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Pit Debrief

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2026 | Japanese F4 | Motegi (Round 7) | Shirasaki completes double as Kageyama Racing clinches Teams’ Championship

Karishma Persad019 mins
Ryo Shirasaki sweeps the Japanese F4 Motegi finale as Kageyama Racing takes the teams' title while Yutaka Toriba wins Independent.
Photo Credit: Toyota Gazoo Racing
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The 2026 Japanese F4 Championship concluded at Mobility Resort Motegi from 6–8 November, where Ryo Shirasaki completed a dominant season with two further victories, securing the Champion Class Teams’ Championship for HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing. Meanwhile, Yutaka Toriba claimed victory in the Independent Class finale, although Hirobon had already secured the Drivers’ Championship.

Shirasaki entered the seventh and final round having secured the Champion Class Drivers’ Championship at Autopolis. However, the Teams’ Championship remained undecided, with TGR-DC Racing School holding a narrow advantage over HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing.

Despite Ryo Sakai securing both pole positions for TGR-DC Racing School, Shirasaki demonstrated his racecraft throughout the weekend. He converted second on the grid into victory in Race 13 before repeating the achievement on Sunday, completing the campaign with eight victories from 14 races.

His final victory proved particularly significant, allowing HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing to overturn its championship deficit and secure the Teams’ title by just three points.

The Independent Class concluded on Saturday, with Toriba converting pole position into his fourth victory of the season. However, KENTARO’s second-place finish proved sufficient to secure the runner-up position in the Drivers’ Championship, finishing just one point ahead of Toriba.

Ryo Sakai secures double Champion Class pole at Motegi

Friday’s qualifying session took place in dry conditions, with 28 drivers competing around the 4.801-kilometre Mobility Resort Motegi circuit.

Although the Drivers’ Championship had already been decided, the battle for the Teams’ title ensured that qualifying remained particularly important for TGR-DC Racing School and HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing.

Sakai established himself as the leading contender, recording a 1:56.749 to secure his first pole position since the opening round at Fuji. The Toyota junior improved on his previous best during the closing stages, establishing an advantage that his rivals could not overcome.

Shirasaki qualified second with a 1:56.916, finishing 0.167 seconds behind Sakai. Meanwhile, Kazuma Kurosawa delivered his strongest qualifying performance of the season to secure third for HFDP with B-Max Racing Team, just 0.006 seconds behind Shirasaki.

Megumu Suzuki completed the second row ahead of Soichiro Shioda, while Yuta Suzuki qualified sixth in the second HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing entry.

Haruto Nakai finished seventh, only 0.001 seconds behind Yuta Suzuki, while Masana Muto, Ryutaro Sakai and Ryoki Minoura completed the leading ten.

However, the second-fastest lap classification produced an even closer battle. Sakai again claimed pole, recording a 1:56.948 to beat Shirasaki by just 0.017 seconds.

Kurosawa retained third, with Megumu Suzuki fourth and Nakai fifth. Yuta Suzuki completed the leading six, giving HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing two cars among the front three rows.

The qualifying results placed the main championship contenders in strong positions ahead of the final two races.

