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Formula Sprint 2
Japanese Grand Prix
Suzuka International Racing Course
Tuesday 2nd of April 2024 19:00:00
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August 12, 2010
Published on tags: Superleague
The first ever GPVWC Argentine Grand Prix saw the Superleague cars coming to the testing Buenos Aires track, a high-speed circuit with unforgiving corners. Some drivers expressed concern about the attrition rate of this event, but once some safety issues were dealt with by the organisers the race got green lights to go ahead.

Qualifying saw Championship leader Janne Tanskanen edging Mark Wicks, with the ever present Kieran Ryan in 3rd and Wayne Mullins, making the best of his high-powered Ferrari engine, in fourth. Jason Musat on Red Archer and Phil Perkins on the second Draig filled row 3.

The start, with its treacherous kink to the right, saw scenes of chaos as Phil Perkins failed to get off the marks cleanly: having lost 6 positions, he was hit by Adam Smith and went to the barriers, retiring on the spot. As Mullins's car smoked out, blinding people behind him, Muscat made his way into third position while, in the back, a contact at high-speed turn 3 sent both Ponissi and Nemet in the wall - the Romanian retiring on the spot, the Italian after limping back to the pits. Mark Fuller and Chris Williamson were the big winners of lap 1, both increasing their standing by 6 positions.

Unfortunately for Williamson, he was to be one of the first victims of the killer kerbs in the mixed part of the track; the engine of his ST Racing didn't like a very harsh bump and let go, wasting the chance of some good points for the British outfit. Debutant Ryan Walker, on Oz Racing, got tangled in some close fighting with David Stanton, who unfortunately retired through a crash around the midway point - only to be followed by his brother Mark a few laps later.

High-flying Kieran Ryan, who was running 2nd at the time, saw his chances of a podium slip away when he misjudged his lapping attempt over Tim-Oliver Wagner and went to the wall, losing 4 places as a result. Wagner retired as a consequence from the incident, a fate that is reserved for Sam Millar as well - his engine the latest of a series to succumb to the high-power track.

As Janne Tanskanen crossed the line for a comfortable win over Mark Wicks, Red Archer was left jubilant as they clinched their first ever podium in history, courtesy of Jason Muscat.