Fukuzumi dominates final Super Formula test day

Photo Credit: Super Formula

Nirei Fukuzumi dominated the final day of Super Formula pre-season testing at Fuji Speedway, leading a one-two effort for Honda.

Fukuzumi set the fastest time of the morning in the dying moments of the session, moving ahead of Tomoki Nojiri with a 1m20.785s.

The session started an hour later than it did on Tuesday and was extended to 120 minutes. It was relatively plain sailing, interrupted only at the 35-minute mark when Tadasuke Makino stopped out on track due to an electrical failure, bringing out the red flag.

When the session resumed, Sacha Fenestraz led the way before being bettered by Nojiri at the one-hour mark. After a flurry of times set in the final moments, it was ultimately Fukuzumi who remained on top by the end of the session.

Defending champion Nick Cassidy set the sixth-fastest time of the session and the second-best of the Toyota-powered entries.

The afternoon session was disrupted by multiple red flags. The first of which was triggered by Cassidy’s team-mate Kazuki Nakajima, who spun off at turn 4.

After the session resumed, Kamui Kobayashi went off at the same corner after sustaining a puncture. Team-mate Yuji Kunimoto suffered a similar issue later in the session at turn 9, bringing out another red flag.

Until the stoppage, Juri Vips led the session before being usurped by Fenestraz just after the 90-minute mark.

However, it was Fukuzumi who set the fastest time, going four-tenths faster to take the afternoon session honours. Ryo Hirakawa made a late push for the top, coming within 0.24 of a second behind Fukuzumi.

Cassidy ended the session in 11th, 0.8 seconds off the pace.

The season is scheduled to begin at Autopolis on May 17, but is likely to be postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak that has already resulted in the postponement of the first two rounds at Suzuka and Fuji.

Afternoon session results