If you’re a fan of Japanese motorsport, you’ve likely enjoyed plenty of breathtaking moments of Japanese single seater racing over the course of the 2023 season. The prime example for breathtaking fights fits best for Japanese F4, as with more than 40 cars battling it out on track and the championship being decided in the final race of the year, the season won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

By Finjo Muschlien

Being the single-seater series with the biggest domestic grid of the world, it’s only a matter of time until Japanese F4 will bring the next Tsunoda. 2023 saw a very competitive grid, with both Toyota and Honda placing their most promising young drivers into this series. As expected, those promising talents gave it 100%, all to reach their childhood dream of Formula 1.

Format

Unlike other FIA F4 series, Japanese F4 uses their own unique weekend format. While other series usually have three races a weekend, Japanese F4 has two races a weekend with only one qualifying session. The qualifying results set the grid for the first race of the weekend, but the second-best times from qualifying decide the starting order for the second race.

The series uses the same points system as F1, meaning the top ten receive points, with the winner getting 25 points, second 18 points, third 15 points and so on. However, there are no bonus points for pole positions or fastest laps.

Round 1: Fuji

The Japanese F4 season started off at former F1 track Fuji, and it was Toyota junior Rikuto Kobayashi who took pole position for the first race of the weekend. 

A strong start saw him keeping the lead, despite attacking attempts of Yusuke Mitsui and Jin Nakamura, going into the first turn. However, the pair collided while going into the first turn, spinning Mitsui. The safety car was deployed at the end of the first lap following more midfield collisions in the final sector.

The race resumed on lap four, with Yuto Nomura attacking Itsuki Sato for second position into the first turn, but they collided, sending Nomura airborne and out of the race.

Kobayashi fulfilled his tasks and converted the pole into his first win of the season, finishing the race ahead of Shunji Okumoto and Yuki Sano, to make it a TGR-DC Racing School 1-2-3.

Kobayashi took pole position for the second race as well by setting the fastest second-best time in qualifying. He started the race from pole position and kept his lead, while later in the first lap, a huge collision in the midfield triggered a safety car and led to multiple retirements.

On lap six, the race resumed, and Mitsui overtook leader Kobayashi into the first turn after the teenager missed his braking point and dropped to fourth position. Nomura was overtaken by Nakamura on the eighth lap, which was a crucial move for what was yet to come. Kobayashi then made up for his mistake, overtaking Nomura on the final lap to take third position. 

Mitsui crossed the line first, but was given a time penalty post-race, so Nakamura won the second race of the weekend, finishing ahead of Kobayashi and Nomura.

Following the event, however, Kobayashi was top of the overall drivers’ standings with 40 points and a 15-point gap over Nakamura. 

Round 2: Suzuka

Kobayashi couldn‘t extend his streak of consecutive pole positions in Suzuka, as Yusuke Mitsui took pole for both races of the weekend, aiming to secure his first points of the season.

Mitsui had a good start and kept his lead, while behind him, the battle for third position saw Kobayashi overtaking Nomura in the first sector. Fuji-winner Nakamura collided with Itsuki Sato in an attempt to take fifth position and spun into the gravel, which triggered a safety car. 

After the restart, Kobayashi overtook second-placed Tosei Moriyama, who ran wide at the first turn and dropped back to fifth position.

Mitsui converted his pole into win, leading the whole race with little challenge and finishing ahead of Kobayashi and Nomura. 

Mitsui again took pole position for the second race, getting away well from the line and keeping his position. Meanwhile, Kobayashi and Nakamura had a brilliant battle for fifth position, but it was Kobayashi who came out ahead of this fight. 

On the fourth lap, B-Max Engineering team owner and racer, “Dragon” had a collision with teammate Makoto Fujiwara going into 130R. “Dragon’s” car flipped over multiple times and was split into two pieces when he came to a stop. Thankfully, the masters-class driver walked away from the accident.

Racing resumed on lap nine. A battle for fourth position brewed right from resumption, and it would be Kobayashi coming out ahead of championship rival Nakamura, who eventually dropped to sixth place after the fight.

Mitsui won the race, finishing ahead of Moriyama and Nomura. Championship contenders Kobayashi and Nakamura finished fourth and sixth respectfully. Kobayashi retained his championship-leading status, extending his lead to 20 points over double Suzuka winner Mitsui. 

Round 3: Fuji 2

Nomura took pole position for the first race of the third round and kept his position off the start. Kobayashi lost a position to Nakamura at the start and dropped to third before a safety car was brought out for an incident further down the field. 

On lap four the race finally got underway again, and Nakamura used his chance to take the lead from Nomura, while Kobayashi also overtook him a corner later. Nakamura was overtaken by Kobayashi on lap seven, but soon, the battle turned into a three-way fight with Nomura again, eventually joined by Moriyama and Mitsui as well.

Kobayashi came out on top after this intense battle at the end of the race, finishing ahead of championship rivals Nomura in second, Nakamura in third and Mitsui in fourth.

Pole position for the second race also became Nomura’s, and with that, for the third consecutive round, both qualifying results of a round were topped by a single driver. Nomura kept the lead going off the line, but on the third lap, he was attacked and overtaken by Kobayashi. Nomura couldn’t defend his second position from Nakamura either, dropping to third by lap four.

