish in the Top 10 in Race 1, and finished 11th in Race 2. The team tried their best to give him the best set up but wasn’t able to. We will continue to do our best for our supporters in the final round at Thailand.
