2026 | Japanese F4 | Autopolis (Round 6) | Shirasaki seals historic title as Hamabe and Kumagai take maiden wins

The 2026 Japanese F4 Championship travelled to Autopolis for Round 6 from 15–18 October, where Ryo Shirasaki secured the Champion Class Drivers’ Championship with one round remaining. Meanwhile, Masaki Hamabe and Kenta Kumagai claimed their maiden victories, while KENTARO completed a dominant weekend in the Independent Class.

Shirasaki entered the penultimate round with a 60-point championship advantage after his six-race winning streak ended at Sportsland Sugo. Despite failing to return to the top step of the podium, the HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing driver finished sixth in Race 11 and second in Race 12, extending his advantage sufficiently to secure the title.

The achievement represented a significant milestone for Japanese junior single-seater racing. Shirasaki became the first Champion Class title winner without the backing of the Toyota or Honda junior development programmes, ending the manufacturers’ dominance of the championship.

Meanwhile, Hamabe opened the weekend with a controlled pole-to-win performance before Kumagai responded with victory on Sunday. Their successes brought two additional first-time winners to an increasingly competitive season.

In the Independent Class, KENTARO secured both pole positions and race victories, moving ahead of Yutaka Toriba in the battle for second. However, Hirobon remained the confirmed champion despite missing Autopolis, having secured the title at Sugo.

Full official results from Japanese F4 Round 6 at Autopolis

Hamabe and Kumagai secure maiden Champion Class pole positions

Friday’s qualifying session brought a closely contested battle between the emerging Champion Class contenders. With 25 cars competing at the 4.674-kilometre Autopolis circuit, traffic and tyre management added to the challenge of securing a competitive lap.

Masana Muto initially established the pace before Hamabe moved ahead for TGR-DC Racing School. The Japanese driver recorded a 1:52.404, securing his maiden pole position by just 0.021 seconds over Kumagai.

Ryutaro Sakai qualified third for MITSUSADA RACING, only 0.094 seconds behind Hamabe, while Shirasaki finished fourth. Soichiro Shioda completed the leading five following the deletion of his original fastest lap for impeding another competitor.

The grid for Race 12 was determined by the drivers’ second-fastest qualifying laps, producing a different pole-sitter. Kumagai secured his first pole position with a 1:52.517, narrowly beating Ryutaro Sakai by 0.023 seconds.

Hamabe qualified third for Sunday’s race, with Shirasaki fourth ahead of Shioda and Megumu Suzuki. With the championship still mathematically open, the two qualifying classifications placed Shirasaki in a competitive position to secure the title.

Champion Class qualifying – Race 11 full classification

1. #36 Masaki Hamabe – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:52.404
2. #60 Kenta Kumagai – OTG MOTOR SPORTS – 1:52.425
3. #73 Ryutaro Sakai – MITSUSADA RACING – 1:52.498
4. #16 Ryo Shirasaki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:52.548
5. #99 Soichiro Shioda – Bionic Jack Racing – 1:52.601
6. #45 Megumu Suzuki – PONOS RACING – 1:52.649
7. #19 Lu You De – AKILAND RACING – 1:52.705
8. #51 Kazuma Kurosawa – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 1:52.875
9. #29 Masana Muto – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:52.890
10. #50 Syo Momose – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 1:52.971
11. #17 Yuta Suzuki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:53.026
12. #28 Yuzuki Miura – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:53.056
13. #54 Shota Sakai – PONOS RACING – 1:53.162
14. #35 Ryo Sakai – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:53.187
15. #43 Haruto Nakai – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 1:53.242
16. #37 Buntaro Igarashi – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:53.278
17. #80 Miki Onaga – OTG MOTOR SPORTS – 1:53.281
18. #38 Tomoki Terashima – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:53.290
19. #15 Ryusho Nakazato – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:53.294
20. #47 Kaoru Yoshida – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing – 1:53.468
21. #7 Toranosuke Takagi – Buzz Racing – 1:53.566
22. #42 Ryoki Minoura – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 1:53.832
23. #8 William Beck – Buzz Racing – 1:53.980
24. #48 Taisei Murakami – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing – 1:53.991
25. #6 Douglas Bolger – Buzz Racing – 1:54.028

