What a race. Round 6 of the All Japan Super Formula Championship at the Suzuka Circuit delivered total chaos under surprisingly warm December skies, with temperatures hitting 16°C and track temperatures at 24°C. Three separate safety car deployments, mechanical heartbreak, and fierce battles marked an unforgettable afternoon where rookie Toshiki Oyu (TCS NAKAJIMA RACING) stood on the top step for the very first time.
From the start, the field of 20 cars faced a two-lap formation tour before the lights went black. Pole-sitter Nick Cassidy (VANTELIN TEAM TOM’S) grabbed the holeshot, while Oyu held firm in second. Behind them, a stunning launch from fourth-grid starter Nirei Fukuzumi (DOCOMO TEAM DANDELION RACING) cleared Naoki Yamamoto (DOCOMO TEAM DANDELION RACING) for third. Meanwhile, Yuhi Sekiguchi (ITOCHU ENEX TEAM IMPUL) rocketed from ninth to fifth. Drama struck early for Charles Milesi (Buzz Racing with B-Max) on the formation lap when overheated brakes caused him to miss the second corner and plummet down the order, while engine-change penalty bearer Ukyo Sasahara (TEAM MUGEN) stalled on the grid to drop to the very back.
My pace didn't come up much, and I was terrified of when I'd be overtaken,
The race's doubled 200-second Overtake System allowance triggered immediate fights. Kamui Kobayashi (carrozzeria Team KCMG) lost a piece of his left-rear tire after a spin from Sacha Fenestraz (KONDO RACING) at the chicane, bringing out the first safety car. Things worsened for Yamamoto on lap 5 during the caution when his gearbox stuck in first gear, forcing an immediate retirement in the garage. Racing resumed on lap 6, but the real disaster hit leader Cassidy on lap 8. Charging hard with a 1:39.094 lap time, Cassidy suffered an engine failure with white smoke billowing from the rear, abandoning his car near the escape zone between turns 1 and 2. Kazuki Nakajima (VANTELIN TEAM TOM’S) picked up debris and suffered a punctured right-rear tire simultaneously, triggering the second safety car.
Oyu inherited the lead under caution, followed by Fukuzumi, Sekiguchi, Sho Tsuboi, Yuji Kunimoto, Ryo Hirakawa, Kenta Yamashita, Hiroaki Ishiuchi, Shinji Matsushita, Tomoki Nojiri, Kazuya Oshima, Tadasuke Makino, Tatiana Calderon, Milesi, Sasahara, and Kobayashi. The lap 10 pit window saw the leaders rush in, though traffic cost Hirakawa and Ishiuchi valuable time. After the restart on lap 12, battles raged continuously. Kunimoto passed Tsuboi on lap 14, and Nojiri pulled off a brilliant double-pass on Yamashita and Hirakawa at the chicane. But another twist arrived on lap 19 when Kunimoto suffered a right-rear tire failure in the S-curve, beaching his car in the gravel and bringing out the third safety car.
Following the final restart on lap 22, Oyu executed a clever slow-speed buildup before accelerating near 130R to keep Fukuzumi at bay. In the closing stages, Fukuzumi dropped the hammer with a 1:38.805 lap, slashing the gap to just 0.569 seconds. "My pace didn't come up much, and I was terrified of when I'd be overtaken," Oyu admitted. He managed his remaining Overtake System right to the final chicane to cross the line 0.462 seconds ahead of Fukuzumi, taking an emotional maiden victory.
Fukuzumi claimed second, while Sekiguchi fought off intense pressure from Tsuboi to take third and his first podium of the season. Behind them, Tsuboi, Nojiri, Yamashita, Hirakawa, Makino, Oshima, and Ishiuchi rounded out the points-paying positions, with Calderon finishing a respectable 11th after completing every race distance this season. In the championship standings, Yamamoto and Hirakawa head to the final showdown at Fuji Speedway tied on 55 points, with Cassidy and Nojiri still mathematically in the hunt.
