Wednesday, November 13th, 2024 - Motegi, Japan
Written by Alex Caruso
The first round of the IVRA series at Motegi brought a formidable challenge for Hyperion Racing as we faced off in this rarely-used track on the iRacing circuit. Preparation for this high-caliber event began weeks before race day, with a core group of six drivers, each putting in significant time to familiarize themselves with the nuances of Motegi. Leading the charge, Alex Caruso developed a setup from scratch, which was then fine-tuned with input from Derek Hyberger, Dávid Végh, Doug Sorrentino, and Toby Prosser. As race week arrived, a forecast of rain signaled the importance of wet-weather driving, with British teammate Toby jumping at the opportunity to master the course in rain-like conditions. His confidence in the wet was palpable, and he contributed hours of practice to ensure he’d be prepared.
Dávid's Qualifying & The Start of the Race
When qualifying arrived, Dávid Végh pulled off a stunning performance, piloting the #104 Hyperion LMP2 to P5 with a lap just shy of P4 by mere thousandths. His effort set a new team lap record by three-tenths, showcasing the skill and pace that had been cultivated in the weeks leading up to race day.
With the green flag, Dávid took a cautious start, aiming to keep the car clean amid the aggressive moves from drivers behind. Though he lost a couple of places in the opening laps, Dávid soon found himself in a tight battle with the Effect LMP2 entry. In a dramatic side-by-side fight through the first five turns, the battle ended abruptly when contact was made just before the esses, resulting in significant damage to both cars. An additional LMP2 from Composite Performance was collected in the incident, triggering the race’s first full-course yellow. Despite the bruised state of our LMP2, the damage was repairable, and Dávid took charge in his remaining stint, pushing the car to its limits while managing repairs at each pit stop.
Mid-Race Charge by Toby & Doug’s Debut
With the repairs as complete as possible, Toby took over next, showing immediate comfort on track against some of the highest-caliber drivers in iRacing. Executing a double tire stint, Toby methodically climbed back up to the mid-pack of the LMP2 field, preserving tire sets in case rain arrived. His efforts allowed us to maximize track position and left us in a strong spot as we prepared for Doug Sorrentino’s IVRA debut.
Doug faced the challenging task of getting to grips with the car in its post-collision condition. Despite his best efforts, he found it tough to match the pace he had shown in practice, complicated by two minor incidents with slower-class cars. Frustrated but undeterred, Doug fulfilled a critical role in preserving our strategic flexibility by double-stinting the tires, setting us up for the final push in the race.
Toby’s Late-Race Charge & Strategic Challenges
As the threat of rain faded, Toby returned to the driver’s seat, fully focused on salvaging the race. Now with two fresh tire sets available, he embarked on two long fuel runs, squeezing every bit of pace out of the car. Late into his second stint, a multi-car incident elsewhere on the track triggered the race’s second and final full-course yellow. Being a lap down at this stage, we had to carefully strategize to maximize the chance of receiving a wave-around to get back on the lead lap. Due to some confusion with the LMP2 leader’s pit cycle, race control initially denied us this wave-around, but Doug, quick on his feet, jumped into the stewards' virtual office to plead our case. His persuasive argument paid off, and race control reversed the decision, granting us the crucial lap back.
However, in the midst of the chaos, we missed the chance to pit for fresh tires and fuel, leaving Toby with worn tires and only five laps of fuel remaining as he rejoined the pack. Restarting in 9th, Toby made the most of his fleeting tire advantage, slicing through competitors to reach P5. Unfortunately, our compromised strategy meant Toby had to pit shortly after, where Dávid took over for the final stint. Despite Dávid’s best efforts, the unavoidable extra stop cost us positions, and we ultimately crossed the line in 9th after a valiant effort.
Final Reflections
The #104 Hyperion LMP2 had endured a challenging but character-building race. A mix of highs and setbacks defined our run at Motegi, but the preparation and teamwork displayed by our drivers made for a memorable debut. While the result didn’t meet our expectations, the skills and resilience shown by Dávid , Toby, and Doug were commendable and have set a solid foundation for the rounds to come. As we look to Sebring, we’re armed with lessons learned and are more determined than ever to harness our pace and potential. Expect a fierce comeback as we build on this experience and bring our A-game in Round 2.