Pole position: Masaki Hamabe – 1:52.404

Champion Class qualifying – Race 12 full classification

1. #60 Kenta Kumagai – OTG MOTOR SPORTS – 1:52.517
2. #73 Ryutaro Sakai – MITSUSADA RACING – 1:52.540
3. #36 Masaki Hamabe – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:52.575
4. #16 Ryo Shirasaki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:52.588
5. #99 Soichiro Shioda – Bionic Jack Racing – 1:52.653
6. #45 Megumu Suzuki – PONOS RACING – 1:52.752
7. #29 Masana Muto – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:52.908
8. #51 Kazuma Kurosawa – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 1:52.955
9. #19 Lu You De – AKILAND RACING – 1:52.967
10. #50 Syo Momose – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 1:53.010
11. #17 Yuta Suzuki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:53.043
12. #28 Yuzuki Miura – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:53.161
13. #35 Ryo Sakai – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:53.263
14. #54 Shota Sakai – PONOS RACING – 1:53.280
15. #37 Buntaro Igarashi – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:53.297
16. #38 Tomoki Terashima – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:53.314
17. #80 Miki Onaga – OTG MOTOR SPORTS – 1:53.366
18. #15 Ryusho Nakazato – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:53.517
19. #43 Haruto Nakai – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 1:53.533
20. #47 Kaoru Yoshida – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing – 1:53.567
21. #7 Toranosuke Takagi – Buzz Racing – 1:53.599
22. #42 Ryoki Minoura – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 1:53.933
23. #8 William Beck – Buzz Racing – 1:54.029
24. #48 Taisei Murakami – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing – 1:54.161
25. #6 Douglas Bolger – Buzz Racing – 1:54.245

Pole position: Kenta Kumagai – 1:52.517

Hamabe converts pole into maiden Race 11 victory

Hamabe started Saturday’s Race 11 from pole alongside Kumagai, with Ryutaro Sakai and Shirasaki occupying the second row. The opening corners immediately produced a close battle as Kumagai defended second from Sakai, while Hamabe retained his advantage.

However, Shirasaki endured a more difficult start. Shioda moved ahead of the championship leader before an excursion at the high-speed 100R section allowed Suzuki to claim fifth. Shirasaki consequently dropped to sixth, leaving him behind several drivers who had qualified further down the order.

At the front, Hamabe quickly established control. By the second lap, the TGR-DC Racing School driver had opened an advantage of approximately 1.2 seconds, while Kumagai remained under pressure from Sakai.

The leading trio maintained a consistent pace throughout the race, with Hamabe and Kumagai repeatedly circulating in the low 1:53s. Although Kumagai occasionally reduced the gap, he could not close sufficiently to attempt an overtake.

Meanwhile, Shirasaki remained sixth, unable to find a way past Suzuki. Muto ran seventh, while Ryo Sakai struggled outside the points after qualifying 14th.

Hamabe eventually secured his first Japanese F4 victory, crossing the line 1.703 seconds ahead of Kumagai.

Ryutaro Sakai completed the podium, with Shioda fourth and Suzuki fifth. Shirasaki finished sixth, followed by Muto, Lu You De, Kurosawa and Yuta Suzuki.

Although he could not secure the title on Saturday, Shirasaki increased his championship advantage to 65 points over Muto, leaving him in a commanding position ahead of Race 12.

Champion Class Race 11 – Full classification

1. #36 Masaki Hamabe – TGR-DC Racing School
2. #60 Kenta Kumagai – OTG MOTOR SPORTS
3. #73 Ryutaro Sakai – MITSUSADA RACING
4. #99 Soichiro Shioda – Bionic Jack Racing
5. #45 Megumu Suzuki – PONOS RACING
6. #16 Ryo Shirasaki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
7. #29 Masana Muto – TGR-DC Racing School
8. #19 Lu You De – AKILAND RACING
9. #51 Kazuma Kurosawa – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team
10. #17 Yuta Suzuki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
11. #35 Ryo Sakai – TGR-DC Racing School
12. #43 Haruto Nakai – B-MAX ENGINEERING
13. #28 Yuzuki Miura – TGR-DC Racing School
14. #15 Ryusho Nakazato – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
15. #80 Miki Onaga – OTG MOTOR SPORTS
16. #37 Buntaro Igarashi – TGR-DC Racing School
17. #47 Kaoru Yoshida – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing
18. #7 Toranosuke Takagi – Buzz Racing
19. #42 Ryoki Minoura – B-MAX ENGINEERING
20. #8 William Beck – Buzz Racing
21. #48 Taisei Murakami – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing
22. #6 Douglas Bolger – Buzz Racing
23. #38 Tomoki Terashima – TGR-DC Racing School
24. #54 Shota Sakai – PONOS RACING

