Sho Tsuboi Dominates at Super Formula Autopolis, Ending Dandelion’s Reign

Sho Tsuboi claimed his first Super Formula win of 2025 at Autopolis, ending Dandelion Racing’s run of six straight victories. Starting fifth on the grid, Tsuboi made a fast start and moved into second behind pole-sitter Tomoki Nojiri by the first corner.

Ayumu Iwasa also jumped forward from seventh, slotting into third place as the 41-lap race began. The early laps saw Iwasa, a Racing Bulls Formula 1 reserve, come in first among the leaders for his required pit stop on lap 15.

Four laps later, Nojiri and Tsuboi pitted together. While fresh tires caused both drivers some trouble warming up, Tsuboi managed to get the jump on Nojiri as they rejoined.

Iwasa cycled into the net lead at this point, but the order at the front stayed steady as the safety car was deployed after Zak O’Sullivan spun off into the gravel. Several drivers who had not yet stopped gained an advantage during the safety car.

Even so, the top trio remained unchanged once the race restarted. It looked like Iwasa might finally secure his first Super Formula win, but his day came undone on lap 27.

He suddenly slowed and retired, the result of a loose right-front wheel as he exited the pits. That handed the race lead to Tsuboi, who controlled the closing laps.

Tsuboi kept his advantage to the checkered flag, winning by 1.1 seconds over Nojiri, who celebrated his first podium of the year. Kenta Yamashita rounded out the top three for Kondo Racing.

He had been the first to pit during the safety car and gained position when Iwasa retired. Ren Sato was fourth for Nakajima Racing, while Sena Sakaguchi took fifth in the Inging machine.

Tadasuke Makino salvaged sixth on a challenging day for Dandelion. He started 13th after fog forced qualifying to Sunday and interrupted his quick lap. This forced changes in schedule due to fog added an unpredictable element to the weekend.

Makino pitted as early as lap four and climbed to fifth, but dropped back after the safety car on worn tires. Kamui Kobayashi returned with KCMG and came home seventh.

He was followed by Igor Fraga, Nirei Fukuzumi, and Toshiki Oyu, who completed the top ten. Pre-race points leader Kakunoshin Ohta had a difficult outing too.

Starting eighth, Ohta slipped to 18th after a poor launch but recovered to 13th by the finish. The standings now have Ohta four points behind Makino, while Tsuboi is another ten points back, moving up thanks to this victory.

Forced changes in schedule due to fog, strategic pit stops, and reliability issues all shaped a dramatic battle at Autopolis. For Dandelion Racing, Autopolis ended an impressive winning streak and reset the fight for the championship.

Sho Tsuboi’s performance marks a fresh start to his 2025 season, and the standings remain close as the Super Formula calendar continues. Fans now have their eyes on the next round, eager to see whether Dandelion can strike back or if a new team will continue to challenge for the top spot.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.