The drivers from the team's No. 1 BMW Z4M Coupe celebrate the title win - Masataka Yanagida (left), Fariqe Hairuman (centre) and Nobuteru Taniguchi (right)
PETRONAS Syntium Team
2009 Super Taikyu Endurance Series
Round 8 – Twin Ring Motegi racing course (Format: 250km)
Saturday 28 November 2009
PST trio triumphs in Motegi, Fariqe Hairuman becomes first Malaysian to take major endurance series title
It was a weekend to celebrate for the PETRONAS Syntium Team at the season finale round of the 2009 Super Taikyu Endurance Series last Saturday. Securing a double win at the weekend's two races on the Oval Super Speedway at Japan's Twin Ring Motegirace course, the trio of Masataka Yanagida, Nobuteru Taniguchi and Malaysian Fariqe Hairuman in the No. 1 BMW Z4M Coupe collected the maximum 25 points to bring their points total to 128 points, which was enough to crown the trio the 2009 Super Taikyu Endurance Series champions.
The result made it a back-to-back championship win for the PETRONAS Syntium Team, following the team's title win in 2008. This year the team were able to record another milestone for one of its drivers in the No. 1 BMW Z4M Coupe with Malaysian Fariqe Hairuman becoming the first Malaysian to win a major endurance series in Japan. In 2008, the PETRONAS Syntium Team were the first Malaysian team to win a major endurance series.
Meanwhile, coming into the round in third position overall in the championship, the team's No. 28 BMW Z4M Coupe driven by Tatsuya Kataoka, Hiroki Yoshida and young Malaysian rookie Johan Adzmi finished in second place in both races. Despite the result, the trio were not able to collect the points necessary to close the gap to the Tetsuya Team for second place in the championship and settled to close the championship out in third place.
The double win and double podium finish for the PETRONAS Syntium Team's two BMW Z4M Coupe at the season finale in Motegi has rounded off the 2009 season that has seen the team collect a total of 6 race wins, 7 other podium finishes, 7 pole positions and 7 fastest laps.
David Wong, Team Principal
"It has been an extremely competitive season for us this year! The championship fight was much more difficult especially with a much more competition from the other teams, particularly the Nissans. Nevertheless, Saturday's season finale round at Motegi's Oval Super Speedway was a great ending to what has been an exciting season for the PETRONAS Syntium Team. Winning the championship in our third year in the championship is a really special feeling. I believe it has been on the basis of great teamwork, regardless of colour, creed, culture or even age!
"We came into the season with really ambitious goals and all the hard work and dedication of every single member of the team, the encouragement and support from our partners, PETRONAS and ADVAN Yokohama, we were able to achieve the goal of defending the championship, this year through our No. 1 BMW Z4M Coupe. We are also incredibly proud of having achieved another milestone this year. With the No. 1 BMW Z4M Coupe winning the championship, this also means that Fariqe Hairuman has also become the first Malaysian to win a major endurance series! To have achieved it here in Japan where the quality of competition ranks as amongst the best is a great achievement for him!"
"Although we were not able to record the 1-2 championship finish with the No. 28 BMW Z4M Coupe, I am proud of what the two youngsters - Hiroki Yoshida and Johan Adzmi have been able to achieve this season alongside Tatsuya Kataoka. They have done a great job to have been able to compete alongside their seniors and against some of Japan's best. This series has really proven to be a great platform for us develop our junior drivers and I think we have managed to address this objective. The young drivers can definitely learn from this experience, working alongside their experienced seniors like [Nobuteru] Taniguchi, Yanagida and Kataoka."
BMW Z4M Coupe No. 1 - winner Race 1 & 2 (2009 Super Taikyu Endurance Series Champions)
Masataka Yanagida (JPN)
Fastest lap: 0:50.645min (Race 2)
"This is my third year with the team in this championship and to have finally achieved the goal of winning championship is a truly amazing feeling! It finally feels complete and I am so happy that it is hard to find the words to describe how I feel! Everything fell into place almost perfectly from the great teamwork on the team, a great car, the incredible support we got from our partners and the encouragement from our sponsors really makes this a championship win for all too! On that note, I
want to thank everyone from the team management to our partners Yokohama and PETRONAS and even the fans who have given us incredible support this year.
