Twin Ring Motegi

Twin Ring Motegi
ツ イ ン リ ン ク も て ぎ (Tsuin Rinku Motegi)

Address: 120-1 Hiyama, Motegi Haga, Tochigi, 321-3597
Motegi , Japan
Route type:	permanent race track
Owner:	Honda
Operator:	Mobilityland Corporation, Ltd.
Building-costs:	5 billion yen
Opening:	August 1997
Speedway oval
Egg-shaped oval
Route data
Route length:	2.5  km (1.55  mi )
Curves:	4th
Curve superelevation:	10 °
Audience capacity:	68,156
Records
Course record: (Indy Japan)	0: 26.425 min. (Tony Kanaan, Mo Nunn Racing Reynard Honda, 2002)
Street course
Route data
Route length:	4.8  km (2.98  mi )
Curves:	14th
Records
Track record: (automobile)	1: 38.3918 min. (Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda, 2011)
Track record: (motorcycle)	1: 45.350 min. ( Jorge Lorenzo , Yamaha YZR-M1 , 2014 )
http://www.twinring.jp

Coordinates: 36 ° 32 ′ 1 ″  N , 140 ° 13 ′ 39 ″  E

The Twin Ring Motegi is a modern racing circuit in Motegi , Japan . The name Twin ( . English for twin ) derives from it that the track of two separate round trips is: A 2.4 km long oval track and a 4.8-km-long road course.

The circuit was built in 1997 by the Honda group, who tried to bring the Champ Car racing series to Japan in order to expand their know-how in this area.

The oval

The oval is the only racetrack of its kind in Japan and was only used once a year between 1998 and 2010 for a race of the Indy or Champ Cars . Because of the egg-shaped track layout with different angles of inclination and curve radii and the fact that the last race before the Indianapolis 500 was held between 2003 and 2006, the track and its date were viewed by all teams as an ideal test run. In 1998, a NASCAR series was also held there.

Despite the home advantage of the Honda company, which also uses the oval as a test track, it was unable to record a win there in the first six years. It wasn't until 2004 that Dan Wheldon achieved success for Honda.

The oval was so badly damaged by the Tōhoku earthquake in 2011 that the last IndyCar race for the time being was held on the street circuit in September 2011. For economic reasons, no more IndyCar races will be held for the time being.

Winner IndyCars / Champ Cars

season	date	winner	chassis	engine	team
CART Champ Car winner
Budweiser 500k
1998	28th March	Adrián Fernández	Reynard	Ford - Cosworth	Patrick Racing
Firestone Firehawk 500k
1999	10th of April	Adrián Fernández	Reynard	Ford - Cosworth	Patrick Racing
2000	May 13th	Michael Andretti	Lola	Ford - Cosworth	Newman / Haas Racing
2001	May 19th	Kenny Bräck	Lola	Ford - Cosworth	Team Rahal
Bridgestone Potenza 500k
2002	April 27	Bruno Junqueira	Lola	Toyota	Chip Ganassi Racing
IRL / IndyCar Series Winner
Indy Japan 300
2003	April 13th	Scott Sharp	Dallara	Toyota	Kelley Racing
2004	April 16	Dan Wheldon	Dallara	Honda	Andretti Green Racing
2005	April, 30th	Dan Wheldon	Dallara	Honda	Andretti Green Racing
2006	April 22	Helio Castroneves	Dallara	Honda	Penske Racing
2007	April 21	Tony Kanaan	Dallara	Honda	Andretti Green Racing
2008	20th of April	Danica Patrick	Dallara	Honda	Andretti Green Racing
2009	September 19th	Scott Dixon	Dallara	Honda	Chip Ganassi Racing
2010	September 18	Helio Castroneves	Dallara	Honda	Penske Racing
Indy Japan: The Final (street course)
2011	17th of September	Scott Dixon	Dallara	Honda	Chip Ganassi Racing

The street course

The street course is 4.8 km long and shares the pit lane and the main grandstand with the oval. It is therefore not possible to run races in parallel on both courses, even if the courses are completely independent of each other. In addition, both courses are used in opposite directions. The street course is driven clockwise and the oval counterclockwise.