Not classified:

• #50 Syo Momose – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 6 laps

Race winner: Masaki Hamabe – 24:35.400

Fastest lap: Kenta Kumagai – 1:52.929

Penalty: Buntaro Igarashi received a five-second time penalty for dangerous driving.

Kumagai secures first victory as Shirasaki clinches Champion Class title

Sunday’s Race 12 began with Kumagai on pole alongside Ryutaro Sakai, while Hamabe and Shirasaki started third and fourth.

However, Sakai’s hopes of challenging for victory ended almost immediately. The MITSUSADA RACING driver suffered a drivetrain problem as the lights went out and could not accelerate from his grid position. He subsequently moved towards the pit exit and retired without completing a lap.

Kumagai retained the lead, while Shirasaki took advantage of Sakai’s misfortune to challenge Hamabe. The championship leader completed the move into Turn 3, promoting himself into second.

Meanwhile, Muto struggled with damage to his front wing, while Ryo Sakai lost positions after running off the circuit. Their difficulties further strengthened Shirasaki’s championship position.

At the front, Kumagai produced a controlled performance. The OTG MOTOR SPORTS driver established an advantage of more than two seconds as Shirasaki focused on maintaining second ahead of Hamabe.

However, Yuzuki Miura spun into the gravel at the second hairpin on Lap 10, prompting officials to deploy the Safety Car. The interruption eliminated Kumagai’s 2.6-second advantage and brought Shirasaki back within striking distance.

Racing resumed for the final lap, but Kumagai successfully defended his position. Shirasaki elected not to take unnecessary risks and maintained second, while Hamabe completed the podium.

Kumagai crossed the line 1.231 seconds ahead of Shirasaki to claim his maiden Japanese F4 victory, completing a pole-to-win performance.

More importantly, Shirasaki secured the Champion Class Drivers’ Championship, extending his advantage beyond the points available at the final round.

Champion Class Race 12 – Full classification

1. #60 Kenta Kumagai – OTG MOTOR SPORTS
2. #16 Ryo Shirasaki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
3. #36 Masaki Hamabe – TGR-DC Racing School
4. #99 Soichiro Shioda – Bionic Jack Racing
5. #45 Megumu Suzuki – PONOS RACING
6. #51 Kazuma Kurosawa – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team
7. #50 Syo Momose – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team
8. #17 Yuta Suzuki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
9. #37 Buntaro Igarashi – TGR-DC Racing School
10. #38 Tomoki Terashima – TGR-DC Racing School
11. #19 Lu You De – AKILAND RACING
12. #54 Shota Sakai – PONOS RACING
13. #15 Ryusho Nakazato – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
14. #80 Miki Onaga – OTG MOTOR SPORTS
15. #29 Masana Muto – TGR-DC Racing School
16. #7 Toranosuke Takagi – Buzz Racing
17. #43 Haruto Nakai – B-MAX ENGINEERING
18. #42 Ryoki Minoura – B-MAX ENGINEERING
19. #6 Douglas Bolger – Buzz Racing
20. #47 Kaoru Yoshida – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing
21. #48 Taisei Murakami – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing
22. #8 William Beck – Buzz Racing
23. #35 Ryo Sakai – TGR-DC Racing School
24. #28 Yuzuki Miura – TGR-DC Racing School – 11 laps

Not classified:

• #73 Ryutaro Sakai – MITSUSADA RACING – 0 laps

Race winner: Kenta Kumagai – 25:47.717

Fastest lap: Kenta Kumagai – 1:53.704

Penalty: Ryo Sakai received a five-second time penalty for dangerous driving.

Shirasaki secures historic Champion Class championship

Shirasaki’s second-place finish brought an end to the Champion Class title battle with two races remaining.

The HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing driver entered Autopolis on 168 points following six consecutive victories earlier in the season. Although he could only finish sixth on Saturday, Sunday’s runner-up result added another 18 points, increasing his championship total to 194.

Muto remained second with 111 points after collecting six points from Race 11. However, his 15th-place finish on Sunday prevented him from reducing the championship deficit.

Ryo Sakai also struggled throughout the weekend, failing to score in either race and remaining third on 108 points.

Shirasaki consequently established an unassailable 83-point advantage over Muto, with a maximum of 50 points remaining across the final two Champion Class races.

The achievement also made Shirasaki the first Japanese F4 Champion Class title winner outside the Toyota and Honda junior development programmes. His success represented a significant milestone for Kageyama Racing and reflected the consistency he demonstrated following his difficult opening weekend.

Champion Class Drivers’ standings after Round 6

The following standings include every driver who had scored championship points through Race 12 at Autopolis. They exclude all results from the subsequent Motegi finale.

1. Ryo Shirasaki – 194 points
2. Masana Muto – 111
3. Ryo Sakai – 108
4. Kenta Kumagai – 106
5. Masaki Hamabe – 102
6. Buntaro Igarashi – 78
7. Soichiro Shioda – 72
8. Ryutaro Sakai – 70
9. Syo Momose – 62
10. Megumu Suzuki – 51
11. Yuzuki Miura – 46
12. Lu You De – 37
13. Yuta Suzuki – 37
14. Haruto Nakai – 34
15. Kazuma Kurosawa – 31
16. Leon Ochiai – 28
17. Ryusho Nakazato – 13
18. Sena Yamamoto – 10
19. Tomoki Terashima – 9
20. Miki Onaga – 6
21. Rikuto Toyoshima – 5
22. Ryoki Minoura – 2
23. Masaki Murata – 1

Championship leader: Ryo Shirasaki – 194 points

Advantage over second: 83 points

Championship status: Ryo Shirasaki confirmed as 2026 Champion Class Drivers’ Champion.

Champion Class Teams’ standings after Round 6

Although Shirasaki had already secured the Drivers’ Championship, the Teams’ title remained undecided.

TGR-DC Racing School benefited from Hamabe’s victory and podium, with Muto and other members of its extensive line-up contributing points throughout the season. The Toyota-backed outfit increased its total to 232 points, extending its advantage over HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing to 30.

Shirasaki’s results strengthened Kageyama Racing’s total to 202, keeping the team within reach of its rival with two races remaining.

OTG MOTOR SPORTS climbed to third with 106 points following Kumagai’s victory, while Bionic Jack Racing moved into fourth ahead of MITSUSADA RACING.

Full points-scoring Teams’ classification

1. TGR-DC Racing School – 232 points
2. HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 202
3. OTG MOTOR SPORTS – 106
4. Bionic Jack Racing – 72
5. MITSUSADA RACING – 70
6. HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 68
7. PONOS RACING – 51
8. AKILAND RACING – 37
9. B-MAX ENGINEERING – 36
10. Eagle Sports – 18
11. Falcon Motorsport – 10
12. TEAM 5ZIGEN – 10
13. Dr. Dry Racing – 4
14. ZAP SPEED – 1

Other teams that had competed during the season but had not scored points included Buzz Racing, Ragno Motor Sports, HELM Motorsports, Fujita Yakkyoku Racing, Drago Corse and TGM Grand Prix.

The Teams’ Championship therefore remained open ahead of Motegi, although TGR-DC Racing School entered the final round holding a substantial advantage.

KENTARO dominates Independent Class qualifying

With Hirobon having already secured the Independent Class Drivers’ Championship at Sugo, attention turned towards the battle for second between Yutaka Toriba and KENTARO.

The reigning champion did not participate at Autopolis, leaving Toriba with an opportunity to strengthen his position. However, KENTARO immediately established himself as the strongest driver in the class.

Friday’s qualifying session took place under cloudy skies with intermittent rain, but conditions remained sufficiently dry for slick tyres.

Toriba initially established the pace, before KENTARO recorded a 1:54.435 to move ahead. He subsequently improved to 1:53.943, becoming the only Independent Class driver to complete a lap in the 1:53s.

Toriba qualified second, 0.434 seconds behind, while DRAGON completed the leading three. Makio Saito followed in fourth ahead of Shoichiro Akamatsu and Isao Nakashima.

