Motor Sports
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Motor Sports as the business results of automakers improves, decreas- 1 Introduction es in the number of fans as young people drift away In 2014, the results of the automotive industry im- from cars is a cause of deep concern. proved in line with the depreciation of the yen. The situ- 2 Car Racing Trends ation of the world of motorsports reflected these trends. In Japanese car racing, the same newly developed Table 1 lists the main categories of car races held in- downsized 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engines side and outside Japan, and the results of each competi- as found in mass-market cars were also introduced to the tion. Super GT and Super Formula race series. It is hoped 2. 1. Trends in Japan that technical feedback can be obtained from racing and In 2014, the two leading categories of Japanese car rac- then applied to the mass-market. In 2014, the regulations ing, the Super GT and Super Formula series saw major for Super GT and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters changes in vehicle regulations. These included the adop- (DTM: German Touring Car Masters) series were finally tion of the next-generation Nippon Race Engine (NRE) merged, leading to more entries in the series and a more that is designed to be more environmentally friendly exciting spectacle. than the outgoing engine. Outside Japan, some teams in Formula 1 (F1) struggled 2. 1. 1. Super GT (Fig. 1) to make the most of the new regulations, and clear dif- With the aim of achieving further international rec- ferences in competitiveness emerged. The new electric ognition, it was agreed to merge the regulations for Formula E series also started, reflecting the changing the GT500 class with those for the DTM series. These realities of the automotive industry. In the FIA World regulations include adopting common parts such as the Endurance Championship (WEC), Toyota won both the monocoque and gearbox, and using carbon brakes. A manufacturers’ and drivers’ title with its hybrid vehicle common air conditioning unit has also been adopted as (HV) entrants. Furthermore, 2014 was a year in which standard equipment. Another change is the introduction the results of female drivers stood out. Keiko Ihara be- of the NRE, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged direct injec- came the first female driver to stand on the WEC podi- tion engines provided with a new fuel flow restrictor that um. She became also the first Asian woman to complete are developed independently by each manufacturer. In Le Mans and was the top Japanese driver at the same combination with certain freely designable aerodynamic event in 2014. In motorcycle racing, MotoGP stands at the pinnacle of the sport. Marc Marquez (Honda) won his second suc- cessive championship in overwhelming fashion. Suzuki also continued testing with an eye on joining the series in 2015. It is hoped that the larger number of entries will make the sport even more exciting. In 2015, key events include the return of Toyota to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), the participation of Nissan in Le Mans in the LMP1 class. Although it is Fig. 1 2014 Super GT: car number 23 hoped that the vitalization of motorsports will continue (MOTUL AUTECH GT-R)（1） Copyright© 2015 Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. All rights reserved Table 1 Details and results of major car racing categories in 2014 Participating Japanese 2014 champions Category Outline of races Outline of vehicles Remarks manufacturers Drivers Manufacturers F1 19 rounds (circuits: Shanghai, Dedicated race cars (formula) Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Introduction Monaco, Austria, Suzuka, 2 WD (constructor) of penalty Russia, Abu Dhabi, etc.) 1 .6 -liter V6 turbocharged DI ─ point system engines + energy regeneration for driving infractions LMP1 8 rounds (circuits: Dedicated race cars (prototypes) Toyota Anthony Davidson, Toyota Silverstone, Circuit de la 2 WD (HV may be 4 WD) Sebastian Buemi (manufacturer) Sarthe in Le Mans, Fuji, HV: free engine design + energy regeneration 3 major Shanghai, Bahrain, etc.) Non HV: max. 5 .5 -liter engine works teams, participation LMP2 Dedicated race cars (prototypes) Nissan, HPD Sergey Zlobin ＷＥＣ of Porsche in 2 WD (Honda) (engine LMP1 -H NA engines: max. 5 .0 -liter 8 cylinders supplier) Turbocharged engines: max. 3 .2 -liter 6 cylinders s p Toyota i h s LM-GTE Based on commercially available vehicles Gianmaria Bruni, Ferrari wins world n o i 2 WD Toni Vilander (manufacturer) championship p ─ m NA engines: max. 5 .5 -liter a h Turbocharged engines: max. 4 .0 -liter c d l r WRC 13 rounds on general roads Based on commercially available vehicles Sebastien Ogier, Volkswagen o W (Sweden, Poland, Australia, 4 WD ─ Julien Ingrassia (manufacturer) etc.) 1 .6 -liter direct-injection turbocharged engines JWRC: junior ＷＲWＣRC2 Based on commercially available vehicles Subaru, Nasser Al-Attiyah, category 4 WD Mitsubishi Giovanni Bernacchini (max. age: Super 2000 , R4 , R5 , N4 26 ) below WRC WRC3 Based on commercially available vehicles Stephane Lefebvre, 2WD ─ Thibault de la Haye R1，R2，R3 WTCC 24 rounds at 12 venues Based on commercially available Honda Jose Maria Lopez Citroen (Morocco, France, Argentina, vehicles (manufacturer) Japan, Macao, etc.) 2 WD 1 .6 -liter direct-injection turbocharged engines GT500 8 rounds (circuits: Suzuka, Based on commercially available vehicles Toyota, Tsugio Matsuda, New cars Motegi, Fuji, Thailand, etc.) 2 WD Nissan, Ronnie Quintarelli. (GT500 ), 2 .0 -liter inline 4 -cylinder turbocharged Honda regulations T DI engine merged with G r Common parts (monocoque, gearbox, etc.) DTM e p u S GT300 Based on commercially available vehicles Toyota, Nobuteru Taniguchi, s e Drive wheels not regulated Nissan, Tatsuya Kataoka i r e Engine conversions acceptable Honda, s l a Cars must be authorized FIA GT3 vehicles Subaru n o i t a DTM 1 0 r o u n d s ( c i r c u i t s : Based on commercially available vehicles Marco Wittmann Audi n r e Hockenheim, Hungaroring, 2 WD (manufacturer) t ─ n I Moscow, etc.) 4 .0 -liter V8 NA engine Common parts (monocoque, gearbox, etc.) IRL 18 rounds (circuits: Long Dedicated race cars (formula) Honda Will Power Chevrolet B e a c h , I n d i a n a p o l i s , 2 WD (manufacturer) Toronto, etc.) 2 .2 -liter V6 turbocharged DI engine Blended fuel consisting of 85 % ethanol and 15 % gasoline Super 7 rounds (circuits: Suzuka, Dedicated race cars (formula) Toyota, Kazuki Nakajima s New SF14 p i Formula Motegi, Fuji, etc.) 2 WD Honda h s model cars n 2 .0 -liter inline 4 -cylinder o i adopted p turbocharged DI engine m a h c e F3 15 rounds at 7 venues Dedicated race cars (formula) Toyota, Shinji Matsushita s e n (circuits: Suzuka, Motegi, 2 WD Honda a p a J Fuji, etc.) Max. 2 .0 -liter inline 4 -cylinder turbocharged NA engine Copyright© 2015 Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. All rights reserved Table 1 Details and results of major car racing categories in 2014 (continued). Participating Japanese 2014 champions Category Outline of races Outline of vehicles Remarks manufacturers Drivers Manufacturers JN6 9 rounds on general roads Based on commercially available vehicles Fumio Nutahara, Subaru, (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Chubu, 4 WD or 2 WD Tadayoshi Sato Mitsubishi Kyushu, etc.) Min. 3 .0 -liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1 .7 ) JN5 Based on commercially available vehicles Toyota, Takuma Kamada, 4 WD or 2 WD Subaru, Hakaru Ichino 1.5 to 3.0-liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1.7) Mitsubishi, Honda, Daihatsu RPN s p i h vehicle s JN4 Based on commercially available vehicles (JAF-registered) Toyota, Genki Takeuchi, n o i 2 WD Subaru Naoki Kase regulations p y m l l a 1 .6 to 2 .0 -liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1 .7 ) started a h c R e in 2014 , s e JN3 Based on commercially available vehicles Toyota, Tomoyuki Amano, n applicable a p 2 WD Mazda, Yukiko Inoue a J to JAF- 1 .4 to 1 .5 -liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1 .7 ) Honda registered JN2 Based on commercially available vehicles (JAF-registered) Suzuki, Nobuyuki Tanaka, vehicles as 2 WD Toyota, Megumi Fujita of Jan. 1 , Min. 1 .6 liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1 .7 ) Mazda 2006 JN1 Based on commercially available vehicles Daihatsu, Masato Nakanishi, 4 WD or 2 WD Suzuki, Yuki Mino Max. 1.4-liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1.7) Mazda, Honda Dakar Rally 1 round, held in wild and desert Dedicated rally vehicles Toyota, Nani Roma, areas through Argentina, (prototypes) Mitsubishi, Michel Perin Bolivia, and Chile Commercially based vehicles Nissan, 2 WD or 4 WD Suzuki, r e h Hino t O Pikes Peak 1 round on paved roads (U.S.) Dedicated racing vehicles (prototypes) Mitsubishi, Romain Dumas Mitsubishi took International EVs accepted Nissan, 2 nd place overall Hill Climb Commercially based vehicles Honda, with an entry in 2 WD or 4 WD Subaru the EV class and a number of new entrants are expected for 2015. Eight races will be held in 2015, the same number as the previous year, with the race in Malaysia replaced by a race in Thailand. 2. 1. 2. Super Formula (Fig. 2) In 2014, newly developed cars were adopted that fac- tor in the aerodynamic effects when overtaking during a race. These cars also use carbon brakes, the same Fig. 2 2014 Super Formula: car number 37 NRE powerplants as adopted in GT500, and fuel flow (Petronas TOM’s SF14)（2） restrictions to create competition based on engineering parts, the result is a competitive race series based on en- skills and combustion efficiency. A power button was gineering skill.