A Late Race Crash and a Record Breaker at Mie; the 2024 Mie SP @ Suzuka Review

Suzuka, 6 May 2024 — Suzuka Circuit played host to an electrifying Round 4 of the 2024 Formula Hololive Japan Qualifiers, the Mie SP, with both Split A and Split B races delivering drama and excitement. Here's a detailed look at how the weekend unfolded.

Split A (Saturday, May 4th, 2024):

Yuzuki Choco's Raijin Kacyznski secured an unexpected pole position, but it was Kaminari Riba (Shishiro Botan) who seized the lead on Lap 1. However, the real star of the race was Vladislav Domaschnev (Aki Rosenthal), who methodically climbed the ranks. By Lap 7, after Kacyznski's pit stop, Domaschnev took advantage of the lapped car of Alex Grant (Yukihana Lamy) to overtake Riba for the lead on Lap 8.

The pit stops reshuffled the order by Lap 14, but Domaschnev maintained his lead:

1. Domaschnev

2. Riba

3. Ricci

4. Liu

5. Ryo

Drama struck on Lap 39 when Riba's aggressive attempt to pass Johan Sinful (Natsuiro Matsuri) at 130R resulted in a collision, ending Riba's race and damaging Sinful's car.

After 44 laps, Domaschnev's strategic late pit stop on Lap 11 secured him back-to-back wins in the Mie SP, further solidifying his lead in the standings with 725 points and guaranteeing his spot in the 2024 Formula Hololive Japan Tsuyo Cup, in addition to being crowned the Split A champion of FHolo Japan 2024. Ricci followed in second, now with 506 points, also securing a Tsuyo Cup spot.

Ri Liu's consistent performance earned him third place, while Hoshizono Ryo continued to impress with a fourth-place finish in only his second race. Fabio Mendes's fifth-place finish moved him into the top 10 in Split A standings.

Other notable performances included Tyler Williams (Amane Kanata), whose eighth place helped him overtake Alticer Antanarau (Nekomata Okayu), who finished 14th. Krzysztof Salmonman (AZKi) managed a ninth-place finish, but he remains 106 points below the cutline with one race to go.

Points standings after the Mie SP @ Suzuka:

1. Domaschnev - 725

2. Ricci - 506

3. Liu - 361

4. Williams - 326

5. Antanarau - 321

Split B (Sunday, May 5th, 2024):

Seo Byeong-Eun (Shiranui Flare) who sat in 9th coming into this weekend surprised everyone by taking pole position, with Rim Elgore starting second and defending race winner Deuxieme in fourth. The race started chaotically when Shazren Redza (Himemori Luna) spun into Daniel Barguer (Hoshimachi Suisei), putting the former out of contention.

Rim Elgore quickly seized the lead on Lap 1, but pit stop strategies played a crucial role as the race progressed. Mohd Shaqif Redza (Momosuzu Nene), starting seventh, led the race by Lap 14 after the drivers in front of him pitted and pitted late himself on Lap 18, allowing him to maintain his lead post-pit stops.

For the first time since last year's Tokachi SP Split B race, Shaqif Redza claimed victory, equalling his brother's record for most FHolo Japan wins and jumping to sixth in the standings. Ed Skye's strategic pit stop paid off with a second-place finish, marking his first FHolo podium. Deuxieme continued his strong form with a third-place finish.

Kizuhara Leo and Seo Byeong-Eun finished fourth and fifth respectively, while Barguer kept his Tsuyo Cup aspirations alive with a sixth-place finish.

Points standings for Split B with one race to go:

1. Deuxieme - 436

2. Skye - 413

3. Chae-Yon - 351

4. Shazren Redza - 288

5. Byeong-Eun - 262

The Qualifiers Season Finale at the SUGO GP in June promises to be a thrilling showdown as drivers vie for the remaining 18 spots in the coveted 2024 Formula Hololive Japan Tsuyo Cup. With uncertainty to the Tsuyo Cup entry list still, with one race to go, this round is set to be a must watch for all.