2026 | FRJC | Round 5 | Fuji | Suzuki sweeps as Miura extends championship lead

Tokiya Suzuki swept both races on his Formula Regional Japanese Championship return as wet conditions shaped Round 5 of the 2026 season at Fuji Speedway.

The TOM’S TGR-DC driver topped Friday’s combined running before taking both pole positions in Saturday morning’s wet Qualifying. He then converted each into victory, winning Race 11 by 7.908s before dominating Race 12 by more than half a minute. His double also preserved Toyota-backed drivers’ unbeaten run at Fuji since 2024.

Behind him, Yuzuki Miura strengthened his position at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. The TOM’S driver finished second and third to move onto 200.5 points, extending the 2.5-point advantage he held after Round 4 at Sugo to 11.5 over Ryota Horachi. Kento Omiya remains close behind in third, only 14 points from the lead.

The Masters’ Championship changed hands as well. Masayuki Ueda won the class in both races and moved half a point ahead of Yutaka Toriba, while Ponos Racing retains the Teams’ Championship lead despite Suzuki helping TOM’S close considerably during the two-race weekend.

2026 FRJC Round 5: Fuji: Free Practice: Suzuki narrowly leads Ponos pair

Conditions remained dry during Friday’s two Free Practice sessions, with Suzuki immediately setting the benchmark on his return to the championship. The TOM’S driver topped Free Practice 1 with a 1:37.037, only 0.086s ahead of Omiya. Miura followed another 0.039s behind in third, with Horachi completing a top four covered by just 0.245s.

Horachi responded during the afternoon session. The Ponos Racing driver set a 1:37.053 on his final lap to lead Suzuki by 0.188s, with Miura third and Omiya fourth. Rio Shimono completed the top five ahead of Lin Chenghua and Yu Oda.

However, Horachi’s Free Practice 2 benchmark fell just 0.016s short of Suzuki’s morning effort, leaving the returning TOM’S driver at the head of the combined Friday classification. Omiya sat another 0.070s behind Horachi in third, with championship leader Miura fourth and only 0.125s away from Suzuki.

The close dry-running order suggested another tightly contested weekend between the leading TOM’S and Ponos cars. Saturday’s weather changed that picture considerably.

2026 FRJC Round 5: Fuji: Qualifying: Suzuki takes double pole in increasingly heavy rain

Rain arrived before Saturday morning’s Qualifying sessions, immediately creating a very different challenge from Friday’s dry running. The opening 15-minute session began in light rain and mist, but the circuit became progressively wetter as the field searched for grip.

Omiya initially established the benchmark before Miura moved to the top as drivers switched onto wet tyres. Suzuki then produced a 1:47.735 before Miura responded with a 1:47.398, while Shimono briefly climbed into second. The championship leader improved again to a 1:46.846 during the closing moments, but Suzuki found another 0.050s and set a 1:46.796 to secure the Race 11 pole. Shimono completed the top three, only 0.205s behind Suzuki.

The rain intensified for Qualifying 2. Omiya opened with a 1:51.214, but Suzuki immediately lowered the benchmark to a 1:50.482. Horachi subsequently climbed into second with a 1:50.982, exactly half a second behind, while Omiya remained third.

Conditions continued deteriorating until Lin stopped near the final corner with flames visible around the engine area. Officials brought out the Red Flag with 4m28s remaining and did not restart the session, confirming Suzuki’s second pole of the morning. Oda qualified fourth ahead of Miura and Shimono, while Ueda led the Masters’ runners from seventh overall.

2026 FRJC Round 5: Fuji: Race 11: Suzuki converts pole despite Miura’s strong launch

Light rain continued into Race 11, with the field beginning the 15-lap contest from a standing start. Miura produced the stronger getaway from the front row and briefly moved ahead of Suzuki on the run towards Turn 1, but the pole-sitter placed his car on the inside and reclaimed the lead before the pair exited the opening corner.

The order behind changed considerably during the opening lap. Horachi and Omiya both moved ahead of third-place starter Shimono, before Omiya passed his Ponos teammate at the Dunlop corner to take third. Suzuki quickly began opening an advantage over Miura, extending his lead to 3.176s after four laps and approximately five seconds by the end of Lap 9.

Several drivers struggled in the increasingly difficult conditions, but the order at the front remained stable. Suzuki maintained control despite heavier rain and worsening visibility during the closing laps and crossed the line after 15 tours in 28m47.079s. His final advantage over Miura stood at 7.908s, while Omiya completed the podium 19.188s behind the winner.

Horachi took fourth ahead of Oda and Shimono, while Lin finished seventh. Ueda claimed the Masters’ victory from eighth overall, beating Hideaki Irie and Shoichiro Akamatsu. Suzuki also completed a clean sweep of the available Race 11 honours by setting the fastest lap, a 1:54.136 on Lap 14.