KENTARO also secured pole for Race 12 with his second-fastest lap of 1:54.018. Toriba again qualified second, while Nakashima improved to third ahead of DRAGON and Saito.

Masayoshi Oyama did not participate in qualifying after his practice accident, but the team repaired his car sufficiently for him to start Saturday’s race from the back.

Independent Class qualifying – Race 11 full classification

1. #55 KENTARO – Field Motorsport – 1:53.943
2. #18 Yutaka Toriba – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:54.377
3. #30 DRAGON – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 1:54.583
4. #96 Makio Saito – AKILAND RACING – 1:54.708
5. #40 Shoichiro Akamatsu – Eagle Sports – 1:54.742
6. #10 Isao Nakashima – Rn-sports – 1:54.825
7. #3 Shuhei Sato – AKILAND RACING – 1:54.909
8. #61 WILLIAM – HELM MOTORSPORTS – 1:54.978
9. #11 Masayuki Ueda – Rn-sports – 1:54.988
10. #88 Yasuhiro Shimizu – ART TASTE RACING – 1:55.231
11. #12 Kentaro Kojima – Rn-sports – 1:55.554
12. #98 IKARI – Bionic Jack Racing – 1:55.604
13. #4 Yuichi Sasaki – DayDream Racing – 1:56.047
14. #86 Hachiro Osaka – Dr. Dry Racing – 1:56.725
15. #9 Kazuhiro Kanayama – Team Hashimoto Group – 1:58.093
16. #23 YUGO – N-SPEED – 1:58.805

No time:

• #71 Masayoshi Oyama – AKILAND RACING

Pole position: KENTARO – 1:53.943

Independent Class qualifying – Race 12 full classification

1. #55 KENTARO – Field Motorsport – 1:54.018
2. #18 Yutaka Toriba – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:54.524
3. #10 Isao Nakashima – Rn-sports – 1:54.827
4. #30 DRAGON – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 1:54.921
5. #96 Makio Saito – AKILAND RACING – 1:54.988
6. #61 WILLIAM – HELM MOTORSPORTS – 1:55.054
7. #40 Shoichiro Akamatsu – Eagle Sports – 1:55.069
8. #3 Shuhei Sato – AKILAND RACING – 1:55.092
9. #11 Masayuki Ueda – Rn-sports – 1:55.092
10. #88 Yasuhiro Shimizu – ART TASTE RACING – 1:55.402
11. #98 IKARI – Bionic Jack Racing – 1:55.659
12. #12 Kentaro Kojima – Rn-sports – 1:55.888
13. #4 Yuichi Sasaki – DayDream Racing – 1:56.124
14. #86 Hachiro Osaka – Dr. Dry Racing – 1:57.175
15. #9 Kazuhiro Kanayama – Team Hashimoto Group – 1:58.239
16. #23 YUGO – N-SPEED – 1:59.349

No time:

• #71 Masayoshi Oyama – AKILAND RACING

Pole position: KENTARO – 1:54.018

KENTARO claims first Independent Class victory after opening-lap collision

Saturday’s Race 11 began in dry conditions, with all 17 Independent Class entrants taking the start.

However, a multi-car collision disrupted the opening lap. Shuhei Sato made a slower getaway from seventh, while WILLIAM and Masayuki Ueda attempted to gain positions from behind.

Contact between the drivers triggered a chain reaction involving Sato, Hachiro Osaka and Oyama, leaving several cars damaged near the pit exit.

Nakashima also ran off at Turn 3 and struck the barriers, prompting officials to deploy the Safety Car.

Five drivers retired from the opening-lap incidents, significantly reducing the field before the race had properly developed.

When racing resumed on Lap 5, KENTARO maintained the lead ahead of Toriba. Saito moved into third, with DRAGON and Akamatsu following behind.

KENTARO subsequently established a comfortable advantage, consistently setting laps in the 1:54s. Although Toriba remained competitive and improved his pace during the closing stages, he could not reduce the deficit sufficiently to challenge for the lead.

The Field Motorsport driver eventually crossed the line 3.735 seconds ahead of Toriba to claim his first Independent Class victory of the season.

Saito completed the podium, with DRAGON fourth ahead of Akamatsu and IKARI. Kojima, Sasaki, Oyama and YUGO completed the top ten.

