Fuji Speedway Classic Race Report
Transatlantic Sim Racing | Fuji | 90 Minutes | Cool & Dry, 16°C
Fuji's historic asphalt set the stage for a captivating chapter in the Transatlantic Sim Racing series, as Hypercars and LMGT3 machinery thundered under light cloud and crisp spring air. The 4.5km circuit played host to a drama-laden 90 minutes, where some battled for glory and others for dignity – and in every story, the mountain loomed large.
Podium Results
Hypercar (HY)
🥇 1st - Danilo Lasic – Toyota GR010
🥈 2nd -Edward Jerome – BMW M Hybrid V8
🥉 3rd -Dylan Moore – Lamborghini SC63
LMGT3
🥇 1st -Xander Huizing – Ferrari 296 GT3 2023
🥈 2nd -Madam Man – Ferrari 296 GT3 2023
🥉 3rd -Bjarne Vaes – BMW M4 GT3
Championship Standings
Race Overview
Hypercars – Return of the King, Mastery and Missteps
From the outset, Danilo Lasic in the Toyota GR010 proved just why he’s regarded as the yardstick in Hypercar this season, resisting a determined charge from Edward Jerome’s BMW. Dylan Moore, fresh from a string of testing sessions, steered the Lamborghini onto the podium after late-race contact in the chasing group.
Further down the field, returning star Pavol Bogdan made his comeback in familiar Porsche machinery, while Ian Paskin experienced the highs and lows of adapting to Hypercar’s razor edge. Both drivers were emblematic of the Fuji challenge: precision rewarded, but the circuit’s fickleness waiting for any lapse.
LMGT3 – Xander’s X-factor and Ferrari Fortunes
Xander Huizing left the field in no doubt as to his form, converting a pole into a commanding win for Ferrari. Madam Man made it a 1–2 for Maranello’s latest, while Bjarne Vaes upheld BMW honours after doggedly fending off mid-race attacks. Si Fillingham wrung every ounce from his McLaren in an attritional mid-pack, while fortunes unravelled for Ferrari’s Bernardo Alves after early optimism gave way to heartbreak in Turn 3.
Driver Interviews
Pavol Bogdan (HY – Porsche 963)
Qualifying: 12th | Race: 8th
Ted Delaney: Pavol, you’re back in the famous gold Porsche – P12 in qualifying, 1.8s off the leader on such short notice. Happy with that?
Pavol Bogdan: Absolutely, Ted. New car, zero practice except the 10-minute official session, and it was so tight up and down the grid. Twelve out of fourteen doesn’t sound great, but honestly, I’m satisfied.
Ted: You had a spell at Alpine, now back at Porsche. How did the race itself pan out?
Pavol: It started really well, good racing, no contacts – nice and clean for 20–30 minutes. Then I just lost it, spun twice in the same spot. That was the lack of seat time showing. I dropped off from Mike Landreth and the midfield, so it became a bit lonely after that.
Ted: You were seen nursing damage in the final half hour. What happened?
Pavol: Concentration faded a bit, had a crash with half an hour to go. Lots of frontend damage – I almost thought to retire, Ted, but I saw it through and finished 8th. After my Alpine troubles, it honestly feels like a podium.
Ted: Any standouts for you in the other classes tonight?
Pavol: Definitely Simon Steele in the Porsche GT3. Started well down but kept at it and bagged a podium. And big congrats to my teammate Sarah Van Fiepland – top finish up in the order. Brilliant for Porsche.
Ian Paskin (HY – Toyota GR010)
Qualifying: 8th | Race: 10th
Ted: Ian, P8 in qualifying – fair result?
Ian Paskin: Yeah, I’ll take it. Pretty close to my personal best. I might have squeezed another spot but just didn’t have the laps to get the tyres switched on.
Ted: Your race looked eventful, especially early on. Can you talk us through that?
Ian: I was quite cautious at the start, Ted. Given my luck recently, I wanted to ease in. But a few laps in, I started to push and lost the rear at Turn 5. Tried to save it but, no, snapped and straight into the barrier.
Ted: Tough break. What happened next?
Ian: Suspension was bent, so I had to pit. At that point it turned into a bit of a test session. Still finding the transition to Hypercars tough – pace isn’t bad but too many small errors creeping in.
Si Fillingham (LMGT3 – McLaren 720s GT3 Evo)
Qualifying: 6th | Race: 6th
Ted: Si, best of the rest in qualifying – 2.2s off the Ferraris but fastest non-296. Satisfied?
Si Fillingham: Hard to be, Ted, honestly. I thought the car was dialled in but the Ferraris were on another planet. Still, I’ll take P6 and best of the non-296 crowd!
Ted: The race saw you pretty steady. Was there more in the car?
Si: Stayed out of trouble initially – top five had a good scrap early doors. Thought I might get stuck in with Mims and Bernardo, but it just didn’t come together. I’ll need to give everything in the last couple of rounds to finish strong.
Bernardo Alves (LMGT3 – Ferrari 296 GT3 2023)
Qualifying: 3rd | Race: 8th
Ted: Bernardo, strong qualifying – P3, but you felt there was more in it?
Bernardo Alves: For sure, Ted. I was a good chunk up in the first two sectors most laps, just couldn’t string the full lap together in Sector 3. Still, happy enough with third.
Ted: In the race, it unravelled early. What happened?
Bernardo: Yeah, really disappointed. Stayed right on P1 and P2 at the start, just biding my time. Got past P2 when he ran wide, but then coming into Turn 3 we collided – my race was done after that. Too much damage to fix.
Ted: How do you bounce back from that?
Bernardo: Head up, Ted. It’s about minimising the lost points now and preparing for COTA. I think we still have a fight left in the championship.
Next Up
Round 4 takes us to the USA for the fast and flowing COTA National layout. Can Toyota and Ferrari extend their leads, or will BMW and McLaren roar back? Find out next time with Transatlantic Sim Racing.