Race 11 results

1. #38 Tokiya Suzuki — 28:47.079
2. #37 Yuzuki Miura — +7.908
3. #54 Kento Omiya — +19.188
4. #45 Ryota Horachi — +24.156
5. #10 Yu Oda — +52.529
6. #86 Rio Shimono — +57.576
7. #48 Lin Chenghua — +1:00.102
8. #11 Masayuki Ueda — +1:49.781
9. #46 Hideaki Irie — +1:56.972
10. #40 Shoichiro Akamatsu — 1 lap
11. #88 Li Xuanyu — 1 lap
12. #77 Z.Falcon — 1 lap
13. #13 Yutaka Toriba — 1 lap
14. #18 YUKI — 1 lap
15. #21 Daisuke — 2 laps
16. #36 Paul Wong — 2 laps
17. #60 SEiMEI — 2 laps
    NC: #23 YUGO — five laps completed

Fastest lap: Tokiya Suzuki — 1:54.136.

2026 FRJC Round 5: Fuji: Race 12: Suzuki dominates as podium fight erupts behind

Conditions remained sufficiently difficult for officials to begin Race 12 behind the Safety Car. The field completed four laps under neutralised conditions before Suzuki led them into competitive running at the beginning of Lap 5. Horachi immediately attempted to challenge around the outside of Turn 1, but Suzuki retained the lead and quickly disappeared from the fight behind.

Suzuki opened a 3.736s advantage by the end of the first racing lap and more than doubled it to 7.502s one tour later. While he continued building a commanding lead, the fight for second developed between Horachi, Omiya, Oda and Miura.

Oda attacked Omiya for third during Lap 6 and briefly moved ahead before the Ponos driver reclaimed the position. Omiya then turned his attention towards teammate Horachi. He attacked at the Dunlop corner on Lap 8 and briefly took second, only for Horachi to regain the place as Omiya struggled for traction.

Their fight continued over the following laps. Omiya made a spectacular move around the outside through Turns 4 and 5, but Horachi once again fought back before Turn 10. Behind them, Miura moved ahead of Oda to join the battle for the final podium positions.

Omiya finally made his move stick around the outside of Turn 1 on Lap 11, although he ran wide at the final corner and temporarily handed second back to Horachi. He attacked again into Turn 1 on the following lap and reclaimed the position before beginning to establish a small margin.

With the Safety Car period eating into the 30-minute race time, Lap 14 became the final tour. Traffic then complicated the fight for third as Horachi lost momentum exiting Turn 1. Miura took advantage and passed him around the outside at the Coca-Cola corner to secure the final podium position.

None of the battle behind had any effect on Suzuki. He completed the 14 laps in 30m37.764s and won by 33.778s, the largest winning margin of the 2026 FR Japan season to date. Omiya finished second, while Miura crossed the line another 3.970s behind in third.

Horachi had to settle for fourth ahead of Oda and Shimono, with Lin seventh. Ueda again finished eighth overall and completed a Masters’ sweep, this time ahead of Akamatsu and Irie. Suzuki also set the fastest lap for the second successive race with a 1:51.874 on Lap 13.

Race 12 results

1. #38 Tokiya Suzuki — 30:37.764
2. #54 Kento Omiya — +33.778
3. #37 Yuzuki Miura — +37.748
4. #45 Ryota Horachi — +38.967
5. #10 Yu Oda — +40.770
6. #86 Rio Shimono — +56.401
7. #48 Lin Chenghua — +1:01.934
8. #11 Masayuki Ueda — +1:28.582
9. #40 Shoichiro Akamatsu — +1:56.582
10. #46 Hideaki Irie — +1:58.011
11. #13 Yutaka Toriba — +1:58.713
12. #88 Li Xuanyu — 1 lap
13. #77 Z.Falcon — 1 lap
14. #21 Daisuke — 1 lap
15. #18 YUKI — 1 lap
16. #36 Paul Wong — 2 laps

NC: #23 YUGO — seven laps completed
NC: #60 SEiMEI — four laps completed

Fastest lap: Tokiya Suzuki — 1:51.874.

The 2026 FRJC picture after Round 5 at Fuji

Miura leaves Fuji with an increased championship advantage after finishing second and third across the two races. The TOM’S driver entered the weekend on 167.5 points, only 2.5 ahead of Horachi following the dramatic Sugo round. His 33-point Fuji haul takes him to 200.5 and increases the gap to 11.5 points with only the final round remaining.

Horachi remains second after finishing fourth in both races, adding 24 points to move from 165 to 189. Omiya closes slightly on his teammate after scoring 33 through third and second, taking him to 186.5. The top three therefore remain separated by only 14 points heading into the season finale.

Masana Muto remains fourth on 109 points after missing Fuji through injury, while Shimono’s two sixth-place finishes move her onto 100. Lin follows on 78 after taking seventh twice, with Hibiki Komatsu still seventh on 59. Suzuki immediately enters eighth in the standings with the maximum 50 points available from his two races.

Oda’s two fifth places add 20 points and lift him to 34 in ninth, while AKITA remains 10th on 31 despite missing the weekend. Ueda and Toriba are tied on 27 immediately behind, with Ueda’s Fuji results proving even more significant in the separate Masters’ standings.

