Kakunoshin Ohta escaped the rain‑slicked start and built a 34‑point lead at Fuji, keeping a ladder‑climbing advantage over team‑mate Zak O’Sullivan.
First‑Lap Tempo and the Early Undercut
Team Impul’s Zak O’Sullivan opened the race from 13th, proving his qualifying prowess by capturing the maiden pole on a wet track. Yet the early laps saw Dandelion Racing’s Tadasuke Makino and Ohta wage a rapid climb from eighth and 13th respectively, leveraging the undercut to gain positions before their mandatory pit stops.
Following his stop on lap 20, Ohta vaulted into fourth and, after dropping Browning, seized a five‑second advantage. Makino overtook for third and, by lap 23, was closing on O’Sullivan before the Briton made his compulsory stop.
Mid‑Race Dominance and the Final Showdown
With a favourable Honda engine configuration and consistency in sector three, Ohta seized the lead at lap 25, outpacing Makino in the subsequent battles. O’Sullivan, unable to counter the strategy, finished 1.5 seconds shy of a first victory but secured a podium, the highest for Impul since 2023.
Makino, after a later stop at lap 29, finished third unable to threaten Ohta or O’Sullivan. Toshiki Oyu crossed the line fourth for Inging, while Syun Koide surged from 15th to fifth for ThreeBond Racing, passing Igor Fraga in the closing stages.
Championship Standings and Tomorrow’s Sprint
Defending champion Ayumu Iwasa recovered only to 10th, earning a sole point from a disastrous qualification. Iwasa’s 34.5‑point deficit to Ohta now threatens his second position in the standings, with Nirei Fukuzumi and Sacha Fenestraz failing to score.
Two races remain on Sunday: an abbreviated sprint in the morning, followed by a full‑distance contest. Tomoki Nojiri will start from pole in the second race, with Makino and Ohta ahead of him on the grid, while Iwasa begins from sixth. O’Sullivan and Luke Browning start 17th and 22nd respectively.
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