Champion Class qualifying – Race 13 full classification

  1. #35 Ryo Sakai – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:56.749
  2. #16 Ryo Shirasaki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:56.916
  3. #51 Kazuma Kurosawa – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 1:56.922
  4. #45 Megumu Suzuki – PONOS RACING – 1:56.958
  5. #99 Soichiro Shioda – Bionic Jack Racing – 1:56.974
  6. #17 Yuta Suzuki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:56.989
  7. #43 Haruto Nakai – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 1:56.990
  8. #29 Masana Muto – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:56.992
  9. #73 Ryutaro Sakai – MITSUSADA RACING – 1:57.006
  10. #42 Ryoki Minoura – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 1:57.027
  11. #15 Ryusho Nakazato – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:57.051
  12. #50 Syo Momose – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 1:57.068
  13. #38 Tomoki Terashima – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:57.090
  14. #54 Shota Sakai – PONOS RACING – 1:57.152
  15. #28 Yuzuki Miura – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:57.179
  16. #60 Kenta Kumagai – OTG MOTOR SPORTS – 1:57.201
  17. #37 Buntaro Igarashi – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:57.203
  18. #21 Leon Ochiai – Eagle Sports – 1:57.209
  19. #36 Masaki Hamabe – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:57.220
  20. #19 Lu You De – AKILAND RACING – 1:57.242
  21. #80 Miki Onaga – OTG MOTOR SPORTS – 1:57.327
  22. #87 Rikuto Toyoshima – Dr.Dry Racing Team – 1:57.476
  23. #7 Toranosuke Takagi – Buzz Racing – 1:57.715
  24. #48 Taisei Murakami – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing – 1:57.845
  25. #8 William Beck – Buzz Racing – 1:58.044
  26. #47 Taiga Ishii – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing – 1:58.372
  27. #14 Masaki Murata – ZAP SPEED – 1:58.435
  28. #24 Hiroto Suzuki – ZAP SPEED – 1:58.508

Pole position: Ryo Sakai – 1:56.749

Previous circuit qualifying record: 1:57.305

Champion Class qualifying – Race 14 full classification

  1. #35 Ryo Sakai – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:56.948
  2. #16 Ryo Shirasaki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:56.965
  3. #51 Kazuma Kurosawa – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 1:56.969
  4. #45 Megumu Suzuki – PONOS RACING – 1:56.971
  5. #43 Haruto Nakai – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 1:57.013
  6. #17 Yuta Suzuki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:57.024
  7. #42 Ryoki Minoura – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 1:57.030
  8. #29 Masana Muto – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:57.083
  9. #50 Syo Momose – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 1:57.083
  10. #73 Ryutaro Sakai – MITSUSADA RACING – 1:57.125
  11. #99 Soichiro Shioda – Bionic Jack Racing – 1:57.157
  12. #15 Ryusho Nakazato – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:57.163
  13. #38 Tomoki Terashima – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:57.201
  14. #36 Masaki Hamabe – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:57.233
  15. #60 Kenta Kumagai – OTG MOTOR SPORTS – 1:57.245
  16. #37 Buntaro Igarashi – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:57.250
  17. #28 Yuzuki Miura – TGR-DC Racing School – 1:57.271
  18. #54 Shota Sakai – PONOS RACING – 1:57.282
  19. #19 Lu You De – AKILAND RACING – 1:57.284
  20. #80 Miki Onaga – OTG MOTOR SPORTS – 1:57.338
  21. #21 Leon Ochiai – Eagle Sports – 1:57.370
  22. #87 Rikuto Toyoshima – Dr.Dry Racing Team – 1:57.486
  23. #7 Toranosuke Takagi – Buzz Racing – 1:57.830
  24. #48 Taisei Murakami – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing – 1:58.026
  25. #8 William Beck – Buzz Racing – 1:58.138
  26. #47 Taiga Ishii – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing – 1:58.412
  27. #14 Masaki Murata – ZAP SPEED – 1:58.574
  28. #24 Hiroto Suzuki – ZAP SPEED – 1:58.592

Pole position: Ryo Sakai – 1:56.948

Sakai consequently completed qualifying with two pole positions, strengthening TGR-DC Racing School’s hopes of retaining the Teams’ Championship advantage.

Shirasaki claims seventh victory as Sakai penalty changes Race 13 podium

Saturday’s opening Champion Class race began with Sakai on pole alongside Shirasaki, while Kurosawa and Megumu Suzuki occupied the second row.

However, Shirasaki made an exceptional start, immediately moving alongside Sakai before completing the overtake into Turn 1.

Behind the leading pair, Kurosawa and Megumu Suzuki made contact while battling for third. Both cars ran off the circuit, allowing Shioda and Yuta Suzuki to gain positions.

The incident compromised both drivers’ races. Megumu Suzuki subsequently became stranded in the gravel at the 90-degree corner, while Taiga Ishii also went off at Turn 1 on the following lap.