Drivers’ Championship standings after Round 5

1. #37 Yuzuki Miura — 200.5 points
2. #45 Ryota Horachi — 189
3. #54 Kento Omiya — 186.5
4. #38 Masana Muto — 109
5. #86 Rio Shimono — 100
6. #48 Lin Chenghua — 78
7. #10 Hibiki Komatsu — 59
8. #38 Tokiya Suzuki — 50
9. #10 Yu Oda — 34
10. #44 AKITA — 31
11. #13 Yutaka Toriba — 27
12. #11 Masayuki Ueda — 27
13. #10 Shunji Okumoto — 20
14. #88 Li Xuanyu — 19
15. #46 Hideaki Irie — 15
16. #40 Shoichiro Akamatsu — 14
17. #18 YUKI — 2.5 points

Ueda takes Masters’ Championship lead by half a point

The Masters’ Championship underwent an even larger change. Ueda entered Fuji fourth on 132.5 points, 39.5 behind championship leader AKITA, but the latter did not compete during Round 5. That gave Ueda, Toriba and Irie a major opportunity to close the gap.

Ueda maximised it completely. He won the Masters’ class in both races from eighth overall and collected the full 50 points available, moving onto 182.5. Toriba adds 22 points through fifth and fourth in class to reach 182, leaving only half a point between the top two.

Irie also moves ahead of the absent AKITA after finishing second in Race 11 and third in Race 12. His 33-point haul takes him to 175.5, seven behind Ueda, while AKITA drops from first to fourth on 172. Only 10.5 points therefore cover the leading four Masters drivers heading into the finale.

Akamatsu strengthens fifth after third and second in class, moving onto 103 points. YUKI follows on 94, with Paul Wong seventh on 69.

Masters’ Championship standings after Round 5

1. #11 Masayuki Ueda — 182.5 points
2. #13 Yutaka Toriba — 182
3. #46 Hideaki Irie — 175.5
4. #44 AKITA — 172
5. #40 Shoichiro Akamatsu — 103
6. #18 YUKI — 94
7. #36 Paul Wong — 69
8. #23 YUGO — 48
9. #21 Daisuke — 28
10. #77 Z.Falcon — 22 points

Ponos retains Teams’ lead as TOM’S closes to 11 points

Ponos Racing retains the Teams’ Championship lead, although Suzuki’s dominant weekend dramatically reduces the advantage.

Ponos entered Fuji on 209.5 points after extending its lead over TOM’S during Round 4. Omiya provided its best result in each race with third and second, while Horachi added two fourth-place finishes. The team therefore adds 33 points and moves onto 242.5.

TOM’S takes the maximum 50 points available through Suzuki’s sweep, increasing its total from 181.5 to 231.5. The deficit consequently falls from 28 points after Sugo to only 11 before the final Fuji round.

Rn-sports remains third on 113 after Oda’s two fifth places supplied another 20 points. Dr.Dry Racing Team follows on 100 through Shimono, with Ragno Motor Sports fifth on 78 after Lin finished seventh in each race.

Teams’ Championship standings after Round 5

1. Ponos Racing — 242.5 points
2. TOM’S TGR-DC — 231.5
3. Rn-sports — 113
4. Dr.Dry Racing Team — 100
5. Ragno Motor Sports — 78
6. Abbey Racing — 31
7. AIWIN — 27
8. Team LeMans — 19
9. Fujita Pharmacy Racing — 15
10. Eagle Sports — 14
11. NILZZ Racing — 2.5 points

The complete Round 5 Fuji event page and official documents include the Free Practice, Qualifying, Race 11 and Race 12 classifications alongside the updated championship standings.

Conclusion

Fuji belonged to Suzuki. Returning to the championship as Muto’s replacement, he topped the combined Friday classification, secured both poles in increasingly difficult wet conditions and then converted them into two commanding victories. His second success, by 33.778s, represented the largest winning margin of the season and maintained the run of Toyota-backed victories at Fuji that stretches back to 2024.

However, Miura once again emerged with the strongest championship position. Second in Race 11 and third in Race 12 move him from a 2.5-point advantage after Sugo to an 11.5-point lead over Horachi. Omiya remains only three points further back, meaning all three principal contenders head to the final round separated by just 14 points.

The Masters’ Championship is even closer. Ueda’s double victory takes him from fourth to first, but Toriba sits only half a point behind, Irie trails by seven and AKITA remains only 10.5 away despite missing Fuji. The Teams’ Championship has also tightened considerably, with Suzuki’s sweep reducing Ponos Racing’s advantage over TOM’S from 28 to 11 points.

FRJC remains at Fuji Speedway for its sixth and final round, where Races 13 and 14 will decide a Drivers’ Championship led by Miura, an extraordinarily close four-way Masters’ battle and a Teams’ contest in which Ponos and TOM’S remain separated by less than half the value of a race victory.