The victory significantly reduced KENTARO’s deficit to Toriba, setting up another important battle in Sunday’s race.

Independent Class Race 11 – Full classification

1. #55 KENTARO – Field Motorsport
2. #18 Yutaka Toriba – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
3. #96 Makio Saito – AKILAND RACING
4. #30 DRAGON – B-MAX ENGINEERING
5. #40 Shoichiro Akamatsu – Eagle Sports
6. #98 IKARI – Bionic Jack Racing
7. #12 Kentaro Kojima – Rn-sports
8. #4 Yuichi Sasaki – DayDream Racing
9. #71 Masayoshi Oyama – AKILAND RACING
10. #23 YUGO – N-SPEED
11. #9 Kazuhiro Kanayama – Team Hashimoto Group

Not classified:

• #88 Yasuhiro Shimizu – ART TASTE RACING – 10 laps
• #10 Isao Nakashima – Rn-sports – 0 laps
• #3 Shuhei Sato – AKILAND RACING – 0 laps
• #61 WILLIAM – HELM MOTORSPORTS – 0 laps
• #11 Masayuki Ueda – Rn-sports – 0 laps
• #86 Hachiro Osaka – Dr. Dry Racing – 0 laps

Race winner: KENTARO – 29:11.984

Fastest lap: KENTARO – 1:54.559

KENTARO completes Autopolis double following another chaotic opening lap

Sunday’s Independent Class race brought another difficult opening lap, with several competitors eliminated before they could establish themselves.

KENTARO started from pole alongside Toriba, while Nakashima and DRAGON occupied the second row.

However, Akamatsu ran across the inside run-off at Turn 1 before rejoining among the leading cars. The resulting collision sent DRAGON and Saito into spins, while further contact involved Ueda, Sato, Kojima and Osaka.

The incidents forced several drivers into retirement and prompted a lengthy Safety Car period.

KENTARO maintained first ahead of Toriba and Nakashima as the field remained neutralised until the end of Lap 8. When racing resumed, Toriba immediately attempted to challenge the leader, but KENTARO retained his advantage into Turn 1.

Meanwhile, IKARI spun into the barriers while battling Yasuhiro Shimizu, reducing the remaining field to ten cars.

KENTARO gradually increased his advantage during the closing stages, although Toriba continued matching much of his pace.

However, the race reached its 30-minute maximum duration before the scheduled 13 laps had been completed. Officials therefore ended the contest after 12 laps.

KENTARO crossed the line 0.936 seconds ahead of Toriba, completing a double victory at Autopolis.

Nakashima finished third, securing his first podium of the season, while WILLIAM claimed fourth. Shimizu and Sasaki completed the leading six.

The result capped a dominant weekend for KENTARO, who converted both pole positions into victories and moved ahead of Toriba in the championship standings.

Independent Class Race 12 – Full classification

1. #55 KENTARO – Field Motorsport
2. #18 Yutaka Toriba – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
3. #10 Isao Nakashima – Rn-sports
4. #61 WILLIAM – HELM MOTORSPORTS
5. #88 Yasuhiro Shimizu – ART TASTE RACING
6. #4 Yuichi Sasaki – DayDream Racing
7. #71 Masayoshi Oyama – AKILAND RACING
8. #3 Shuhei Sato – AKILAND RACING
9. #9 Kazuhiro Kanayama – Team Hashimoto Group
10. #23 YUGO – N-SPEED

Not classified:

• #98 IKARI – Bionic Jack Racing – 8 laps
• #30 DRAGON – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 0 laps
• #11 Masayuki Ueda – Rn-sports – 0 laps
• #12 Kentaro Kojima – Rn-sports – 0 laps
• #86 Hachiro Osaka – Dr. Dry Racing – 0 laps
• #96 Makio Saito – AKILAND RACING – 0 laps
• #40 Shoichiro Akamatsu – Eagle Sports – 0 laps

Race winner: KENTARO – 30:55.241

Fastest lap: KENTARO – 1:55.083

Penalties: Makio Saito and YUGO received five-second penalties for starting procedure infringements, while Akamatsu received a 40-second penalty for dangerous driving.

