Giuliano Alesi after his victory at SUGO: "No need to put yourself under any particular pressure"

Giuliano Alesi is back in Super GT. The Frenchman, exiled in Japan since 2021, took a precious victory on Sunday at the spectacular SUGO circuit, alongside Ukyo Sasahara on the Toyota #37 of the TOM'S team. Precious, because this second victory of the season (after Suzuka last June) allows him to come back to just one point behind the leaders of the Japanese championship, Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita, who drive the sister car at TOM'S.

Despite difficult and wet conditions – qualifying had even been cancelled the day before due to rain, forcing the stewards to take the Free Practice classification to establish the grid – the Franco-Japanese duo managed a fantastic comeback from 14th place, thanks in particular to a sublime first stint by Ukyo Sasahara at the start of the race on a wet track.

“SUGO is a circuit where overtaking is very difficult. However, we started from far back and drove aggressively, explains Giuliano Alesi after his victory. I think it did us good. Ukyo (Sasahara) started 14th on the grid, but even in a very difficult situation he left the car to me in first position. He drove very well and it was great. Regarding the tyres, the wets and then the slicks were the best choices. I am really grateful. The conditions were difficult, but the balance of the car and the tyres were good, and I was able to drive confidently at a good pace. (…) In the second half of the race, which I drove, I thought we could go faster if the track dried. But the conditions were so difficult that I am really happy that the whole team was able to work without making any mistakes.

“It was a really good day for us and for the #37 TOM’S team car to win like this. Last year was a really tough year, so I feel really special for today’s win. I’m really happy that we were able to finish the race with the best possible result.”, he adds.

Alesi doesn't have the title in mind (yet)

Now a contender for the Super GT title after his first two victories in the discipline, second in the championship with three rounds to go in the season, Giuliano Alesi does not want to get carried away and put himself under pressure. The son of Jean Alesi will take the deadlines race by race, especially since the n°37 will be penalised by additional weight at the next meeting, at Autopolis.

“The ‘Success Weight’ will be much heavier in the next race… It’s the equivalent of two levels of fuel flow restrictors, so it won’t be easy. So I think we just have to work hard for the next three races, and the same for the next round. I don’t think there’s any need to put any particular pressure on ourselves, especially when it comes to the championship, estimates the Tricolor. I think it’s very important to focus on each race and do your best. It’s a team sport, so rather than letting one person feel the pressure, we should all do our best together. If the set-up, the drivers, the strategy, everything goes well, I think the results will come. I’ll keep that in mind for the next three races.”

Comments collected by Tetsuya Tsuzuki

ALSO READ > SUGO – TOM'S and Toyota win with Alesi, Wadoux takes his first podium