Under Suzuki’s final pre-WTAC test at Fuji

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Scorch Racing at the 2014 WTAC: the only Japanese team capable of taking on Tilton head on.

There is no question that Under Suzuki has only one thing on his mind and that is to become the fastest time attack driver in the world.

That has been the case ever since he first toured here way back in 2011 and every single year since. Finishing within 4 hundredths of a second behind the champion Tilton Evo in 2014 and taking the runner-up trophy proved that Suzuki-san has the car and the driving skill to match it with the best of the best.

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In 2015 subtlety is out and “function over form” is in. Every extra canard, every extra kilowatt could be the difference between winning and coming second.

Knowing that in time attack racing not evolving means going backwards, this year he will unveil by far the craziest incarnation of a S15 Silvia the world has seen to date. The team were busy getting a final test session in at Fuji Speedway on the weekend and certainly turned some heads with the radical new aero package.

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Most noticeable was the massive front splitter built to the absolute maximum the rules allow in every regard, high mounted front canards and some crazy side canards.

The team was reluctant to give away too much information but what we did find out is that they are packing a fresh NAPREC built 2.2 litre motor, full of all the top-shelf bits and now controlled by a full MoTeC system, replacing the old F-Con that has been on the car since the beginning.

The new engine management will no doubt allow much greater control and data acquisition that is so important at this level of competition.

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Andrew Brilliant, the brains behind Suzuki-san’s aero package was a little more forthcoming with info:

“We actually came up with most of these design two years ago but it just takes so long to get everything done. Remember it is just him and a couple of his buddies in a shed making all this stuff and a lot of it is quite complex.”

“On top of this, he has to work a hell of a lot of hours at his real job to pay for all the expensive parts so it really is a continuous uphill battle. What I can tell you though is that this year he should be on the money. While he may have done well last year I can assure you that aero package was a long way from finished. This year it is very close.”

“We have also tried to keep the front a lot more subtle in the past but looking at the competition in 2015 we would be simply giving away far too much. Subtlety could cost us precious time and Suzuki-san is going down there to win so his attitude now is – we need to do whatever it takes to win.”


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As a very exhausted team packed up at Fuji Speedway and headed home Suzuki quietly announced:

“I am going home to go straight bed. I have not slept at all the past couple of days in order to get everything finished. And the week before was not much better. Once it is on the boat I think I will sleep for an entire weekend!”

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If you want to wish Under Suzuki good luck at this year’s WTAC, do so on his Facebook Page.
And of course the best way to cheer him on is to be at Sydney Motorsport Park in October.

LINKS:
www.yokohama.com.au
www.worldtimeattack.com