Max Verstappen made a trip to the Fuji Speedway ahead of the Japanese GP. Red Bull now reveals why the four-time world champion was there: he was challenged to compete on the Japanese circuit, in rainy conditions, against experienced Super GT driver Atsushi Miyake. Verstappen then only needed two laps to beat the Japanese driver’s time in the GT500 car.
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Just before the Japanese GP, the first images emerged of Max Verstappen’s racing adventure at the Fuji Speedway. Red Bull now reveals the exact reason for the Dutchman’s trip to the Japanese circuit. Verstappen took on the challenge from Red Bull Motorsports to compete in a Nissan Z NISMO GT500 car against experienced Super GT driver Atsushi Miyake.
First time in a GT500 car
It was the first time Verstappen sat in a GT500 car and drove on the Fuji Speedway in rainy conditions. “If I don’t beat him, I’ll cut a corner,” Verstappen revealed his tactic ahead of his first attempt, in the new video from Red Bull Motorsports. The experienced Miyake was the first to go out to set a fast lap. The Japanese driver clocked a 01:44.075.
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Next it was Verstappen’s turn. The Dutchman still struggled to keep the GT500 car on the track during the warm-up lap but already drove a 01:44.142 during his first flying lap. During his second fast lap, Verstappen had the new car under control again and went two seconds under Miyake’s time: a 1:42.290. “He really is a world champion,” Miyake is impressed by Verstappen. “Because we got to drive the same car, I could clearly see how amazing his driving is.”
Watch the full video here:
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