The headline event in junior single-seaters this weekend is the non-championship Brazilian Formula 4 round supporting F1, while the Kyojo Cup’s first season as an open-wheel category also draws to a close.

By Feeder Series

While this is the part of the year when junior series titles typically get wrapped up, neither of the championships we’re covering this weekend will crown new champions. One won’t award points at all.

After spending three consecutive race weekends at Velocitta, Brazilian F4 returns to Interlagos for a non-championship round in support of the São Paulo Grand Prix. For the first time since it joined the F1 support bill in 2023, however, the event will not award points, a fact that means about half the field has already fallen out of title contention.

The all-female F4-spec Kyojo Cup’s season finale will award points, but Rio Shimono’s sixth win last time out secured her the drivers’ title.

Also on the agenda is the Hoosier Formula Cup’s final round of 2025 at Le Castellet, where 18 cars are set to take part in FRegional-spec cars. Several F4 drivers – French F4’s Hugo Martiniello, Italian F4’s Andre Rodriguez and F4 US’s Clemente Huerta – will step up a level to compete this weekend, while Nano López will look to seal the crown over former F3 driver Hugh Barter, 43 points behind.

1. Kyojo Cup: Round 5, Fuji
2. Brazilian F4: Non-Championship Round, São Paulo

Kyojo Cup: Round 5, Fuji

Circuit: Fuji Speedway, 4.563 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC+9)

Friday 7 November

• 11:30–12:30: Free practice 1
• 13:40–14:10: Free practice 2
• 15:00–15:30: Free practice 3

Saturday 8 November

• 09:30–09:50: Qualifying
• 14:40–15:10: Sprint race

Sunday 9 November

• 13:00–13:35: Final race

How to follow: Qualifying and both races are live-streamed for free with Japanese and English commentary on the Inter Proto Series x Kyojo Cup YouTube channel. Japanese TV channel J Sports likewise broadcasts all races.

Weather forecast: Partly sunny and cloudy on Friday and Saturday. Rain possible on Sunday.

What to know: The Fuji-based Kyojo Cup enters its fifth and final round this weekend. Rio Shimono of Team Impul with Dr.Dry became the series’ first champion of its open-wheel single-seater era at the previous round last month, so the attention now turns to the remaining championship places. 

Team KCMG’s Miki Onaga sits second on 74 points, 19 points more than TOM’S Aimi Saito in third position has. With just 33 points up for grabs this weekend, Onaga’s second position seems safe, but Saito’s third position doesn’t, as Inging’s Kokoro Sato sits in fourth with 47 points, just eight points behind.

There are no driver changes to the 20-car grid compared with the previous round. 

Report by Finjo Muschlien

Can Aimi Saito hold on to third position in the championship? | Credit: Kyojo Cup

Read the previous round’s report here.

Brazilian F4: Non-Championship Round, São Paulo

Circuit: Autódromo José Carlos Pace (Interlagos), 4.309 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC−3)

Friday 7 November

• 09:05–09:45: Free practice
• 17:00–17:20: Qualifying

Saturday 8 November

• 09:25–09:55: Race 1
• 16:35–17:05: Race 2

Sunday 9 November

• 09:20–09:43: Race 3

How to follow: The races will not be shown internationally on YouTube because of restrictions from Formula One Management. They will, however, air in Brazil on BandSports on cable television and on YouTube.

Weather forecast: Cloudy all weekend, with rain expected Saturday.

What to know: It’s a special weekend for Brazilian F4, which will join F1 at the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos. While the three races will not count towards the overall championship, they offer a great chance for drivers to showcase their talent in front of the F1 paddock and the biggest crowds they’ve ever faced.

Last time out at Autódromo Velocitta, Heitor Dall’Agnol extended his lead over nearest rival Filippo Fiorentino to a commanding 79 points. He did so by winning the two main races and finishing seventh in the reverse-grid race. Dall’Agnol, however, will not participate in this weekend’s action because of its non-points status and will instead focus on his European testing programme.

Though this weekend at Interlagos does not award championship points, it is a prime opportunity for the likes of Fiorentino and third-placed Murilo Rocha to gather some momentum entering the final two weekends of the season. Rocha in particular could use a good result, having not found the top step of the podium since the season opener in May.

As with any F1 support round, a number of drivers will join the grid this weekend, the most prominent being Rafaela Ferreira at Cavaleiro Sports. The 20-year-old Brazilian will return to the series in which she finished fourth last year with TMG. Her main campaign this year is in F1 Academy, and she currently sits 12th in the standings, driving the Racing Bulls–supported Campos Racing car.

Alongside her at Cavaleiro will be 17-year-old João Paulo Sanzovo, making his F4 debut. He currently races in Brazil’s Fórmula Delta series, sitting fifth in the standings. Both Ferreira and Sanzovo join the team as regular driver Rogério Grotta sits out the round.

Ciro Sobral will move from TMG Racing to Bassani Racing for the remainder of the season. He currently sits eighth in the standings, having won the opening race of the season, also at Interlagos. Replacing him at TMG for this weekend will be Federico Díaz (#23). The 17-year-old competes in Fórmula Nacional in his home country of Argentina, having made his single-seater debut in July.

He will be joined at TMG by 15-year-old Naim Saleh (#3), who has taken part in the series’ collective tests throughout the year. The São Paulo native has competed in the US-based Skip Barber Race Series this year, in which he currently sits third with a round to go, and recently took part in the USF Juniors post-season test at Indianapolis.

Report by Vincent van der Hoek and Mitchell Ash

Read the previous round’s report here.

All times and forecasts listed above are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, follow each series’ websites or social media pages.

Header photo credit: Rafael Gagliano