Ferrari Challenge Japan

Miki Koyama takes pole position for the second consecutive race

Miki Koyama, who showed overwhelming speed in Race 1 held the previous day, achieved her second consecutive victory.

Starting this season, the one-make race “Ferrari Challenge” will be contested by the “296 Challenge.” As befits a gentleman’s race, the drivers are divided into classes based on their skill. First, there is the top class Trofeo Pirelli and the entry class Coppa Shell, which are then further divided into Expert and Amateur (Am), for a total of four classes. Following Race 1 on Saturday, Race 2 was held on Sunday at Suzuka Circuit, where the F1 Japanese Grand Prix is also held.

In the Trofeo Pirelli, Miki Koyama, who showed overwhelming speed in Race 1 held the previous day, also achieved a pole-to-win in Race 2, taking advantage of the gap to Anna Inotsume, who qualified second under the safety car, and showing the ability to adjust her pace to achieve her second consecutive win. As this is a one-off race, her future after the next race is undecided, but if she competes the full season, she will likely be a contender for the championship. Coming in third was Tadao Uematsu, who came second in Race 1.

In the Trofeo Pirelli Am, which saw five cars enter, Motohiko Isozaki, who also competes in the Ferrari Challenge Europe and won his class in the Coppa Shell Am, drove safely to achieve pole-to-win. This was a welcome first win for the 296 Challenge, as he missed out on victory in Race 1 after a solo spin. Second place went to Yamatatsu, who made his debut in Round 1.

High-level driving in Coppa Shell

Tadao Uematsu came third in the Trofeo Pirelli. The road conditions gradually improved from puddles remaining everywhere.

In the Coppa Shell, which saw four cars compete, Phil Kim showed the same flawless driving that he did in Race 1, demonstrating his ability to compete in the Trofeo Pirelli Am. He delivered a stunning performance, beating second place by more than 20 seconds, achieving his second consecutive pole-to-win. Ryutaro Saito, who came in a disappointing second place in Race 1, took his first win of the season in the Coppa Shell Am. He commented that after coming in second by a narrow margin last season, he is determined to aim for the championship this season.

The Ferrari Challenge Japan raced in the rain for Race 2, and it was impressive to see how the 296 Challenge was easy to handle even in the rain, with many gentleman drivers saying they were able to enjoy the race with peace of mind. Round 2 will be held at Autopolis in Oita, Kyushu, from May 24th to 25th.