Immun' Âge(FPP) Osato Research Institute

Technical Partner ASTON MARTIN RACING

FIA WEC

2013FIA WEC

Aston Martin Racing won both GTE classes of the FIA WEC Six Hours of Fuji

The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Six Hours of Fuji was held on 18-20 of October, 2013 and Aston Martin Racing, which Osato Research Institute has been supporting as technical partner, won both GTE classes despite the race being marred by terrible weather conditions. The weekend started superbly with AMR qualifying on pole in both classes, especially with #97 taking pole.

2013_WEC_Fuji_2 (500x333).jpg
#97car and Driver Darren Turner

2013_WEC_Fuji_1 (500x333).jpg
GTE Pro race winners of #97, from Fred Makowiecki (in left), Darren Turner (in center) and Stefan Mücke (in light)

AMR participated in this race with 4 machines of V8 Vantage and a team of 80 people in total in their centenary year and 10 people from Osato Research Institute including president, Mr. Hayashi participated as well as their technical partner.
2013_WEC_Fuji_3 (260x173).jpg
V8 Vantage		 2013_WEC_Fuji_4 (260x173).jpg
Mr. Hayashi's family and ORI members
This race was the 6th round of FIA WEC and held for three days at the FUJI International Speedway admiring the view of Mr. Fuji, which was registered on the World Cultural Heritage List. The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) is one of the most exciting tracks in the world and features eight races including the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours and it was re-started in 2012 and this year is the second season. The four categories are used in the WEC: LMP1 and LMP2 prototypes and the GTE category, divided into GTE Pro for teams with professional driver line-ups, and GTE Am for teams featuring a mixture of amateur drivers. World champion titles will be awarded to the top scoring manufacturers and drivers over the season. AMR's entries were #97 and #99 for LMGTE Pro class and #96 and #99 for LMGTE Am class in Fuji.
2013_WEC_Fuji_5 (260x173).jpg
Flags of WEC		 2013_WEC_Fuji_6 (260x173).jpg
view of Mt. Fuji behind the course

On the day of qualifying session, beautiful Mt. Fuji welcomed us being covered by snow for the first time this year. Before qualifying, there was an event called "Media & VIP Guest Hot Laps in Aston Martin Vanquish and Rapide - Driven by Darren Turner and Stuart Hall" as well as a media interview with Aston Martin drivers held by Mr. Hayashi, president of Osato Research Institute, in the pit and paddock. Later, final check-ups of the machines was made and there was a practice session and pit-walk for the fans.
2013_WEC_Fuji_7 (260x173).jpg
beautiful Mr. Fuji covered with snow		 2013_WEC_Fuji_8 (260x173).jpg
Circuit experience in Aston
2013_WEC_Fuji_9 (260x173).jpg
Drivers and Mr. Hayashi in the pit		 2013_WEC_Fuji_10 (260x173).jpg
D. Turner taking Immun'Âge
2013_WEC_Fuji_11 (260x195).jpg
Logo of Aston Martin in the pit		 2013_WEC_Fuji_12 (260x173).jpg
White-themed Aston's pit is bright and elegant.
2013_WEC_Fuji_13 (260x195).jpg
Interview with drivers		 2013_WEC_Fuji_14 (260x146).jpg
Interview with #95 driver, Bruno Senna
2013_WEC_Fuji_15 (146x260).jpg
Helmet displayed in the pit
2013_WEC_Fuji_16 (146x260).jpg
Maintenance in the pit
2013_WEC_Fuji_17 (260x173).jpg
Long queue of Aston fans for the drivers' autograph 		2013_WEC_Fuji_18 (260x173).jpg
Drivers responding with smiles to requests from fans for their autograph
The GTE class qualifying session started at 13:20. In the qualifying session, two drivers make time attack and the starting grid will decided depending on the average of their best lap time. Frederic Makowiecki in the #97 Aston showed super attack, and Stefan Mücke also made good time. As a result, in the GTE Pro class, #97 took pole on 1'39"114 and #99 took second on 1'39"591. In the GTE Am class, it was the #95 Vantage that took pole position on 1'40"649, with the #96 taking the third place on 1'40"824.
2013_WEC_Fuji_19 (173x260).jpg
Driver getting in the machine
2013_WEC_Fuji_20 (260x173).jpg
#97 Aston in the qualifying session
2013_WEC_Fuji_21 (260x146).jpg
Monitor showing the Aston team in the pit		 2013_WEC_Fuji_22-2 (260x173).jpg
#95 Aston





On race day, it was a terrible weather since morning with torrential rain occasionally. Even in rain, there were some events such as pit walk, demo-run, and grid walk. However, the rain was falling more heavily when warm-up session started, some machines suffered spins and crash and had to start from the pit lane for repair.
2013_WEC_Fuji_23 (260x173).jpg
Pit walk in rain		 2013_WEC_Fuji_24 (260x146).jpg
Machines are ready for grid in line.
2013_WEC_Fuji_25 (260x173).jpg
Grid walk with Bibendum		 2013_WEC_Fuji_26 (260x173).jpg
Grid girl in Japanese Kimono costume
2013_WEC_Fuji_27 (260x146).jpg
Being able to watch cars and drivers so close		 2013_WEC_Fuji_28 (260x146).jpg
Overwhelming view of machines on the grid

The race started at 11:00 and the safety car led the competitors out onto the Fuji International Speedway. However, since the rain was getting even harder and the wet road became so dangerous, after eight laps the race director made the decision to put halt to the race for safety.
2013_WEC_Fuji_29 (260x146).jpg
the race started with blue signals.		 2013_WEC_Fuji_30 (260x173).jpg
Starting the race under heavy rain
The race director restarted the six-hour race at 13:30. However, after another eight laps behind the safety car, the race was red flagged once more. All the machines waited for second restart in a line on the main straight. The fans were also waiting for the restart of the race under rain for a long time and drivers made comments considering the fans.
2013_WEC_Fuji_31 (260x146).jpg
Cars in a line waiting for restart		 2013_WEC_Fuji_32 (260x146).jpg
F. Makowiecki being interviewed

The second restart of the race was announced at 15:35, and all the machines started warm-up. Usually the safety car run is supposed to be continued at least 10 minutes, and the safety cars comes back to the pit for actual restart of the race. However, despite the second restart attempt, it was red flagged and ended up to be stopped leaving the #97 Vantage GTE with the GTE Pro race win and the #95 Vantage GTE finishing in first place in the GTE Am class, the positions in which they had qualified.
2013_WEC_Fuji_33 (260x146).jpg
GTE Pro class winners' podium		 2013_WEC_Fuji_34 (260x173).jpg
GTE Am class winners' podium
2013_WEC_Fuji_36 (260x195).jpg
Celebrating in the pit		 2013_WEC_Fuji_35 (195x260).jpg
Winner's trophy and Immun'Âge

In accordance with the WEC regulations, half points will be awarded to each of the teams, as less than 70 per cent of the race was completed. These points left Aston hope to be a series champion. The last two WEC rounds will be held at Shanghai on November 8-9 and at Bahrain on November 30. Aston made entry of 6 machines for GTE Pro class for Shanghai. Winning the titles is the sole focus for Aston Martin.

FIA WEC