Super Formula Sugo: Fenestraz strategy pays off for first win

The field was essentially divided into two groups by the second of two safety car periods on lap nine of 53. Most drivers opted to get their mandatory pitstop out of the way during the caution, but a group of seven elected to stay out.

Fenestraz was the leader of the former group, having jumped ahead of poleman Tomoki Nojiri at the start and comfortably held off the reigning champion at the first safety car restart. 

By pitting in, Fenestraz risked losing time in traffic and allowing those that hadn't pitted, led by TOM'S driver Ritomo Miyata, to build up a buffer before making their stops.

Initially it seemed that Miyata was in position to do exactly that, as he gained more than a second lap on Fenestraz once the race resumed on lap 15.

By lap 20, the gap between Miyata and eighth-placed Fenestraz was out to almost 12 seconds, growing to more than 20 seconds by lap 30.

But Fenestraz was able to maintain his pace despite being stuck behind the Team Goh machine of Atsushi Miyake, the last of those that stayed out, and Miyata was unable to keep up his earlier blistering speed as his tyres faded.

The gap between the pair reached 27 seconds before Miyata finally bit the bullet and pitted on lap 46 of what eventually became a timed race running to 49 laps.

That cleared the way for Fenestraz to take the victory by five seconds ahead of Toshiki Oyu (Nakajima Racing), who leapt from fifth to third with a good start and then jumped Nojiri for second place in the pits.

Ritomo Miyata, Kuo VANTELIN TEAM TOM’S

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Photo by: Masahide Kamio

As well as Fenestraz's first win in Super Formula, it also marked a first for the Kondo Racing squad since the 2019 Okayama race.

Nojiri