Super Formula Fuji II
Matsushita: "No excuse" for race-ending formation lap spin
Nobuharu Matsushita has accepted full responsibility for spinning out on the formation lap of last weekend’s Fuji Super Formula race.
Jamie Klein Kenichiro Ebii
Published: Jul 19, 2022, 5:23 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
B-Max Racing driver Matsushita was due to start the race from ninth place, but instead lost control as he was trying to get heat in his wheels on his way to the grid.
The ex-Formula 2 racer’s mistake triggered an extra formation lap, cutting the planned 41-lap distance by one lap.
Read Also:
- Tsuboi regrets "wasted" Fuji win chance after mistimed stop
- Fenestraz "surprised" by Yamamoto move after huge crash
Matsushita was initially towed back to the pits and took the start of the race from there, but he was soon ordered in again to retire, as he had received outside assistance to get going after his spin.
“It was my mistake,” Matsushita told Motorsport.com’s Japanese edition. “I lost control while spinning up the wheels and the engine stopped. In the end I couldn’t start.
“There’s no excuse, it’s entirely my fault, so I’m sorry for the team. The car was in good shape this morning [in second practice], so it’s a shame.”
Although Matsushita belatedly took the start and completed two laps before the call came from race control for him to pit and retire, he was officially credited with a DNS.
Motorsport.com understands the fact that Matsushita was allowed to start from the pits was down to a simple communication error on the part of race control.
Super Formula rules state that any car that needs external assistance to fire up its engine must be disqualified; the act of towing Matsushita back to the pits, where the car was restarted, was considered to violate this regulation.
“When you get towed you are treated the same way as a car that got stuck in the gravel and had to retire,” explained Matsushita. “From now on I’ll do my best to make up for it.”
Matsushita’s latest non-score leaves him seventh in the championship on 21 points, 20 of which came with his charge to a first victory in the wet at Suzuka in April.
His only other points-paying finish of the season so far came at Autopolis in May, when he recovered to finish 10th after a first-lap off.
- Watch all Super Formula races live on Motorsport.tv (available worldwide except Japan). Click here for more information.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Tsuboi regrets mistimed stop as Fuji win slips away
Next article Honda debuts noise-enhancing exhaust in Fuji Super Formula test
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jamie Klein
Super Formula Fuji: Ayumu Iwasa wins as Kakunoshin Ohta misses chance to seal title
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji II
Super Formula Fuji: Ayumu Iwasa wins as Kakunoshin Ohta misses chance to seal title
Super Formula Fuji: Igor Fraga wins while Kakunoshin Ohta closes on title
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji II
Super Formula Fuji: Igor Fraga wins while Kakunoshin Ohta closes on title
More from
Nobuharu Matsushita
Matsushita switches to TGM for 2024 Super Formula season
Super Formula
Super Formula
Suzuka
Matsushita switches to TGM for 2024 Super Formula season
Matsushita felt limitations of one-car B-Max team
Super Formula
Super Formula
Matsushita felt limitations of one-car B-Max team
Can Nissan end GT500 title drought in Honda's backyard?
Super GT
Super GT
Motegi
Can Nissan end GT500 title drought in Honda's backyard?
More from
B-Max Racing Team
Honda junior Kimura snatches Super Formula Lights title
Super Formula Lights
Super Formula Lights
Honda junior Kimura snatches Super Formula Lights title
Gran Turismo-backed Fraga scores first Super Formula Lights win
Super Formula Lights
Super Formula Lights
Gran Turismo-backed Fraga scores first Super Formula Lights win
HPD scholarship winner Hyman explains Fuji stall woes
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji
HPD scholarship winner Hyman explains Fuji stall woes
Latest news
"Extremely difficult": Calendar clashes threaten Marco Wittmann's DTM future
DTM
DTM DTM 1 min
"Extremely difficult": Calendar clashes threaten Marco Wittmann's DTM future
M-Sport’s 2027 WRC Fiesta Kit car breaks cover
WRC
WRC WRC 1 h
M-Sport’s 2027 WRC Fiesta Kit car breaks cover
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe