INDIA in F1

Tag: Yuya Sumiyama

  • ŠKODA privateer Yuya Sumiyama from Japan wins FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship 2018

    ŠKODA privateer Yuya Sumiyama from Japan wins FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship 2018

    Yuya Sumiyama blasting his way to victory in China Rally. Photo: Skoda Motorsport

    Longyou, 21 October 2018: Scoring victories on all five rounds, ŠKODA driver Yuya Sumiyama together with navigator Takahiro Yasui emerged champion in the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) 2018 as the pair registered a dominant win the final round, the China Rally Longyou, here on Sunday.

    With a convincing performance, Sumiyama, driving a Team Cusco entered ŠKODA FABIA R5, opened up an additional chapter of one of the most successful seasons for ŠKODA Motorsport.

    “Congratulations to Yuya Sumiyama, Takahiro Yasui and all at Team Cusco for continuing ŠKODA’s winning streak in the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship,” said ŠKODA Motorsport boss Michal Hrabánek. “This new success again shows the strength of our customer program.”

    Actually Team Cusco in itself is special amongst the ŠKODA customer teams worldwide – right now its ŠKODA FABIA R5 is the first and only imported ŠKODA to Japan. As a reward, Team Cusco won the FIA Asia-Pacific Championship Teams Award 2018.

    Winning the 2018 APRC driver title is Sumiyama’s biggest success so far. Competing in rallies since 2002, the 42-year old is one of the most experienced drivers from Japan. He had previously won the APRC-integrated Asia Cup in 2012 and 2014. In 2004 he celebrated his debut in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) when he competed at Rally Japan, at that time part of the WRC calendar. Since 2008, Sumiyama is part of Team Cusco, driving a ŠKODA FABIA R5 for the first time full season during the 2018 APRC.

    Yuya Sumiyama and Takahiro Yasui on the podium along with APRC president Vicky Chandhok (third from left). Photo: Skoda Motorsport

    Having scored already four victories this season, Sumiyama started the final round of the championship, as the new champion. Nevertheless, he opened proceedings with the second fastest time in the first special stage. He was fastest of the APRC competitors ahead of the more powerful rally cars of the national Chinese Rally Championship’s own categories. But two stages later, the Team Cusco driver had to survive a heart-stopping moment.

    “I entered one corner a little bit too fast and hit something with the left rear side of my car,” Sumiyama confessed. Although the suspension was bent, he managed to return to service, where Team Cusco’s mechanics fixed the car. The time loss made him drop significantly in the general classification. But when his opponent for the APRC category win, New Zealand driver Mike Young, had to retire due to a broken engine and Sumiyama reached the finish line as APRC winner.

    On the podium, the winning pair and the whole Team Cusco were greeted by a cheering crowd, amongst them Dr. Ralf Hanschen, President ŠKODA China.

    Final standings FIA APRC (after five rounds, one round cancelled):

    1. Yuya Sumiyama (JPN), ŠKODA FABIA R5, 193 points
    2. Fabio Frisiero (ITA), Peugeot 208 AP4, 79 points
    3. Michael Young (NZL), Toyota Vitz AP4, 37 points

    FIA APRC Cup for Manufacturers (after five rounds, one round cancelled):

    1. ŠKODA, 193 points
    2. Peugeot, 79 points
    3. Subaru, 38 points

    FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) – ŠKODA’s titles:

    2018 Sumiyama/Yasui (JPN/JPN) ŠKODA FABIA R5

    2017 Gill/Prévot (IND/BEL) ŠKODA FABIA R5

    2016 Gill/Macneall (IND/NZL) ŠKODA FABIA R5

    2015 Tidemand/Axelsson (SWE/SWE) ŠKODA FABIA R5/ŠKODA FABIA S2000

    2014 Kopecký/Dresler (CZE/CZE) ŠKODA FABIA S2000

    2013 Gill/Macneall (IND/NZL) ŠKODA FABIA S2000

    2012 Atkinson/ Prévot (NZL/BEL) ŠKODA FABIA S2000

  • Paddon drives to fourth International Rally of Whangarei win; Sumiyama tops APRC field

    Paddon drives to fourth International Rally of Whangarei win; Sumiyama tops APRC field

    Hayden Paddon, winner of International Rally of Whangarei. Photo: Geoff Ridder

    Whangarei, 6 May 2018: Fastest across all 18 of the weekend’s special stages at the ENEOS International Rally of Whangarei, WRC driver Hayden Paddon and co-driver Mal Peden clinched in their Hyundai i20, here on Sunday. Paddon comfortably won the opening round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) and the second round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC) by a margin of 7mins, 26.3secs.

    “It’s been a a very good weekend. Everything has gone according to plan and I’ve enjoyed the roads up here. The others have also done a very good job, so the event has been great. I’ve been pretty comfortable with how everything has gone this weekend and it’s paid off,” said a measured Paddon, just before lifting the kauri trophy at the ceremonial finish.

    A total of 29 cars returned to Whangarei for the ceremonial finish at the quayside town basin. Of the four international entrants, only two made to the finish after today’s eight special stages, held south of Whangarei.

    APRC topper Yuya Sumiyama. Photo: Geoff Ridder

    Running second to Paddon after the first three of the weekend stages ex-pat Kiwi Mike Young and co-driver Malcolm Read were unable to resume competition for today’s final leg, after retiring on the Saturday with radiator damage in their Toyota Vitz. Fuyuhiko Takahashi and co-driver Mitsuo Nakamura (Subaru) left the road in the morning’s third test while a mistake in the earlier loop of today’s stages by overnight leader Fabio Frisiero and Simone Scattolin in their Peugeot allowed Yuya Sumiyama and Takahiro Yasui to climb ahead in their Skoda Fabia. Sumiyama finished 11th overall while Italy’s Frisiero finished 15th.

    “I’m very very happy but very very lucky. The roads have been very fast, and I have liked the weekend. Today I just tried to go faster and I am lucky to win,” said Sumiyama.

    Contesting the New Zealand roads for a third time in his career, Frisiero said the level of competition was very high: “I’m feeling a lot better this afternoon and I’ve enjoyed it so much. It’s been the best. We tried to catch Sumiyama this afternoon but it was impossible, he was just too fast and congratulations to him for getting the win.

    “It’s also been a surprise for us to even be here, and in this position so I’m extremely happy. The roads have been very slippery and narrow in some places but very fast. You have to know the roads to be able to drive them fast and my compliments go to the NZ drivers who went very fast.”

    Standing alongside Paddon and Peden on the podium was Auckland’s Ben Hunt and Tony Rawstorn (Subaru) while Australian Rally Champion Nathan Quinn and David Calder (Ford) finished third, a further 1m04.6sec behind Hunt.

    “It’s been a fantastic weekend. To get second at Otago and second here in Whangarei is an awesome result for the team and the car – that’s come a long way. I love the roads up here and the way we hop in and out of them is fantastic – so overall it’s been a great event,” commented Hunt.

    Celebrating 30 years of APRC competition, the internationals ship their cars to Australia for the series second round: 1 – 3 June. The NZRC series heads back to the South Island for the 3 June running of the Lone Star Canterbury Rally.

    ENEOS International Rally of Whangarei Results (Top-10 Overall, provisional): 1. Hayden Paddon / Mal Peden, Hyundai i20; 2. Ben Hunt / Tony Rawstorn, Subaru WRX +04:02.4; 3. Nathan Quinn / David Calder, Ford Fiesta +05:03.3; 4. Emma Gilmour / Anthony McLaughlin, Suzuki Swift +05:08.5; 5. Dylan Turner / Sarah Breenan, Audi S1 +05:16.4; 6. Josh Marston / Andrew Graves, Holden Barina +06:04.2; 7. Eugene Creugnet  / Philippe Delrieu, Mitsubishi Lander +06:12.0; 8. Regan Ross / Samantha Gray, Ford Escort +07:27.5; 9. David Holder / Jason Farmer, Ford Fiesta +08:00.7; 10. Marcus van Klink / Dave Neill, Mazda RX8 +08:07.1.

    FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship: 1. Yuya Sumiyama / Takahiro Yasui (Skoda Fabia); 2. Fabio Frisiero / Simone Scattolin (Peugeot).