Officials deployed the Safety Car on Lap 2, neutralising the race while marshals recovered the stranded cars.

Racing resumed on Lap 4, with Shirasaki successfully defending the lead. Sakai remained second, while Yuta Suzuki began pressuring Shioda for third.

The HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing driver completed the move through the Esses, strengthening his team’s position in the championship battle.

However, Sakai soon received a five-second time penalty for a jump start. Officials determined that his car had moved before the starting signal, leaving the Toyota junior facing a significant disadvantage.

Despite the penalty, Sakai continued pressuring Shirasaki. He recorded the fastest lap of 1:55.859 on Lap 6, remaining within striking distance of the leader.

Further back, Nakai overtook Shioda for fourth on Lap 8, while Muto and Ryutaro Sakai battled over sixth.

Their contest ended in a serious collision at Turn 5 on Lap 9. Both cars left the circuit and struck the concrete barrier beneath the bridge, forcing officials to deploy another Safety Car.

With limited time remaining, marshals could not complete the recovery before the chequered flag. The race consequently finished under Safety Car conditions.

Shirasaki secured his seventh victory of the season, while Sakai initially crossed the line second.

However, his five-second penalty dropped him to 14th, promoting Yuta Suzuki to second and Nakai to third.

Shioda finished fourth ahead of Nakazato, while Minoura secured sixth. Momose, Ochiai, Terashima and Lu You De completed the leading ten.

The result significantly strengthened HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing’s championship prospects, reducing its deficit to TGR-DC Racing School from seven points to seven points with one race remaining.

Champion Class Race 13 – Full classification

  1. #16 Ryo Shirasaki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
  2. #17 Yuta Suzuki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
  3. #43 Haruto Nakai – B-MAX ENGINEERING
  4. #99 Soichiro Shioda – Bionic Jack Racing
  5. #15 Ryusho Nakazato – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
  6. #42 Ryoki Minoura – B-MAX ENGINEERING
  7. #50 Syo Momose – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team
  8. #21 Leon Ochiai – Eagle Sports
  9. #38 Tomoki Terashima – TGR-DC Racing School
  10. #19 Lu You De – AKILAND RACING
  11. #60 Kenta Kumagai – OTG MOTOR SPORTS
  12. #37 Buntaro Igarashi – TGR-DC Racing School
  13. #87 Rikuto Toyoshima – Dr.Dry Racing Team
  14. #35 Ryo Sakai – TGR-DC Racing School
  15. #54 Shota Sakai – PONOS RACING
  16. #36 Masaki Hamabe – TGR-DC Racing School
  17. #28 Yuzuki Miura – TGR-DC Racing School
  18. #48 Taisei Murakami – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing
  19. #80 Miki Onaga – OTG MOTOR SPORTS
  20. #7 Toranosuke Takagi – Buzz Racing
  21. #14 Masaki Murata – ZAP SPEED
  22. #24 Hiroto Suzuki – ZAP SPEED
  23. #8 William Beck – Buzz Racing

Not classified:

  • #29 Masana Muto – TGR-DC Racing School – 8 laps
  • #73 Ryutaro Sakai – MITSUSADA RACING – 8 laps
  • #51 Kazuma Kurosawa – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 3 laps
  • #47 Taiga Ishii – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing – 1 lap
  • #45 Megumu Suzuki – PONOS RACING – 0 laps

Race winner: Ryo Shirasaki – 30:25.191

Fastest lap: Ryo Sakai – 1:55.859

Penalties: Ryo Sakai received five seconds for a jump start. Ryutaro Sakai received a 40-second penalty for causing a collision, while Megumu Suzuki received a five-second penalty for contact.

Shirasaki completes double as HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing wins Teams’ Championship

Sunday’s final race began with the Teams’ Championship still undecided. TGR-DC Racing School held 234 points, seven ahead of HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing on 227.

With only the highest-finishing driver from each team contributing to the championship score, the battle between Sakai and Shirasaki became particularly important.

