Motor Sports. 2 Car Racing Trends. Table 1 lists the main categories of car races held in- downsized 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engines

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1 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 improved in line with the depreciation of the yen. The situation of the world of motorsports reflected these trends. from cars is a cause of deep concern. 2 Car Racing 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 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 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 In motorcycle racing, MotoGP stands at the pinnacle of the sport. Marc Marquez (Honda) won his second successive championship in overwhelming fashion. Suzuki also continued testing with an eye on joining the series in 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 hoped that the vitalization of motorsports will continue Fig Super GT: car number 23 1 (MOTUL AUTECH GT-R) Copyright 2015 Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. All rights reserved

2 Table 1 Details and results of major car racing categories in 2014

3 Table 1 Details and results of major car racing categories in 2014 (continued). Category Other Rally Japanese championships JN6 Outline of races 9 rounds on general roads (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Chubu, Kyushu, etc.) Outline of vehicles Participating Japanese manufacturers 2014 champions Drivers Subaru, 4 WD or 2 WD Mitsubishi Min liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1.7 ) Fumio Nutahara, Tadayoshi Sato JN5 4 WD or 2 WD Subaru, 1.5 to 3.0-liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1.7) Mitsubishi, Honda, Daihatsu Takuma Kamada, Hakaru Ichino JN4 (JAF-registered) 2 WD Subaru 1.6 to 2.0 -liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1.7 ) Genki Takeuchi, Naoki Kase JN3 2 WD Mazda, 1.4 to 1.5 -liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1.7 ) Honda Tomoyuki Amano, Yukiko Inoue JN2 (JAF-registered) Suzuki, 2 WD Min. 1.6 liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1.7 ) Mazda Nobuyuki Tanaka, Megumi Fujita JN1 Daihatsu, 4 WD or 2 WD Suzuki, Max. 1.4-liter engine (turbo coefficient: 1.7) Mazda, Honda Masato Nakanishi, Yuki Mino Nani Roma, Michel Perin Dakar Rally 1 round, held in wild and desert areas through Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile Dedicated rally vehicles (prototypes) Commercially based vehicles 2 WD or 4 WD Mitsubishi, Nissan, Suzuki, Hino Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 1 round on paved roads (U.S.) Dedicated racing vehicles (prototypes) Mitsubishi, EVs accepted Nissan, Commercially based vehicles Honda, Subaru 2 WD or 4 WD Romain Dumas Manufacturers Remarks RPN vehicle regulations started in 2014, applicable to JAFregistered vehicles as of Jan. 1, 2006 Mitsubishi took 2 nd place overall with an entry in the EV class and a number of new entrants are expected for 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 Super Formula (Fig. 2) In 2014, newly developed cars were adopted that factor in the aerodynamic effects when overtaking during a race. These cars also use carbon brakes, the same Fig Super Formula: car number 37 2 (Petronas TOM s SF14) NRE powerplants as adopted in GT500, and fuel flow 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. The cars are also performance-balanced also added to the steering wheel, enabling the driver to depending on race results using ballast, with ballast boost the fuel flow to 105% of the normal level, thereby weights above 50 kg replaced by fuel flow restrictions. creating a unique overtaking system that can be used The effects of the new vehicle specifications resulted in five times for 20 seconds each time during a race. Un- faster lap times compared to In the GT300 class, like Super GT, Super Formula has a single chassis and most cars competed under the FIA GT3 category, but tire supplier. Super Formula is positioned as a driver s some entrants also registered as JAF-GT cars under the race series at the pinnacle of Japanese motorsports that new mother chassis rule book. This is a concept to attracts a large number of top-level drivers from outside encourage the participation of independent private teams Japan. Including the final JAF GP event, the 2014 Super Copyright 2015 Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. All rights reserved

4 Formula series consisted of 7 rounds, and the lap times were faster than those in Formula 3 (F3) In 2014, around 10 C class cars installed with the direct injection engines introduced in 2013 participated, creating an overall grid of around 20 cars including the older N class entries. In 2015, Japan will also host an FIA Formula 4 series, which is an entry category for junior drivers, at local JAF-sanctioned events. It is hoped that vitalizing the lower formulas will also have a knockon effect on the more senior race series. 2 Fig FIA WEC: car number 8 (Toyota TS040) technical regulations for bodywork, aerodynamics, and Japanese Rally Championship (JRC) weight were also revised. Cost cutting measures includ- In 2014, in an attempt to revitalize the series, the JRC ed new regulations restricting development, testing, and introduced the RPN category of regulations, which re- the number of available powerplants over the course of a semble normal cars, creating a total of six classes. The season. JN2 and JN4 classes of RPN cars have strict regulations FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) restricting permitted modifications, reducing the cost of The 2014 season was dominated by the Volkswagen participation. In addition, to provide regional stimulus Polo. Many changes occurred in 2014, including the Ral- by enlisting the support of local authorities, a total of ly of Poland replacing the Acropolis Rally, as well as the nine rounds were held, including one that served as the return of Hyundai to the competition and Pirelli as the Japanese leg of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. tire supplier Trends outside Japan 2014 was a turning point that saw finishing touches FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) (Fig. 3) applied to the innovations being introduced to the inter- The top category of LMP1 consists of hybrid cars national race series hosted by the International Automo- from works teams. Interesting new per-lap fuel flow and bile Federation (FIA). electrical energy usage restrictions were introduced to Major changes included the introduction of 1.6-liter boost energy efficiency. Porsche was a new entry, join- turbocharged engines with energy regeneration to F1 ing Audi and Toyota in a three-way battle that was won and the start of the Formula E series that looks to the by which took both drivers and manufacturers future of the automotive industry. The world of motor- titles. sports is looking for sustainability by shifting to more environmentally friendly technologies with potential ap FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) plications for the future, while also reducing costs In 2014, substantial performance improvements were also saw the introduction of a common format for the introduced to create more exciting races over a fixed Japanese Super GT 500 and DTM series. Furthermore, 60 km sprint format. The minimum weight require- the two existing North American sports car racing se- ment was lowered, engine horsepower was increased ries were merged and re-launched as the Tudor United to 380 hp, and the tire size was also expanded. At the SportsCar Championship (TUSCC). Global motorsport same time, body widths and splitter dimensions were in- unification trends have now reached the U.S. and 2014 creased, resulting in better more aggressive looking cars. may be seen as the inaugural year of truly international Jose Maria Lopez won ten races for Citroen and took the competition. drivers title FIA Formula One World Championship (F1) FIA Formula E Championship The new regulations for 2014 included the introduction This series held its first race in September The of a totally new powerplant, a 1.6-liter V6 direct-injection first year of the championship adopted a single car, the engine with a single turbocharger. This powerplant also Spark-Renault SRT 01E. Each driver has two cars to features the regeneration of kinetic and heat energy, compensate for the short continuous range achievable creating a further emphasis on energy efficiency. The by the battery and must switch to the second car in a Copyright 2015 Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. All rights reserved

5 3 Motorcycle Racing Trends 4 Motorsport Tire Trends

6 Table 2 Details and results of major motorcycle racing categories in 2014

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