Suzuka International Circuit

Round 1: Ohta Triumphs as Honda Dominates Suzuka Opener

Pole to Victory: Ohta Holds Off Iwasa in a Thrilling Finish

The season opener at Suzuka delivered an electrifying qualifying session, with Honda locking out the front row. Kakunoshin Ohta stormed to pole for Docomo Team Dandelion Racing, narrowly edging out Team Mugen’s Ayumu Iwasa. Toyota’s Sho Tsuboi and Kamui Kobayashi lined up fourth and fifth, respectively.

When the lights went out, Ohta controlled the race from the front, absorbing relentless pressure from Iwasa. Despite a late push from the Team Mugen driver, Ohta held firm, crossing the line just 0.197s ahead to claim victory. Ren Sato completed the podium for Honda, securing a clean sweep of the top three for the manufacturer.

Sho Tsuboi finished as the best-placed Toyota driver in fourth, while Kamui Kobayashi rounded out the top five. Tomoki Nojiri struggled with mid-race pace and finished seventh. Zak O’Sullivan and Kenta Yamashita ensured Toyota remained in the points, finishing eighth and ninth, respectively.

Round 2: Makino's Masterclass Secures Victory at Suzuka

Enjoyed reading so far? Don’t be shy, subscribe to us to read more about how Asians are faring in global motorsport 🌏🏎️💨

Strategic Brilliance Sees Makino Outshine Pole-Sitter Nojiri

Honda continued its dominance in qualifying, with Tomoki Nojiri taking pole for Team Mugen, leading a Honda 1-2-3 ahead of Iwasa and Ohta. Toyota’s Sho Tsuboi was the best of the rest in fourth, while Tadasuke Makino lined up fifth.

However, when it mattered most, it was Makino who delivered a strategic masterclass, executing a well-timed race plan to claim victory for Docomo Team Dandelion Racing. Sho Tsuboi secured Toyota’s first podium of the season with second place, while Iwasa made it two podiums in as many races by finishing third.

Pole-sitter Nojiri had to settle for fourth after losing positions early on. Meanwhile, Igor Omura Fraga impressed with a spirited drive to finish fifth, just ahead of teammate Ren Sato. Syun Koide and Toshiki Oyu also secured crucial points, finishing seventh and eighth, respectively, while Kamui Kobayashi took ninth.

The biggest surprise of the race was Round 1 winner Ohta, who struggled for pace and finished outside the points in 12th.