Juju Noda will race in Super Formula in 2024

After her tests at the beginning of December, Juju Noda was made official as a starting driver at TGM Grand Prix to compete in the 2024 Super Formula season.

Big news for Juju Noda. The young woman, almost 18 years old (on February 2), will, in fact, start in Super Formula in 2024. After having had the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of a single-seater from the Japanese championship at the beginning of December during the end-of-season 2023 tests, the Tokyoite was made official as a full-time driver in 2024 at TGM Grand Prix. She will ride with number 53.

In 2023, Juju Noda notably distinguished herself by winning the Formula title. F2000 Italian Trophy. She also finished second in the Austrian Cup. Formula 3 and 8th in the Euroformula Open. The last woman to ride competitively in the Super Formula championship was Tatiana Calderón in 2021 with Drago Corse with ThreeBond. This will be the first time that a Japanese woman will participate in this series since its creation in 1973.

« I am happy to participate in the Super Formula, Juju rejoices. I'm taking a big step forward and right now I'm feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. It is a dream to be able to compete in the same race with seniors, including top domestic and foreign riders who have achieved results all over the world and are expected to do well in the future. I hope to be able to learn things and I want to have fun without fear of failure.

Some say it's impossible for women to succeed in the higher categories, but I think it's not just a problem of ability, but also of the regulations themselves. I hope that this participation will lead to a revision of the rules for more equality, as well as to dispelling various negative stereotypes.

I believe that if Super Formula adapts to the times when issues such as gender equality in society and gender issues attract attention, it will lead to the development of motor racing. »

During his tests in December, Juju Noda completed 192 laps of the Suzuka circuit (Japan) for a best time of 1’38”529. For comparison, the reference time for these three days of testing (from December 6 to 8) was signed by Kamui Kobayashi in 1'36 ″ 296.

 

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