"It has been a competitive season where we had our ups and downs, for sure but we never gave up on the fighting spirit and that we believed would keep us going! I am proud of what me and my teammates have been able to achieve. Taniguchi has come and brought a different dimension to the fight and to Fariqe, who has been my teammate since the beginning in 2007, this achievement is truly special!"
Fariqe Hairuman (MAS)
Fastest lap: 0:50.947min (Race 2)
"I am so incredibly happy and extremely grateful with both the outcome of this weekend but also that my teammates and I have managed to come away with the championship this season! I have to thank so many people who have made this happen for us, in particular to David Wong for the opportunities he has given me, the team management, the engineers and mechanics who have put so much effort into preparing the best car for us, my family for the continued support, our partners PETRONAS and Yokohama for the encouragement and all the fans for their support!
"I also have to thank my teammates Masataka Yanagida and Nobuteru Taniguchi who have been instrumental in making this possible. They have been really great in helping me to improve my driving style, adjust to the competitive style here in Japan and for their coaching and guidance.
"This season is definitely the most memorable for me and I am so happy that we managed to come away with the title, especially after three years trying. We came so close last year and I am so happy that we managed to do it this year!
Nobuteru Taniguchi (JPN)
Fastest lap: 0:50.698min (Race 1)
"It was certainly our priority to win the championship this year without any trouble, and we didn't have any which enabled us to win! We came into the round with a single goal and stuck to our objectives and so I am really happy that we managed to come away with a double race win from this weekend. As there were three of us, I only drove the first race with Yanagida, while Fariqe and Yanagida drove the second race and I am really happy that everything worked as we had planned!
"On the whole the season has been a really great one for us. I am really happy and feel honoured to be a part of the championship-winning team! We have a great team, great drivers and really good car! Thank you to everyone on the team and all our partners who have supported us from the beginning."
BMW Z4M Coupe No. 28 - 2nd place Race 1 & 2 (2nd in Series Standings)
Tatsuya Kataoka (JPN)
Fastest lap: 0:50.484min (Race 1)
"The final race of the season this weekend was really special as it was the first time that the Super Taikyu championship round would be decided on the Oval Super Speedway of the Twin Ring Motegi race course. And things got off to a really great start for us from the practice sessions through to qualifying and the race itself. The car's performance was really great this weekend and along with the No. 1 car, we were the only two cars that could clock a really quick time.
"Naturally, we would have wanted to come away from this round with wins that would have helped us close the gap to Team Tetsuya and make it a championship 1-2 for the PETRONAS Syntium Team. However, this year the Nissans have been really competitive and unfortunately, we were only able to finish third overall after finishing both races in second position. I am still really happy and this is still a great outcome for us!
"2009 has not been an easy ride for us and therefore been a learning year for us. Of course had things gone in our favour, I am quite sure the fight would have been a lot closer but that is all 'what ifs' and doesn't achieve anything. There are still a lot of positives that have come out from the season. With my role coaching the two junior drivers, Yoshida and Johan, who is in his first full competitive season, we Since the first round this season to now both drivers have made huge improvements and impressed a lot of people, therefore I am proud to have been a part of that process!"
Hiroki Yoshida (JPN)
Fastest lap: 0:50.993min (Race 2)
"First of all, I want to congratulate our teammates Yanagida, Taniguchi and Fariqe on winning the championship this year! As one of the team's junior drivers, I have learned so much from this experience this year, especially with (Tatsuya) Kataoka as a mentor and coach to me and also to Johan.
"It has been a difficult season for us, especially competing against some of the best drivers around. There were some good and tough races this year but what is important is that I have learned through each and every race. For that I have to thank the team management, the engineers and mechanics, our partners and to my senior teammates for everything."
Johan Adzmi (MAS)
Fastest lap: 0:51.048min (Race 2)
"This has been such an incredible season for me, especially as this is very first full season competing in the series. It has been an amazing journey, working and learning with some of the best race car drivers around. I am thankful to David Wong and the team management, the team partners, engineers and mechanics for having the belief in me and support. To my 'seniors' on the team - Kataoka, Yanagida, Taniguchi, Fariqe for their encouragement and continuous advise. I have learned so much from everyone and want to say thank you!"
For information on the PETRONAS Syntium Team visit us online at www.teampetronas.com or www.petmos.com.my.
For information on the Super Taikyu Endurance Series, visit the official website at www.so-net.ne.jp/s-taikyu