FNIPPON: Michael Krumm Suzuka qualifying

Michael secured fourth position on the grid for the final round of the 2000 Formula Nippon Championship, which will be held at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan tomorrow.

Motoyama took pole position in the Impul Reynard. Motoyama has been quickest in each session in Suzuka today and claimed pole by a significant margin.

Newly crowned champion Tora Takaghi and his team mate Matsuda took second and third position, with Michael in fourth position. These three are covered by a mere tenth of a second.

" We have had no real problems in the free practice and qualifying, I think I should really have been third, but Matsuda just beat my time and I had used my tyres - so I could not respond.

Starting here is difficult as the grid is slightly down hill, but I can usually get a good start and will try and get close to Motoyama, but he has found something and I think he will be tough to beat this weekend" Michael commented from Suzuka.

<pre> Qualifying Result

Suzuka Round Ten

2000.11.4 / WEATHER:CLOUDY / COURSE:DRY

Pos. No. DRIVER TEAM Best 1st 2nd CAR 1 19 SATOSHI MOTOYAMA IMPUL 1'45.553 1'45.816 *1'45.553 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 2 0 TORANOSUKE TAKAGI PIAA NAKAJIMA 1'46.061 1'46.537 *1'46.061 REYNARD 2KL/MUGEN 3 2 TSUGIO MATSUDA PIAA NAKAJIMA 1'46.097 1'46.739 *1'46.097 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 4 6 MICHAEL KRUMM 5ZIGEN 1'46.152 1'46.669 *1'46.152 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 5 5 NAOKI HATTORI 5ZIGEN 1'46.815 1'47.415 *1'46.815 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 6 62 SHINSUKE SHIBAHARA LEYJUN 1'46.977 1'49.138 *1'46.977 REYNARD 2KL/MUGEN 7 11 YUJI TACHIKAWA COSMO OIL CERUMO 1'47.202 *1'47.202 1'47.329 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 8 8 YUDAI IGARASHI LeMans 1'47.205 1'47.983 *1'47.205 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 9 56 JUICHI WAKISAKA ARTA 1'47.224 1'47.587 *1'47.224 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 10 10 KOJI YAMANISHI Morinaga NOVA 1'47.300 1'48.799 *1'47.300 G FORCE GF03B/MUGEN 11 68 RYO MICHIGAMI DoCoMo DANDELION 1'47.447 1'47.535 *1'47.447 REYNARD 2KL/MUGEN 12 7 HIDEKI NODA LeMans 1'47.499 1'47.719 *1'47.499 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 13 14 SHIGEKAZU WAKISAKA MOONCRAFT 1'47.824 1'49.559 *1'47.824 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 14 21 ALEX YOONG TEAM MALAYSIA 1'48.087 1'48.879 *1'48.087 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 15 12 JAROSLAW WIERCZUK COSMO OIL CERUMO 1'48.088 1'48.753 *1'48.088 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 16 9 RALPH FIRMAN Morinaga NOVA 1'48.168 1'49.338 *1'48.168 G FORCE GF03B/MUGEN 17 3 MASAHIKO KONDO Olympic KONDO 1'48.473 1'48.737 *1'48.473 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 18 36 TETSUJI TAMANAKA TAKAGI B-1 1'51.113 *1'51.113 1'51.270 REYNARD 99L/MUGEN 19 63 OSAMU LEYJUN 1'52.091 1'52.138 *1'52.091 G FORCE GF03/MUGEN