Sugo – Race stopped due to rain, Nojiri declared winner

Tomoki Nojiri winning a race didn't really happen. The Japanese won the third round of the season in Super Formula, on the Sugo track, in very special conditions. The race was interrupted on lap 14, in pouring rain, after only two laps completed under green flag conditions. Due to poor weather conditions and very reduced visibility, the race management decided to end the event prematurely.

The same morning, the start was delayed following an accident by Naoki Yamamoto in the last corner of the Sugo circuit, during warm-up. After the barrier repairs, the race started about an hour behind the original schedule. After five laps under the safety car, the peloton was released on the 6th lap out of the 51 planned, but the Safety Car was almost immediately recalled after a crash by Kazuya Oshima, also in the last corner.

A second restart attempt took place on the 13th lap, but it was short-lived as Sena Sakaguchi suffered an accident in the same place. With the barrier too damaged, the marshals first waved the red flag, then ended the race with classification stopped on the 14th lap.

Poleman and leader at the time of the red flag, Tomoki Nojiri therefore inherited the victory ahead of his teammate Ayumu Iwasa, but as the 75% race mark was not reached, half of the points were awarded. Nevertheless, with the three points from pole position and therefore the 10 points from victory, the Team Mugen driver takes the lead in the championship with 6,5 points ahead of Ayumu Iwasa. The former resident of Formula 2 signs his second consecutive podium in Super Formula. Sho Tsuboi completes the podium in Sugo.

Sauce
Race – Ranking

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