Through two days of the Super Formula Championship’s winter test at Suzuka Circuit, Honda’s factory drivers have led all four test sessions.
Dandelion Racing’s Tadasuke Makino in the No. 5 Dallara SF23-Honda set the fastest time of the test so far on Thursday afternoon at 1m35.597s, leading his teammate Kakunoshin Ohta in the No. 6 Dandelion car (1m35.656s). Makino also led the first test session on Wednesday morning, while Ohta was quickest in Thursday morning’s session.
Makino and Ohta were among the five drivers confirmed as part of Honda’s Super Formula plans for 2025. The duo that combined for four wins and secured the teams’ championship last season will return to Dandelion Racing. It will be Ohta’s only Japanese campaign, as he has relinquished his seat in the Super GT Series GT500 class to focus on his new program in IMSA with Acura Meyer Shank Racing.
Honda also announced that two-time Super Formula Champion Tomoki Nojiri and 2024 Rookie of the Year Ayumu Iwasa will remain at Team Mugen in 2025, while Ren Sato will stay at Nakajima Racing in one of the team’s two cars. At least three more seats will be announced later by Nakajima Racing, B-Max Racing, and ThreeBond Racing.
Sato (no relation to Takuma) set the fastest time on Wednesday at 1m36.337s, and was fifth quickest on Thursday behind Nojiri, who was fourth.
The fastest Toyota-powered driver was Cerumo-INGING’s Sena Sakaguchi, who was third quickest on Thursday with a 1m35.967s, with his teammate Toshiki Oyu in sixth at the end of Thursday. Former Nissan Formula E driver Sacha Fenestraz, driving the No. 37 TOM’S Toyota, was 10th fastest in his return to the Super Formula paddock (1m36.591s).
Of the rookies taking part in testing, Igor Fraga has led all four sessions in the No. 64 Nakajima Racing Honda. The Brazilian-Japanese driver’s best lap on Thursday afternoon was a 1m36.252s, good enough for seventh overall — ahead of reign ing Super Formula champion Sho Tsuboi in the No.36 TOM’S Toyota.