Sakai once again started from pole alongside Shirasaki, while Kurosawa and Megumu Suzuki occupied the second row. Nakai and Yuta Suzuki followed on the third row.

Shirasaki produced another strong getaway, immediately challenging Sakai into Turn 1. However, the pole-sitter successfully defended his position through the opening sequence and retained the lead.

Behind them, Nakai made progress, moving into third ahead of Kurosawa.

However, an incident involving Momose and Terashima disrupted the opening lap. The collision left several cars damaged, including those of Igarashi, Kumagai and Takagi, forcing officials to deploy the Safety Car.

Yuta Suzuki also encountered mechanical problems and subsequently visited the pits, effectively ending his hopes of another strong result.

Racing resumed on Lap 5, with Sakai maintaining his advantage. Shirasaki remained close behind, while Nakai held third.

Further back, Kurosawa began struggling with handling problems, eventually retiring with a left-front puncture.

At the front, Shirasaki remained within half a second of Sakai as the battle for victory intensified.

The decisive moment arrived on Lap 6. Sakai ran slightly wide while approaching Victory Corner, crossing the kerbs and losing momentum as he exited the final corner.

Shirasaki immediately capitalised, moving alongside before completing the overtake for the lead.

Having moved ahead, the newly crowned champion began establishing an advantage. He recorded the fastest lap of 1:55.178 on Lap 8, gradually pulling clear of Sakai.

Meanwhile, Nakai continued pressuring the Toyota junior for second. Sakai subsequently locked up under braking for Turn 3 on Lap 9, allowing Nakai to move ahead.

Shirasaki maintained his advantage throughout the closing stages, eventually crossing the line 2.046 seconds ahead of Nakai.

Sakai recovered to finish third, while Muto secured fourth ahead of Megumu Suzuki and Shioda.

Miura finished seventh, with Minoura, Hamabe and Toyoshima completing the points-scoring positions.

Shirasaki therefore secured his eighth victory of the season, completing a dominant season with another double victory.

More importantly, the result secured the Teams’ Championship for HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing. The team’s 25-point gain lifted its total to 252, while TGR-DC Racing School added 15 points to finish on 249.

The three-point margin represented a dramatic conclusion to the season-long Teams’ Championship battle.

Champion Class Race 14 – Full classification

  1. #16 Ryo Shirasaki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
  2. #43 Haruto Nakai – B-MAX ENGINEERING
  3. #35 Ryo Sakai – TGR-DC Racing School
  4. #29 Masana Muto – TGR-DC Racing School
  5. #45 Megumu Suzuki – PONOS RACING
  6. #99 Soichiro Shioda – Bionic Jack Racing
  7. #28 Yuzuki Miura – TGR-DC Racing School
  8. #42 Ryoki Minoura – B-MAX ENGINEERING
  9. #36 Masaki Hamabe – TGR-DC Racing School
  10. #87 Rikuto Toyoshima – Dr.Dry Racing Team
  11. #54 Shota Sakai – PONOS RACING
  12. #21 Leon Ochiai – Eagle Sports
  13. #19 Lu You De – AKILAND RACING
  14. #73 Ryutaro Sakai – MITSUSADA RACING
  15. #15 Ryusho Nakazato – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
  16. #80 Miki Onaga – OTG MOTOR SPORTS
  17. #47 Taiga Ishii – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing
  18. #8 William Beck – Buzz Racing
  19. #14 Masaki Murata – ZAP SPEED
  20. #24 Hiroto Suzuki – ZAP SPEED
  21. #48 Taisei Murakami – Fujita Yakkyoku Racing
  22. #17 Yuta Suzuki – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 11 laps

Not classified:

  • #51 Kazuma Kurosawa – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 4 laps
  • #50 Syo Momose – HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 0 laps
  • #38 Tomoki Terashima – TGR-DC Racing School – 0 laps
  • #60 Kenta Kumagai – OTG MOTOR SPORTS – 0 laps
  • #37 Buntaro Igarashi – TGR-DC Racing School – 0 laps
  • #7 Toranosuke Takagi – Buzz Racing – 0 laps

Race winner: Ryo Shirasaki – 29:03.759

Fastest lap: Ryo Shirasaki – 1:55.178

Shirasaki completes historic season with eight Champion Class victories

Shirasaki’s double victory at Motegi brought a successful conclusion to his championship-winning campaign.

The HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing driver entered the final round on 194 points, having secured the Drivers’ Championship at Autopolis. Two further victories added 50 points, lifting his final total to 244.

His eight victories from 14 races represented an exceptional achievement, particularly given his difficult opening round at Fuji, where he failed to score.

After recovering from that setback, Shirasaki established himself as the strongest driver in the field, securing six consecutive victories before returning to the top step of the podium twice at Motegi.

He consequently completed the championship with a 121-point advantage over Muto, who finished second on 123.

Ryo Sakai also ended the season with 123 points, but Muto secured the runner-up position on countback.

Kumagai finished fourth with 106 points after his breakthrough victory at Autopolis, while Hamabe completed the leading five on 104.

Shioda climbed to sixth with 92 points following his fourth and sixth-place finishes at Motegi. Igarashi remained seventh with 78, while Ryutaro Sakai, Momose and Nakai completed the championship’s leading ten.

Nakai made particularly strong progress during the finale. His third and second-place finishes added 33 points, lifting him from 34 to 67 and securing tenth in the final classification.

Final 2026 Japanese F4 Champion Class Drivers’ Championship standings

  1. Ryo Shirasaki – 244 points
  2. Masana Muto – 123
  3. Ryo Sakai – 123
  4. Kenta Kumagai – 106
  5. Masaki Hamabe – 104
  6. Soichiro Shioda – 92
  7. Buntaro Igarashi – 78
  8. Ryutaro Sakai – 70
  9. Syo Momose – 68
  10. Haruto Nakai – 67
  11. Megumu Suzuki – 61
  12. Yuta Suzuki – 55
  13. Yuzuki Miura – 52
  14. Lu You De – 38
  15. Leon Ochiai – 32
  16. Kazuma Kurosawa – 31
  17. Ryusho Nakazato – 23
  18. Ryoki Minoura – 14
  19. Tomoki Terashima – 11
  20. Sena Yamamoto – 10
  21. Miki Onaga – 6
  22. Rikuto Toyoshima – 5
  23. Masaki Murata – 1

2026 Champion Class Drivers’ Champion: Ryo Shirasaki

Championship-winning points total: 244

Advantage over second: 121 points

Total victories: Eight

The final classification reflects Shirasaki’s dominance, with the championship decided before the final round despite the competitive battles behind him.

HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing overturns deficit to secure Teams’ Championship

Although the Drivers’ Championship had already been decided, Motegi produced a dramatic conclusion to the Champion Class Teams’ Championship.

TGR-DC Racing School entered the finale seven points ahead of HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing, with the title remaining mathematically open.

However, Shirasaki’s Race 13 victory and Yuta Suzuki’s runner-up finish helped the team reduce the deficit, although TGR-DC retained its seven-point advantage.

The decisive change came during Sunday’s final race. Shirasaki secured another victory, collecting 25 points for HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing, while Sakai’s third-place finish added 15 for TGR-DC Racing School.

Consequently, HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing finished the season with 252 points, three ahead of TGR-DC Racing School.

The achievement secured a second consecutive Teams’ Championship for the organisation, completing a double title-winning season alongside Shirasaki’s Drivers’ crown.

OTG MOTOR SPORTS retained third with 106 points, while Bionic Jack Racing finished fourth with 92.

HFDP with B-Max Racing Team completed the leading five, ahead of MITSUSADA RACING, B-MAX ENGINEERING and PONOS RACING.

