Little and large, but
Yamamoto and Button
are dream Super GT combo26 AUTOSPORT.COM 25 JULY 2019INTERVIEW NAOKI YAMAMOTO
was overshadowed by team-mate Pierre Gasly (second to ninth)
as Mugen expanded to two cars for the first time since 2013-14.
Gasly’s form coincided with the introduction of Honda’s new
HR-417E engine, a much better proposition than its predecessor,
and Yamamoto was able to carry that on into 2018, when he
beat Toyota’s Nick Cassidy to the title in a thrilling Suzuka
showdown. “It was a fantastic race, a fabulous race,” he grins.
“It was thanks to Nick that we were able to have such a
battle – I really honour his fighting spirit.”
That, reckons Yamamoto, was by far the best of his two
Super Formula titles. His first, in 2013, had come when he
leapfrogged Andre Lotterer and Loic Duval – both absent
due to a clashing World Endurance Championship round
with Audi – in the traditional Suzuka double-header finale
to claim the crown. “I wasn’t deeply and truly satisfied
because there was a disadvantage for them,” he confesses.
But 2018 was a proper title. Not only that, but he became
a father to twin girls, and was again able to deny Cassidy, this
time in Super GT, where he was joined by Button in the Team
Kunimitsu Honda NSX. His time with 1977 Japanese GP starter
Kunimitsu Takahashi’s operation dates back to 2010, save for
two seasons away at the Dome squad, and he’d always partneredTakuya Izawa at the team. Usually there or thereabouts together,
their Button-enforced split (Izawa went to Aguri Suzuki’s team)
did them both good: “You realise your approach for the best
set-up was different, but when we were working together we
couldn’t see it. He’s succeeded by changing teams as well.
And me, I’m with Jenson, so we’re both happy.”
What did Yamamoto feel when he discovered that his
co-driver would be Button? “It was like... I’m going to be
team-mate with a world champion! I was surprised, but
I thought, ‘Oh, another chance for me to do my best’.”
While Yamamoto was very much team leader on the way to
that 2018 title, he was impressed with Button. “Of course if I help
him it will help both of us,” he reasons. “I’ve learned a lot from
him too. He’s a Formula 1 champion but he works really hard,“HONESTLY I NEVER TALKED TO RED
BULL. I JUST WENT TO ABU DHABI
AND I MET DR HELMUT MARKO”