Super Formula Lights returned to Autopolis this weekend for Rounds 4, 5 and 6 of the 2026 season, the Oita Prefecture circuit hosting a triple-header that produced a different winner in each race and a closely fought competitive picture throughout. Two days of practice and two qualifying sessions preceded three races that ended with the victories shared across the field.
Two combined practice days established the early order. Thursday's running placed Yusuke Mitsui quickest overall with a 1:51.220, with Evan Giltaire fourth at 1:52.359, Kiyoshi Umegaki sixth at 1:52.672, and Kotaro Shimbara seventh at 1:53.289.
Friday's session reshuffled the standings considerably. Giltaire moved to the top with a 1:37.345, Umegaki second at 1:37.522, Mitsui third at 1:37.550, and Shimbara sixth at 1:38.020. All four were covered by under a second in the combined Day 2 order, a reliable indicator of how closely matched the racing weekend would become.
Qualifying confirmed that sense of parity. Shimbara claimed Round 4 pole with a 1:37.880, ahead of Giltaire in second at 1:37.554, Mitsui fourth at 1:37.609, and Umegaki sixth at 1:38.150. Round 5 qualifying swung in Umegaki's favour. He took pole with his best lap of the weekend (1:32.835), while Giltaire lined up second at 1:32.946, Shimbara fourth at 1:33.165, and Mitsui fifth at 1:33.230.
Shimbara converted his Round 4 pole into a controlled lights-to-flag victory, crossing the line as the fastest driver across the three races in the dry. Mitsui followed in second, and Giltaire completed the podium in third.
Round 5 saw Giltaire take his first win of the weekend, leading the race to the flag ahead of Mitsui in second and Umegaki in third, continuing the trio’s podium sweep.
Round 6 ran in wet conditions, the lap times reflecting the change in circumstances, but the competitive narrative remained consistent. Giltaire took a second consecutive victory, with Mitsui second and Umegaki third.
Autopolis delivered a weekend that underlined the depth within this group. Shimbara's Round 4 pole-to-win conversion was the standout individual moment, while Giltaire's back-to-back victories across Rounds 5 and 6 reflected the most complete performance of the triple-header. Mitsui's consistency was a thread running through all three races, podium-finishing across Rounds 4, 5 and 6 without a single result outside the top three in the final two rounds. Umegaki built as the weekend progressed (Round 5 pole and back-to-back podiums to close), arriving at Suzuka for Rounds 7, 8 and 9 with the kind of momentum the standings tend to reward.
