Established in 2020 following the conclusion of Japanese F3, Formula Regional Japan has produced one driver to have permanently made it to Japan’s premier single-seater series, Super Formula. However, rival and the direct feeder series to the main championship – Super Formula Lights – has produced nine in the same amount of time. Feeder Series analyses whether the current FR Japan drivers have a chance of making it to Super Formula.

By Finjo Muschlien

It appears that FR Japan drivers face significant challenges in making it to Japan’s pinnacle of single-seater racing. This seems to remain the same for the 2024 drivers as well, although three drivers have already shown promise and could potentially defy the odds over the long term. 

53 points separate championship leader Michael Sauter and runner-up Sebastian Manson after eight races, and it seems Sauter is the clear favourite for the title this year. However, behind them, the gaps are much smaller. 

Four different drivers were able to win at least one race already, and with six more races taking place, things can shuffle quickly. The winners so far are championship leader Sauter, debutants Jesse Lacey and Fuma Horio and Jiei Okuzumi – who only participated in the first round of the season.

Could Sauter make it to Super Formula?

Sauter’s career path so far is a rollercoaster and one that has not been seen before in Japan. He started his single-seaters career in 2021 in Europe and competed in the ADAC F4 and F4 CEZ championships, before heading to Japan towards the end of 2023 – entering two rounds of FR Japan.

Sauter has been the fastest and most consistent driver in the championship this year. He’s taken four race wins so far this season.

His highlight performance this year was in Okayama – crossing the line first in all three races but being demoted to second in race two after a penalty for a jump-start. Furthermore, the victories he’s taken in dominant fashion – such as an 11-second gap to second in Suzuka’s second race – truly highlights his impressive race pace.

The 19-year-old has also taken four pole positions thus far, three of which coming at the third round at Okayama he nearly swept. Except for the very first qualifying of the season, Sauter has not been more than three tenths away from pole in every session.

Sauter’s season so far is impressive, but it’s important to note that Sauter mostly competes against rookies and guest drivers in this year’s championship. His competition is much weaker – especially in comparison to ADAC F4 and F4 CEZ. What plays into his cards, however, is his membership to the G-Force Engineering programme, where Sauter gets coached by former Formula Nippon race winner Seiji Ara. 

Sauter has a chance of reaching Super Formula, but not for 2025. What it takes to reach Super Formula at all will be a switch to Super Formula Lights in 2025. There, he will need to put on the same performances he’s put on this year, this time with stiffer competition. Additionally, Sauter needs an affiliation to Toyota or Honda, although he’s certainly on their radars as the dominant championship leader of FR Japan. 

Why few FR Japan drivers make it

The usual path of a driver that makes it to Super Formula goes from Japanese F4 to Super Formula Lights. Over the years, this path turned into the unofficial road to Super Formula. SF Lights attracted talented drivers from Japan and some competitive international drivers, therefore both Honda and Toyota opted to field their talents there. However, this cannot be said about FR Japan. 

In 2023, not a single Toyota or Honda junior competed in the championship full time, as the season saw just two drivers that participated in every round of the championship. Since the series’ introduction, the entry lists included a majority of guest drivers that either put their focus on touring car racing or are masters’ class drivers – like Yugo, who is 68 years old. 

The grids are also unbalanced, meaning that the driver that qualifies on pole wins an uneventful race up front, and the gaps between the drivers at the end of the races could be very big. 

2023 champion Sota Ogawa didn’t make a return to single seater racing in 2024, rather he became a simulator driver for Super Formula team TGM Grand Prix for 2024. His chances of securing an actual race seat in Super Formula seem slim for the moment. Aside from simulator duties, he actively races in Japanese GT championships. 

Runner-up Liam Sceats, who did his first F3-level campaigns in 2023 after previously only racing in Formula Ford, went stateside to race in the USF Pro 2000 championship in 2024. Now on the Road to IndyCar, Sceats currently finds himself fifth in the drivers’ championship, having already taken a win at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Despite a decent season in that campaign, he still is far away from just being a contender for a seat in IndyCar – a championship on a similar level to Super Formula. 

A glimpse of hope

In 2024, three drivers entered the championship with support of the G-Force Engineering programme: Sauter, Sebastian Manson and Jesse Lacey. The trio currently finds themselves in first, second and third in the drivers’ championship, and improvements from each of the drivers can be seen at each round. 

Manson, who had a challenging opening round at Suzuka qualified on pole for the second race at Sugo. Lacey, who finished on the podium just twice ahead of the third round at Okayama took his first win of the season and additionally led the opening half of the first race. 

It seems that the development programme is actually helping the talents, but as explained for Sauter above, what it takes is time, a step to Super Formula Lights and further support of Honda or Toyota.

Header photo credit: Formula Regional Japanese Championship