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2013 42nd International Pokka Sapporo 1000km


The 2013 42nd International Pokka Sapporo 1000km was the fifth round of the 2013 Super GT season and the 42nd running of the 1000 km Suzuka event. It took place on August 18, 2013 at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka City, Japan.

Team Kunimitsu drivers Takuya Izawa and Takashi Kogure led the GT500 championship standings by one point over Lexus Team DENSO SARD's Juichi Wakisaka and Hiroaki Ishiura, while Team Mugen led the GT300 championship over Autobacs Racing Team Aguri in the second Honda CR-Z.

Following the SUGO race, the Japan Automobile Federation adjusted the Balance of Performance for Suzuka. The fuel tanks on the FIA GT3 cars were increased in capacity from a maximum of 100L to 110L. The miniumum ground clearance for the JAF-GT cars was increased from 45mm to 53mm and a fuel flow restrictor was added to the fuel rigs for JAF-GT teams.

Team Mach returned to the championship at Suzuka, however they had swapped their Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 they started the season with, replacing it with a Nissan GT-R GT3. Tomei Sports Nissan GT-R GT3 was not entered for the race, nor was the Dijon Racing Callaway Corvette Z06.R GT3 which had competed in two of the four rounds in the season.

With Suzuka being the longest race on the championship calendar, bonus points would be awarded for all 10 points scoring positions. Instead of 20 points being awarded for the win, 25 points were awarded to the winner of the race. With the race also being the longest on the calendar, 15 of the 23 GT300 teams elected to run a third driver in their car. Gran Turismo Academy winner Lucas Ordóñez was entered in the race with NDDP Racing while former World Touring Car Championship and American Le Mans Series driver Jörg Müller was entered as a third driver for the GSR Hatsune Miku team. As in the 2012 race, 2013 All-Japan Formula Three champion Yuichi Nakayama was the third driver for apr, while Carlo van Dam returned to Super GT with the Cars Tokai Dream28 McLaren.


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