Final 2026 Japanese F4 Champion Class Teams’ Championship standings

  1. HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 252 points
  2. TGR-DC Racing School – 249
  3. OTG MOTOR SPORTS – 106
  4. Bionic Jack Racing – 92
  5. HFDP with B-Max Racing Team – 74
  6. MITSUSADA RACING – 70
  7. B-MAX ENGINEERING – 69
  8. PONOS RACING – 61
  9. AKILAND RACING – 38
  10. Eagle Sports – 22
  11. Falcon Motorsport – 10
  12. TEAM 5ZIGEN – 10
  13. Dr.Dry Racing Team – 5
  14. ZAP SPEED – 1

2026 Champion Class Teams’ Champion: HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing

Winning margin: Three points

The result completed an impressive season for the team, which overcame the manufacturer-backed Toyota and Honda junior programmes to secure both individual and team honours.

Toriba claims Independent Class pole with last-lap qualifying effort

The Independent Class entered its final round with the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships already decided.

Hirobon had secured both titles for himself and TEAM 5ZIGEN at Sugo before electing not to compete at Autopolis or Motegi.

However, the battle for second remained unresolved, with KENTARO entering the finale eight points ahead of Toriba following his double victory at Autopolis.

Nineteen drivers participated in the final qualifying session, which took place in dry conditions on Friday afternoon.

KENTARO initially established himself as the leading contender, recording a 1:58.889 before improving to 1:58.744.

Toriba responded with a 1:58.890, while Yasuhiro Shimizu also moved into contention. However, KENTARO continued improving and eventually recorded a 1:58.284.

The Field Motorsport driver appeared set to secure another pole position, but Toriba produced an exceptional final lap after the chequered flag had already been shown.

He recorded a 1:58.217, moving ahead of KENTARO by just 0.067 seconds and securing pole for the final Independent Class race of the season.

Makio Saito qualified third for AKILAND RACING, with WILLIAM fourth and Shimizu fifth. Shoichiro Akamatsu completed the leading six, ahead of DRAGON, IKARI and Kentaro Kojima.

The result created another direct battle between Toriba and KENTARO, with the runner-up position in the championship still at stake.

Independent Class qualifying – Race 13 full classification

  1. #18 Yutaka Toriba – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 1:58.217
  2. #55 KENTARO – Field Motorsport – 1:58.284
  3. #96 Makio Saito – AKILAND RACING – 1:58.394
  4. #61 WILLIAM – HELM MOTORSPORTS – 1:58.704
  5. #88 Yasuhiro Shimizu – ART TASTE RACING – 1:58.712
  6. #40 Shoichiro Akamatsu – Eagle Sports – 1:59.017
  7. #30 DRAGON – B-MAX ENGINEERING – 1:59.103
  8. #98 IKARI – Bionic Jack Racing – 1:59.284
  9. #12 Kentaro Kojima – Rn-sports – 1:59.315
  10. #6 Shigeto Nagashima – Buzz Racing – 1:59.404
  11. #71 Masayoshi Oyama – AKILAND RACING – 1:59.547
  12. #11 Hiroshi Sugiyama – Rn-sports – 1:59.672
  13. #97 Mitsuhiro Endo – M&K Racing – 1:59.712
  14. #10 Isao Nakashima – Rn-sports – 1:59.750
  15. #77 MOTOTINO – ZAP SPEED – 2:00.333
  16. #92 Ryuichi Kunihiro – Rn-sports – 2:01.360
  17. #23 YUGO – N-SPEED – 2:03.405
  18. #9 Kazuhiro Kanayama – Team Hashimoto Group – 2:03.630

Outside the 105% qualifying threshold:

  • #4 Yuichi Sasaki – DayDream Racing – 2:14.703

Pole position: Yutaka Toriba – 1:58.217

Toriba wins Independent Class finale as KENTARO secures championship runner-up position

Saturday’s Independent Class race marked the final contest of the season for the category, with Toriba starting from pole ahead of KENTARO.

Both drivers made competitive starts, but Toriba successfully retained the lead into Turn 1. KENTARO followed closely behind, while Saito secured third ahead of WILLIAM.

Akamatsu and Shimizu completed the leading six, although Akamatsu briefly ran wide at Turn 2 before recovering.

