Beginner's Guide to Watching Motorsports STEP.1

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STEP.1 What is motorsports?

Trivia: What types (categories) of motorsports are there at circuits?

Formula Car Racing (F1, Super Formula, etc.)
Racing with machines designed exclusively for racing, featuring exposed tires

Touring Car Races (such as SUPER GT)
Racing with race-specific machines based on cars you usually see

Motorcycle Races (such as MotoGP™, All Japan Road Race)
Races using motorcycles specially built for racing, or races using production motorcycles modified for racing

Trivia: What is Super Formula?

The highest level and fastest car race in Japan, with speeds second only to F1, and at SUZUKA CIRCUIT, it holds the second fastest lap times following F1.
The machines used by each team, called "SF23," share many common parts and tires to ensure no performance differences. Therefore, the drivers' skills and the teams' strategies are the keys to winning! In other words, the highlights are the subtle tactics, such as who can drive the best and the timing of tire changes (pit stops).

Trivia: What are the rules of Super Formula?

Official Qualifying

The time attack to compete for the fastest lap to determine the race start position (starting grid) is called "qualifying."
In Super Formula, qualifying is divided into two stages:

■Q1 (Qualifying Stage 1)
The participating cars are divided into Group A and Group B, and each group competes for the best time. The top 6 drivers from each group (a total of 12) advance to the next stage.

■Q2 (Qualifying Stage 2)
The 12 drivers who advance from Q1 compete further to determine the order of the starting positions. The fastest driver earns the front-row starting position called the "pole position."

In other words, qualifying is a crucial battle to decide "who gets to start at the very front!"

Final Race

The competition is to complete the set number of laps as quickly as possible. At the JAF Suzuka Grand Prix on Saturday, November 22, and Sunday, November 23 (National Holiday), three races will be held. On Saturday, Round 11 (27 Laps or 75 mins). On Sunday, Round 10 (19 Laps or 50 mins, a substitute for the Fuji event) and Round 12 (31 Laps or 75 mins) will take place.

OTS (Overtake System)

It is like a "boost function" that temporarily increases the machine's power during the race.
This allows the speed to increase for a short time, so it can be used not only for overtaking but also for defense to avoid being overtaken—truly useful for both offense and defense.

■Key Points for Use
Each car can use it for up to 200 seconds per race. The driver can turn it on and off at any timing using a switch on the steering wheel.
However, once used, it cannot be reused for a short period (the duration varies depending on the circuit), so choosing when to use it is very important.

In other words, OTS is a secret weapon for speeding up that you use at the crucial moment!

Point System

In races, points are awarded according to your finishing position. By collecting many of these points, the season champion is decided.

■Points for the Final Race
1st place: 20 points
2nd place: 15 points
3rd place: 11 points
Points decrease as the positions go lower.
10th place: 1 point
11th place and below: No points

■Points are also awarded in qualifying!
1st place: 3 points
2nd place: 2 points
3rd place: 1 point

In other words, points are awarded not only in the final race but also in qualifying, so every run is very important. By accumulating points throughout the season, the annual champions (drivers and teams) are decided!

Click here for the SUPER FORMULA Glossary