Super Formula Autopolis: Nojiri scores third pole in a row

Mugen man Nojiri set the fastest time of 1m24.529s at the end of the Q2 pole shootout to shade TOM'S Ritomo Miyata by 0.269 seconds in a repeat of the front row from Round 2 at Fuji Speedway.

It means Mugen maintains its 100% record of poles in Super Formula this year - Ukyo Sasahara was on pole for the Fuji opener, with Nojiri monopolising the top spot since then - while Nojiri now has 19 points in hand over his nearest rival in the championship standings Ryo Hirakawa.

Dandelion Racing's Tadasuke Makino looked like the driver to beat heading into Q2, as he topped his group in Q1 with on a 1m24.418s, faster than the eventual pole position time.

However, come the pole shootout, Makino could only manage a 1m24.803s to go third-fastest, a scant 0.005s behind Miyata.

Sasahara was fourth-fastest in the second Mugen entry ahead of impressive rookie Atsushi Miyake (Team Goh), who made it four Honda-powered cars in the top five.

Practice pacesetter Sacha Fenestraz was next up in sixth, followed by Kondo Racing team-mate Kenta Yamashita, Hirakawa (Team Impul), Yuji Kunimoto (KCMG) and Hiroki Otsu (Dandelion).

Sacha Fenestraz, KONDO RACING

Photo by: Masahide Kamio

Completing the order in Q2 were Inging's Sena Sakaguchi and Red Bull junior Ren Sato (Goh).

Last year's Autopolis winner Giuliano Alesi (TOM'S) was among those to drop out in Q1, managing only the ninth-fastest time in his group to end up a lowly 17th on the grid.

He'll be joined towards the back by Suzuka victor Nobuharu Matsushita (B-Max), who is set to line up 20th having been slowest of all in the other Q1 segment, apparently failing to set a representative lap.

Nakajima Racing's woes continued with Toshiki Oyu and three-time champion Naoki Yamamoto ending up 18th