Toriba initially maintained an advantage of approximately half a second over KENTARO. However, the race soon came under Safety Car conditions following an incident involving Sugiyama and Nagashima at Turn 1.

Sugiyama made contact with Nagashima, sending both cars into the gravel, while Endo also went off while attempting to avoid the incident.

All three drivers retired, forcing officials to neutralise the race while marshals recovered the damaged cars.

Racing resumed on Lap 6, with Toriba producing an excellent restart. The HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing driver accelerated early and immediately established an advantage of approximately 1.2 seconds over KENTARO.

However, KENTARO quickly began closing the gap. He recorded a 1:57.642 before improving to 1:57.338 on Lap 8, bringing himself within approximately three-tenths of Toriba.

Behind them, Saito faced considerable pressure from WILLIAM, Shimizu and Akamatsu in the battle for the final podium position.

Shimizu attempted to overtake WILLIAM at Turn 5 on Lap 9 but ran slightly wide, forcing him to remain behind. He subsequently lost another position to Akamatsu before recovering fifth on Lap 11.

Meanwhile, Toriba continued defending his advantage at the front. Despite KENTARO remaining within striking distance, the leader avoided mistakes and prevented his rival from completing an overtake.

Toriba eventually secured victory in the Independent Class finale, crossing the line just 0.831 seconds ahead of KENTARO.

Saito completed the podium, with WILLIAM fourth ahead of Shimizu and Akamatsu.

Kojima finished seventh, while IKARI, Oyama and Nakashima completed the points-scoring positions.

The result gave Toriba his fourth victory of the season, but KENTARO’s second-place finish proved sufficient to secure the runner-up position in the Drivers’ Championship.

Independent Class Race 13 – Full classification

  1. #18 Yutaka Toriba – HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing
  2. #55 KENTARO – Field Motorsport
  3. #96 Makio Saito – AKILAND RACING
  4. #61 WILLIAM – HELM MOTORSPORTS
  5. #88 Yasuhiro Shimizu – ART TASTE RACING
  6. #40 Shoichiro Akamatsu – Eagle Sports
  7. #12 Kentaro Kojima – Rn-sports
  8. #98 IKARI – Bionic Jack Racing
  9. #71 Masayoshi Oyama – AKILAND RACING
  10. #10 Isao Nakashima – Rn-sports
  11. #4 Yuichi Sasaki – DayDream Racing
  12. #30 DRAGON – B-MAX ENGINEERING
  13. #77 MOTOTINO – ZAP SPEED
  14. #92 Ryuichi Kunihiro – Rn-sports
  15. #9 Kazuhiro Kanayama – Team Hashimoto Group
  16. #23 YUGO – N-SPEED

Not classified:

  • #6 Shigeto Nagashima – Buzz Racing – 2 laps
  • #97 Mitsuhiro Endo – M&K Racing – 2 laps
  • #11 Hiroshi Sugiyama – Rn-sports – 2 laps

Race winner: Yutaka Toriba – 28:21.818

Fastest lap: KENTARO – 1:57.338

Penalties: MOTOTINO received five seconds for a jump start, while Hiroshi Sugiyama received 30 seconds for causing contact.

Hirobon completes championship-winning Independent Class season

Although Hirobon did not compete at Motegi, the TEAM 5ZIGEN driver remained the 2026 Independent Class Drivers’ Champion.

Having secured the title at Sugo, Hirobon concluded the season with 201 points after a dominant campaign that included six victories.

However, the battle for second remained unresolved until the final race.

KENTARO entered Motegi with 161 points, eight ahead of Toriba. Although Toriba secured victory and added 25 points, KENTARO’s runner-up finish brought another 18, lifting his total to 179.

Toriba consequently finished third on 178, just one point behind KENTARO despite claiming four race victories during the campaign.

Oyama finished fourth with 84 points, ahead of Imada on 81. DRAGON completed the leading six with 80, while Akamatsu secured seventh following his sixth-place finish at Motegi.