The street course is a modern but conventional race track with eleven curves and - by Japanese standards - a relatively flat height profile. The course can be used in three different versions using connectors: as a complete course and in two short versions. The short versions are mainly used for junior classes such as Formula 4 or FJ1600 .

There are considerably more racing events on this course than on the oval. The Formula Nippon was previously twice as a guest, the Super GT - and super Taikyu vehicles once each. There are also other local events almost every weekend.

In addition to car races , motorcycle races are also very popular and, in addition to an annual race for the Japanese Grand Prix for the motorcycle world championship , various national motorcycle races such as the All Japan Road Race Championship are held here.

All top class winners in the motorcycle world championship

year	winner	motorcycle	tires	time	Route length	Round	Ø pace	date	GP of
1999	Kenny Roberts Jr.	Suzuki		51: 54.386 min	4.801 km	25th	138.740 km / h	April 25	Japan
2004	Makoto Tamada	Honda		43: 43.220 min	4.801 km	24	158.129 km / h	September 19th
2005	Loris Capirossi	Ducati		43: 30.499 min	4.801 km	24	158.899 km / h	September 18
2006	Loris Capirossi	Ducati		43: 13.585 min	4.801 km	24	159.936 km / h	September 24th
2007	Loris Capirossi	Ducati	B.	47: 05.484 min	4.801 km	24	146.806 km / h	September 23rd
2008	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	B.	43: 09.599 min	4.801 km	24	160.182 km / h	September 28th
2009	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	B.	43: 47.238 min	4.801 km	24	157.887 km / h	26th of April
2010	Casey Stoner	Ducati	B.	43: 12.266 min	4.801 km	24	160.017 km / h	October 3
2011	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	B.	42: 47.481 min	4.801 km	24	161.562 km / h	October 2nd
2012	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	B.	42: 31.569 min	4.801 km	24	162.569 km / h	October 14th
2013	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	B.	42: 34.291 min	4.801 km	24	162.396 km / h	October 27
2014	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	B.	42: 21.259 min	4.801 km	24	163.229 km / h	October 12th
2015	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	B.	46: 50.767 min	4.801 km	24	147.578 km / h	October 11th
2016	Marc Marquez	Honda	M.	42: 34.610 min	4.801 km	24	162.376 km / h	October, 16th
2017	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	M.	47: 14.236 min	4.801 km	24	146.356 km / h	15th October
2018	Marc Marquez	Honda	M.	42: 36.438 min	4.801 km	24	162,200 km / h	October 21
2019	Marc Marquez	Honda	M.	42: 41.492 min	4.801 km	24	161.900 km / h	the 20th of October

Record winner drivers: Loris Capirossi , Jorge Lorenzo , Marc Márquez , Dani Pedrosa (3 each)
Record winner constructors: Honda (7)
Record winner nations: Spain (9)

Other equipment

In addition to the main routes and the divisible road course, there is also a sprint route (1/4 mile) for acceleration races and a trial route .

Outside of the races, the main attraction is the Honda Collection Hall , where all types of historic Honda vehicles can be viewed, as well as a technology and training center.

Special features of the racetrack

The Twin Ring Motegi was the first racetrack ever to combine both types - oval and street course - without having to compromise on the track layout. However, this partially restricts the view of the route for the spectators. Other points of criticism are the poor connection of the racetrack to the motorway and railway network and the insufficient number of overnight accommodations near the racetrack.

Trivia

The racetrack has gained additional popularity primarily through the Gran Turismo simulation series and has also been available for download for Forza Motorsport 2 since 2007 . In the successors, Forza Motorsport 3 and 4 , the track is also included. Motegi has been available as paid content in the iracing simulation since 2014 . The street course has also been available in RaceRoom since July 2018 .

Web links

Commons : Twin Ring Motegi  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Official website (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Steam: RaceRoom has been updated! steamcommunity.com, accessed July 11, 2018.