The 2026 Super Formula season opener at Motegi unfolded across two disrupted races that tested execution as much as outright pace. Across rain, restarts, and strategy calls, one constant remained. Kakunoshin Ohta left with two wins and early control of the championship.
Race 1 was dictated by weather before it ever became a contest of speed. A Safety Car start and early red flag reduced track time and compressed the race into a short, high-pressure window. Ayumu Iwasa, who had set the only sub-1m30s lap in qualifying, controlled the restart from the front. Ohta’s response was immediate. A clean move into Turn 1 secured the lead, and in a race fragmented by multiple Safety Cars, track position proved decisive. He managed the chaos to take victory, with Iwasa second and Ren Sato completing the podium. Rookie Yuto Nomura added to the narrative with a composed run to seventh on debut despite mid-race issues.
Race 2 shifted the emphasis from survival to execution. Ohta again secured pole, but a compromised launch dropped him behind Toshiki Oyu at Turn 1. The race briefly stabilised before strategy reshaped the order. Oyu pitted early, while Ohta extended his stint and delivered consistent mid-1:32 pace to build the overcut. By the time stops cycled through, he had reclaimed the lead.
The final phase introduced a new variable. A developing gearbox issue left Ohta managing the car with limited gear selection in the closing laps. Despite the loss of performance, he maintained track position and controlled the gap to secure his second win of the weekend by under a second, with Sena Sakaguchi second and Oyu third.
Across both races, Motegi reinforced a clear pattern for the season ahead. Iwasa remained the benchmark on raw pace, but execution under changing conditions determined results. Ohta maximised every phase, from race starts to strategy calls to damage limitation under mechanical pressure.
He leaves the opening round with a perfect score and the championship lead. The rest of the field leaves with evidence that pace alone will not be enough to stop him.