Independent Class standings after Round 6: KENTARO moves ahead of Toriba

Although Hirobon had already secured the Independent Class Drivers’ Championship at Sugo, Autopolis produced another important change in the battle behind the champion.

KENTARO entered the weekend with 111 points, six behind Toriba. However, his two victories added 50 points, lifting him to 161 and moving him into second.

Toriba also enjoyed a productive weekend, collecting 36 points from two runner-up finishes. Nevertheless, his total of 153 left him eight points behind KENTARO.

Hirobon retained the championship lead with 201 points despite not competing at Autopolis.

Further down the standings, Oyama remained fourth on 82 points, just ahead of Imada on 81 and DRAGON on 80.

Akamatsu held seventh with 70, while IKARI, Saito and Nakashima completed the leading ten.

With only one Independent Class race scheduled at Motegi, Hirobon’s 40-point advantage over KENTARO remained unassailable.

Independent Class Drivers’ standings after Round 6

The following classification includes all drivers who had scored points through the completion of Race 12.

1. Hirobon – 201 points
2. KENTARO – 161
3. Yutaka Toriba – 153
4. Masayoshi Oyama – 82
5. Nobuhiro Imada – 81
6. DRAGON – 80
7. Shoichiro Akamatsu – 70
8. IKARI – 65
9. Makio Saito – 59
10. Isao Nakashima – 57
11. WILLIAM – 48
12. Kentaro Kojima – 40
13. Masayuki Ueda – 35
14. Go Shimizu – 30
15. Yuichi Sasaki – 20
16. Yasuhiro Shimizu – 10
17. Hiroshi Sugiyama – 7
18. Shuhei Sato – 4
19. Shigeto Nagashima – 3
20. Kazuhiro Kanayama – 2
21. YUGO – 2
22. Hachiro Osaka – 2

Championship leader: Hirobon – 201 points

Advantage over second: 40 points

Championship status: Hirobon confirmed as 2026 Independent Class Drivers’ Champion.

Independent Class Teams’ standings after Round 6

TEAM 5ZIGEN retained the Independent Class Teams’ Championship lead despite Hirobon’s absence from Autopolis.

The team remained on 201 points, with its earlier success sufficient to secure the title.

However, Field Motorsport made significant progress through KENTARO’s double victory. The team collected 50 points to move into second on 161, overtaking HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing.

Toriba’s two runner-up finishes increased Kageyama Racing’s total to 153, leaving the team third and eight points behind Field Motorsport.

B-MAX ENGINEERING retained fourth with 137 points, while AKILAND RACING completed the leading five on 115.

Full points-scoring Teams’ classification

1. TEAM 5ZIGEN – 201 points
2. Field Motorsport – 161
3. HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 153
4. B-MAX ENGINEERING – 137
5. AKILAND RACING – 115
6. Rn-sports – 102
7. Eagle Sports – 70
8. Bionic Jack Racing – 65
9. HELM MOTORSPORTS – 48
10. ZAP SPEED – 30
11. DayDream Racing – 20
12. Buzz Racing – 3
13. Team Hashimoto Group – 2
14. N-SPEED – 2
15. Dr. Dry Racing – 2

M&K Racing had also participated during the season but remained without championship points after Autopolis.

Shirasaki and Hirobon secure titles as Motegi finale approaches

Autopolis delivered a decisive weekend across both categories of the 2026 Japanese F4 Championship.

Shirasaki secured the Champion Class Drivers’ title with two races remaining, completing a historic achievement for HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing. Although he could not match the outright pace of Hamabe and Kumagai, his sixth and second-place finishes ensured that his championship advantage became unassailable.

The weekend also produced two maiden winners. Hamabe converted pole into victory on Saturday, while Kumagai secured his first success on Sunday after controlling the race despite a late Safety Car.

Meanwhile, KENTARO dominated the Independent Class, securing both pole positions and victories to move ahead of Toriba in the battle for second. However, Hirobon remained the confirmed Drivers’ Champion after establishing a decisive advantage earlier in the season.

Although both individual titles have been decided, the Champion Class Teams’ Championship remains open. TGR-DC Racing School enters the final round with a 30-point advantage over Kageyama Racing, while the remaining positions in both classes are still to be settled.

The championship now heads to Mobility Resort Motegi from 5–8 November for the final round, where the remaining title battle and championship positions will be decided.