Super Formula Fuji: Igor Fraga wins while Kakunoshin Ohta closes on title
Igor Fraga scored his first full-length Super Formula victory on Saturday at Fuji, as Kakunoshin Ohta took another step towards an early coronation with second place. From pole, Nakajima Racing driver Fraga was more or less untroubled at the head of the field for the entire 41-lap race, only losing the advantage during the pit cycle. It marks the Brazilian’s third career win, but both of ... Keep…
Igor Fraga secured his maiden Super Formula victory at the Fuji race on Saturday, while Kakunoshin Ohta edged closer to an early title with a second-place finish. Racing at the top of the grid, Fraga showed dominance throughout the 41-lap event, except for a brief stint during pit stops. This marks the Brazilian's third career win, although both of his earlier triumphs occurred in shorter, replacement races.
Ohta widened his championship lead to 48 points with this win, making him the closest competitor to Fraga in the standings. Should Ohta maintain a lead of at least 46 points over Fraga and other title contenders, he could claim the championship without needing to wait for the final double-header at Suzuka in late November. The race saw some drama in the closing laps when Zak O'Sullivan, driving for Team Impul, lost time due to a steering issue, allowing Ohta to extend his lead.
O'Sullivan, having started the race from sixth position, climbed to fourth after initial passes on Tomoki Nojiri and Yuto Nomura. Kakunoshin Ohta, representing DOCOMO TEAM DANDELION RACING, and Team Impul's Zak O'Sullivan battled for second place, with O'Sullivan managing to gain ground on Ohta on the penultimate lap but failing to overtake him in the final lap.
Ayumu Iwasa rounded out the top five, finishing fourth and dashing his title hopes. Sho Tsuboi (TOM'S) and Nirei Fukuzumi (Rookie Racing) completed the top five in a fierce sprint for the final podium spots. Nobuharu Matsuhita secured seventh place for the newly-formed Delightworks Racing team, which has yet to earn points since the May Suzuka round.
Toshiki Oyu rounded out the top eight for Inging, while the TGM Grand Prix duo, Rikuto Kobayashi and Kamui Kobayashi, both achieved points finishes. Williams Formula 1 reserve driver Luke Browning struggled to make progress from his 16th grid slot, finishing in 15th. Nojiri and Nomura both retired, with Nojiri falling to 16th and Nomura, who qualified third for B-Max Racing, retiring after a second visit to the pits.
Rookie Kazuhisa Urabe, who filled in for Inging's injured Sena Sakaguchi at the last moment, managed a surprising 21st place finish.
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