Saito climbed to eighth on 74 points after his final-round podium, while IKARI and WILLIAM completed the championship’s leading ten.

The result demonstrated the competitiveness of the Independent Class, with the positions behind Hirobon remaining closely contested throughout the final rounds.

Final 2026 Japanese F4 Independent Class Drivers’ Championship standings

  1. Hirobon – 201 points
  2. KENTARO – 179
  3. Yutaka Toriba – 178
  4. Masayoshi Oyama – 84
  5. Nobuhiro Imada – 81
  6. DRAGON – 80
  7. Shoichiro Akamatsu – 78
  8. Makio Saito – 74
  9. IKARI – 69
  10. WILLIAM – 60
  11. Isao Nakashima – 58
  12. Kentaro Kojima – 46
  13. Masayuki Ueda – 35
  14. Go Shimizu – 30
  15. Yasuhiro Shimizu – 20
  16. Yuichi Sasaki – 20
  17. Hiroshi Sugiyama – 7
  18. Shuhei Sato – 4
  19. Shigeto Nagashima – 3
  20. Kazuhiro Kanayama – 2
  21. YUGO – 2
  22. Hachiro Osaka – 2

2026 Independent Class Drivers’ Champion: Hirobon

Championship-winning points total: 201

Advantage over second: 22 points

Runner-up margin: KENTARO finished one point ahead of Toriba.

TEAM 5ZIGEN retains Independent Class Teams’ Championship

TEAM 5ZIGEN had already secured the Independent Class Teams’ Championship at Sugo through Hirobon’s dominant performances.

The team consequently completed the season with 201 points, remaining comfortably ahead of its nearest rivals despite not participating at Motegi.

Field Motorsport secured second with 179 points after KENTARO’s strong conclusion to the campaign.

HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing followed in third with 178, just one point behind Field Motorsport, reflecting the closely contested battle between KENTARO and Toriba.

B-MAX ENGINEERING retained fourth with 147 points, while AKILAND RACING completed the top five on 130.

Rn-sports finished sixth with 108, ahead of Eagle Sports and Bionic Jack Racing.

HELM MOTORSPORTS secured ninth through WILLIAM’s performances, while ZAP SPEED completed the leading ten.

Final 2026 Japanese F4 Independent Class Teams’ Championship standings

  1. TEAM 5ZIGEN – 201 points
  2. Field Motorsport – 179
  3. HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing – 178
  4. B-MAX ENGINEERING – 147
  5. AKILAND RACING – 130
  6. Rn-sports – 108
  7. Eagle Sports – 78
  8. Bionic Jack Racing – 69
  9. HELM MOTORSPORTS – 60
  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 Team – 2

2026 Independent Class Teams’ Champion: TEAM 5ZIGEN

Championship-winning points total: 201

Advantage over second: 22 points

Shirasaki and Kageyama Racing complete championship-winning 2026 season

Motegi delivered a fitting conclusion to the 2026 Japanese F4 Championship, with Shirasaki securing both Champion Class victories and helping HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing overturn its deficit in the Teams’ Championship.

The newly crowned Drivers’ Champion entered the finale without the pressure of an individual title battle. Nevertheless, his performances proved decisive as he capitalised on Sakai’s mistakes and penalties to secure two further victories.

His eight wins across 14 races completed a dominant season, particularly after his scoreless opening round.

Meanwhile, HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing’s three-point Teams’ Championship victory represented one of the closest title battles of the campaign. TGR-DC Racing School entered the final race with a seven-point advantage but could not withstand Shirasaki’s final victory.

The Independent Class also produced a competitive finale, with Toriba claiming his fourth victory after defending against KENTARO throughout the race.

Although Hirobon had already secured the Drivers’ Championship, KENTARO’s second-place finish ensured that the battle for runner-up ended with a margin of just one point.

The 2026 season therefore concluded with Shirasaki and HYDRANGEA Kageyama Racing claiming the Champion Class titles, while Hirobon and TEAM 5ZIGEN secured the corresponding Independent Class championships.

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