COLT F2C I n 1969 the high level of Japanese formula car motorsport had become well recognized and formula car events were the major events on the calendar. Among these events was the JAF Grand Prix which was Japan's first International formula car event and participants from as far away as Australia came to compete. 27 cars were enter in the race, with the Mitsubishi factory team of 3 improved F2Bs (entered as "Colt F2C"s) on the grid to do battle. The F2Cs, basically F2Bs fitted with wings, were in the hands of the top Japanese drivers of the day and it was one of these drivers, Tetsu Ikuzawa, who showed the speed of the local product when he qualified on pole position. In the race the foreign contingent fresh from the Tasman Series (a series of races held in Australia and New Zealand during the European off-season) took the top two places but one of the F2C's took third outright. In addition, following on from the entry at Macau the previous year an F2C driven by Sohei Kato took 3rd position in the main race of the event, giving even more evidence of how the technical expertise of Mitsubishi was now of world rank. Another important point about this year was that it can be regarded as the first year of the real internationalization of Japanese motorsport, with an increasing number of international events being held from this time on. BACK

Copyright 1996,1997 by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.