Kobayashi remarkably made the third round his highlight of the season, as he won the second race ahead of Nakamura and Nomura. By taking two wins, Kobayashi extended his championship lead massively, leading now by 39 points over Nomura. 

Round 4: Suzuka 2

The Japanese F4 returned to Suzuka for their fourth round of the season. Mitsui continued his championship hunt in style, taking pole position for the first race, which he then converted into a well-earned race win. 

Nakamura attacked Mitsui for the lead on lap four, however Mitsui defended and stayed ahead. A few laps later, Nakamura had to defend his second position from Nomura, which he successfully did. Championship contender Kobayashi, however, collided with Moriyama and dropped outside of the points. Finishing behind Mitsui in this race was Nakamura, followed by Nomura.

Mitsui took another pole position for the second race, extending the statistic of consecutive full-round topped qualifying sessions. He remained ahead of everyone off the start, despite an early attack by Nakamura. 

On the tenth lap, Kobayashi attacked third-placed Nakamura but failed, so Kobayashi lost a position to Ryota Horachi.

Mitsui won another race at Suzuka, finishing in front of Nomura and Nakamura, while championship leader Kobayashi finished fifth. Taking two wins at Suzuka helped Mitsui to catch up to championship leader Kobayashi, reducing the gap to only six points. 

With his outstanding performances, Mitsui took the 2023 record for the most wins secured at a single track, winning all four scheduled races at Suzuka.

Round 5: Sugo

It was the first time thus far the series didn’t race at Fuji or Suzuka, taking championship leader Kobayashi and his rivals to Sportsland Sugo.

Nomura secured pole position for the first race of the weekend, then took advantage of it at the start and kept his position. On the second lap, championship contender Nakamura passed Moriyama for sixth position, while he also profited from a fight ahead of him, moving himself up to fourth and passing both Kazuhisa Urabe and Jiei Okuzumi.

Pole sitter Nomura won the first race of the weekend, finishing ahead of Mitsui and Sano, who made his first appearance on the podium this season. Championship rivals Nakamura and Kobayashi finished fourth and sixth respectfully. 

Urabe, who at the time was eighth in the overall drivers’ standings, took pole position for the second race of the weekend and kept his position off the line. Several collisions happened at the back of the field in the opening lap, but no safety car was needed. 

Second-placed Mitsui kept a lot of pressure on Urabe, but couldn’t get a move done, so Urabe brought home his first win of the season. He finished ahead of Mitsui and Moriyama, while championship rivals Nakamura finished fourth after making up ten places in total and Nomura and Kobayashi both finished outside of the points.

Kobayashi lost the lead and fell to third in the drivers‘ standings, after only taking eight points all weekend with a sixth-place finish in the first race. Mitsui became the new championship leader following his double-podium finish at Sugo, now with a 21-point lead over Nomura and 22-point lead over Kobayashi.

Round 6: Autopolis

Kobayashi knew that he had to bounce back immediately after losing the championship lead following Sugo, and he did just that, as he took his first pole position since the first round at Fuji.

Kobayashi kept his lead off the line, while behind him, Urabe was overtaken by Nakamura for second and championship leader Mitsui moved up to fourth in the opening stages. Mitsui passed Okumoto for second position on lap six, then attacked Nakamura in the closing stages but couldn’t get the attack done. 

Kobayashi won in a race that he really needed to win to keep his championship winning hopes alive. He finished ahead of championship rivals Nakamura and Mitsui, while Nomura finished sixth.

Nakamura took his first pole of the season in the second race, getting away well and building up a big gap over Okumoto. Kobayashi lost a position in the opening lap, dropping him to fourth. Though, the race was stopped early, as a huge collision between Sano and Okumoto on the start-finish straight required medical assistance for Sano. 

Nakamura won the race, finishing ahead of Okumoto and Kobayashi. Championship rivals Mitsui finished 10th and Nomura finished fifth, after making up 24 places over just nine laps of racing. 

Kobayashi reclaimed the championship lead, following his two podiums, that he secured at Autopolis. He sat atop the standings with 178 points, ahead of his biggest rival Mitsui with a gap of only two points. Nakamura, who really joined the championship conversation after his impressive performances at Autopolis, was behind by 12 points and Nomura by 21 points. 

Round 7: Motegi

The season finale took place at Motegi, with championship leader Kobayashi taking pole position for the first race of the weekend.

A clean start saw him get away well, before a successful attack by Nakamura in the opening lap meant he lost the position. This move was crucial for Nakamura, as he took victory in the first race of the weekend, finishing ahead of Kobayashi and Rin Arakawa, for whom it was his best result and only podium of the season, that he secured by overtaking two cars in the race.

Kobayashi continued the trend of topping both qualifyings at a weekend from early stages of the season. However Kobayashi’s focus wasn’t on qualifying statistics, but on the drivers‘ championship that was yet to be decided going into the final race of the year.

Nakamura, who qualified in fourth, had a brilliant start, making up two places to chase Kobayashi. 

The race was interrupted by a safety car period once, caused by Moriyama spinning out. Urabe passed Arakawa for sixth in lap three, however Arakawa found revenge for it on the sixth lap, re-overtaking Urabe, but forced him off the track in doing so. 

Kobayashi won the race and finished ahead of Nakamura and Kento Omiya, who got his only podium this season, but by winning the final race of the year, Kobayashi became the Japanese F4 drivers‘ champion of 2023.

Header photo credit: Japanese F4 Championship