SUPER FORMULA

The formula series closest to F1

The All-Japan Super Formula Championship is Japan’s highest level formula racing series, which began in 1973, and is currently one of the most popular racing series in Asia. It is positioned directly below F1 and is considered a stepping stone to F1 alongside FIA-F2. This series always attracts attention as it brings together the country’s top drivers and teams and requires extremely high levels of skill and strategy.

All teams use the same chassis, the SF23, and Yokohama tires, with a 2000cc inline 4-cylinder turbo engine. Two types of engines are used, Toyota and Honda, and both are tuned to provide roughly equivalent performance. As a result, in Super Formula, the driver’s ability, the team’s technical ability, and even strategy are more important factors than the performance of the machines, resulting in extremely heated races. The races, where time is decided by 1/1000 of a second, continue to captivate fans, and it can truly be said to be “the formula series closest to F1.”

To gain an advantage in the second half

With the season now halfway through, we’re entering a crucial period with just five races remaining. The race held at Mobility Resort Motegi in August attracted particular attention. This race would have a major impact on the outcome of the championship, and each driver needed to position themselves favorably in the second half of the season. TEAM MUGEN’s Tomoki Nojiri and Ayumu Iwasa had been performing well since the start of the season, consistently finishing in the top three in qualifying at every race, but at the Motegi race they missed out on a spot in the top three. Yamashita Kenta secured pole position in qualifying, a remarkable feat for the first time in seven years. Second place went to Kakunoshin Ota, who has shown remarkable speed in recent years, and third place went to Toshiki Oyu.

In the final race, Yamashita maintained the lead in the early stages, and by the time the team finished pitting for a tire change, Ota was in the lead, with Makino Tadasuke in second place, and DOCOMO TEAM DANDELION engaged in a fierce battle in a 1-2 formation. However, with one lap remaining, Ota encountered trouble and spun out. Makino brilliantly avoided this situation and took the checkered flag in first place, earning his second win of the season. Yamashita came in second, and Nojiri caught up and took third place, steadily accumulating points.

Tsuboi achieves three wins in all three races at Fuji

Tsuboi achieved victory in all three races at Fuji.

Rounds 6 and 7, held at Fuji Speedway in October, were particularly noteworthy, as they were held in a two-race format. In qualifying for Round 6, Fukuzumi secured his second pole position, followed by Ota, Nojiri, and Iwasa. In the final race, Iwasa, who qualified in fourth place, got off to a great start and took the lead, but was unable to improve his pace and was overtaken by Nojiri and Sho Tsuboi, dropping him to third place. After a tire change, he regained the lead, but was overtaken by Tsuboi, who was closing in from behind. Tsuboi ultimately drove a brilliant race to secure his second win of the season. Iwasa came in second, and Kamui Kobayashi came in third, his first win since 2019.

In the seventh round, Tsuboi, who had won the previous day, maintained his momentum and took pole position. At this point, Tsuboi was leading the series rankings going into the final race. In the race, Tsuboi took the holeshot at the start, followed by Makino in second place and Fukuzumi in third. The race was rough and the safety car was deployed three times, but Tsuboi maintained a steady pace and took the checkered flag in first place. This meant that Tsuboi had won all three races at Fuji and was heading into the final round as the points leader.

A long-awaited series champion

The final tournament, held at Suzuka Circuit in November, was a two-race format with the eighth round attracting particular attention. In this race, Ota showed impressive speed and secured pole position. Ota raced smoothly throughout the race, achieving his first pole-to-win. The battle for second place between Tsuboi and Makino was also intense, with Tsuboi coming in first and successfully gaining an advantage in the series championship race. Nojiri finished in fifth place and was eliminated from the title race due to the difference in points. This meant that it was ultimately down to a one-on-one battle between Tsuboi and Makino.

In the final race of the day, Round 9, Nojiri took pole position, but was unable to increase his pace and was overtaken by the cars behind him. In the end, Ota again dominated the race with a high pace and achieved his second consecutive victory. Tsuboi came in second, achieving his long-awaited series championship. DOCOMO TEAM DANDELION, who accumulated points in the second half of the race, won the team championship, and Iwasa was selected as Rookie of the Year.

Throughout the season, the 2024 SUPER FORMULA was a highly competitive event, with a record-breaking 209,600 spectators attending official races. As the series closest to F1, it has also attracted worldwide attention. During the off-season, young drivers such as Oliver Bearman, who will compete in F1 next season, and Takashi Koide, the SUPER FORMULA LIGHTS champion, participated in official tests, building excitement for next season. We can’t wait any longer for the start of next year’s season.

PHOTO/Wataru TAMURA