A New Dream Begins: Formula Hololive Opens 2026 at Fuji

Shizuoka, 25 January — Formula Hololive enters 2026 with a sense of renewal and ambition as the Ridin’ On Dreams GP @ Fuji INT prepares to launch the season later today, serving as Round 1 of the International qualifiers. After a turbulent but transformative 2025, the series resets with revised formats, streamlined weekends, and a fully unified Tsuyo/Zako phase that promises closer competition and clearer championship narratives.

One of the most significant changes for 2026 is the return to traditional race distances and structures. GP-tier events will once again run to 305 kilometres, while SP-tier races are set at 250 kilometres. The season will begin with three qualifiers rounds, split into two JP divisions — Split A and Split B — alongside a single International split. From these, the top 10 drivers in each JP split and the top 12 from the INT field will advance to the World Tsuyo Cup, while the remaining entrants will contest the Zako Cup.

The Fuji round will offer the first real glimpse of how the new structure reshapes competition, and the International grid is stacked with proven names and emerging contenders. Defending Formula Hololive International champion Javier Lusby’s #07 Vestia Zeta car will be the team and driver to beat heading into the new season, fresh off a solidly consistent campaign last time out

Holotype's reigning World Tsuyo champion Mori Calliope will once again be represented by Joshua Azurid in the #4 car, arriving at Fuji as the clear benchmark after a title-winning 2025 campaign. Close attention will also fall on Evelyn Kuromi in the #53 E. R. Bloodflame entry, whose late-season surge last year in the same series marked her out as a consistent front-runner on high-speed circuits.

The Indonesian contingent remains strong, led by Mathias Zacarias in the #13 Kureiji Ollie car and Dan Evans in the #15 Airani Iofifteen entry, both of whom showed flashes of podium pace across multiple series in 2025. Ryan Kagawa also returns in the #01 Pavolia Reine car with something to prove after narrowly missing out on higher honours last season.

From EN, the spotlight will also be on Mohd Shazren Redza in the #14 Koseki Bijou car and Tyler Williams in the #92 Ouro Kronii entry, the latter making his first appearance for Ouro Kronii, taking over from Mono Zettarou. Enzio Ferrari’s #60 Raora Panthera machine, a consistent scorer in HoloType's World Zako competition and finished 5th last FHolo INT season, could be one of the dark horses coming into this season.

Fuji’s long straights and technical final sector are expected to reward clean execution and tyre discipline, particularly with full-distance GP rules back in effect. With no second race to fall back on, qualifying position and pit strategy will be paramount, especially as teams begin to map out strategies drawn out in only three races this qualifiers.

Beyond Fuji, the 2026 season carries added significance with the introduction of the Formula Hololive World Tsuyo/Zako Cup, merging JP and INT fields into a single championship phase later in the year. Three rounds will determine not only the overall World Tsuyo and World Zako champions, but also separate JP and INT titles within each class, creating six distinct championships from a unified grid.

As engines fire up at Fuji later today, Formula Hololive steps into a new chapter — one defined less by experimentation and more by structure, clarity, and long-term vision. The Ridin’ On Dreams GP may only be the first qualifier race of three, but it already feels like the opening statement of what could be the series’ most balanced and globally competitive season yet.