Racing Thrills and Supra Showdown: MARELLI IMPUL Z Takes the Top Spot, Kazuki Hiramine Battles for Second
MARELLI IMPUL Z Returns to the Super GT Podium
MARELLI IMPUL Z has made a triumphant return to the Super GT podium, finishing 3rd in the rain-influenced finals at SUGO in 2022. This marks the team’s first podium in 1 year and 3 months. The Nissan Z Nismo GT500 had shown signs of improvement in the previous rounds, with 4th and 5th place finishes at Suzuka and Fuji, respectively.
Driver Kazuki Hiramine reflected on the team’s performance, stating, ”It wasn’t in bad shape.” The No. 12 MARELLI IMPUL Z had taken the lead from the start of the morning race on Saturday, September 21. Despite being forced to start from 5th on the grid due to the cancellation of qualifying, the team demonstrated their resilience and determination.
A Strong Performance in Challenging Conditions
Hiramine had recorded the 5th fastest time of 1 minute 26.115 seconds in the official practice session, which was initially intended to replace the afternoon qualifying session. Although qualifying was eventually cancelled, the team remained focused and adapted to the changing circumstances.