Ake's Redemption, Shaqif Redza's Heartbreak, and Penalties Define Dramatic SUGO Weekend as Mandalika Showdown Awaits

Miyagi, 3 June — If the SUGO 400 was supposed to separate the championship contenders from the pretenders, it did so in spectacular fashion. Across two days of racing at the unforgiving Sportsland SUGO, familiar favorites stumbled, forgotten challengers found redemption, and the road to the 2026 HoloProto Japan Tsuyo Series took another dramatic turn before the season finale at Mandalika.

Saturday's Split A race belonged to Sammy Ake, representing Shirakami Fubuki in the No. 22 Oreca 07. After spending much of the season chasing the leaders despite winning at Motegi, Ake finally pieced together the complete weekend that the Sukon-Bu had been waiting for, taking a commanding victory that vaulted him from the edge of the Tsuyo-Zako divide back into genuine contention for one of the highest seeds entering Mandalika.

Finishing second was Yukihara Touka, representing Yukihana Lamy in the No. 63, delivering by far her strongest performance of the campaign. The silver-haired Yukimin favorite had struggled for consistency through the opening rounds, but the runner-up finish catapulted her into the provisional Tsuyo positions with one race remaining.

Completing the podium was Jake Goodwin, representing Ookami Mio in the No. 30, whose measured drive further strengthened his position inside the championship's top five. Close behind came Joshu Asahi, driving the Hakui Koyori No. 54, collecting a season-best fourth place that keeps his mathematical hopes alive despite remaining outside the Tsuyo qualification places.

Championship leader Maverick Deuxieme, representing Omaru Polka in the No. 46 Oreca 07, initially crossed the line higher up the order before a post-race 30-second penalty for an unsafe rejoin that eliminated Jace Kinsai, driving for Takane Lui, dropped him to seventh. While the penalty cost valuable points, Deuxieme still emerged from SUGO as the first Split A driver guaranteed a place in the 2026 Japan Tsuyo Series.

The penalty also reshuffled the championship picture. Hoshizono Ryo, representing Nakiri Ayame, quietly climbed to fifth while also placing himself in a unrealistic yet hopeful position to challenge Deuxiemes's sizable points haul, while Mohamed Shaqif Redza, representing Momosuzu Nene, endured one of his most disappointing races of the season after entering SUGO with considerable momentum from Le Mans. His excursion off the track, that ended with a 10th place finish significantly dented his title aspirations, though second overall remains secure heading into the finale.

Misfortune struck several championship hopefuls. Mohamed Khashiu, representing Tsunomaki Watame, Danilo Goyena, driving for Usada Pekora, Kaminari Riba, representing Shishiro Botan, and Rey Mark Rosales, driving for Shiranui Flare, all failed to score after incidents and retirements. Watame and Pekora's drivers remain inside the provisional Tsuyo positions, but neither can afford another setback at Mandalika, while Rosales continues his poor run of results with his second non points finish in as many races but barely remains within Tsuyo qualification contention with him being behind by 196 points.

Sunday produced another twist as Airi Nakamura, representing Akai Haato in the No. 81 Oreca 07, stunned the field to claim her maiden victory of the season. The triumph transformed what had looked like a difficult campaign that included Haachama going on hiatus, into one that suddenly places her and Nakamura among the contenders for a coveted Tsuyo berth, delighting her Haatons with an inspired drive.

Joining Nakamura on the podium was Vladislav Domaschnev, representing Aki Rosenthal in the No. 19, whose runner-up finish vaulted him into seventh in the standings after spending much of the season outside qualification. Third place went to Hanami Kiriko, representing Himemori Luna in the No. 31, consolidating Luna's position among Split B's elite.

Just behind, Daniel Barguer, representing Hoshimachi Suisei in the No. 41, continued his remarkable rise with fourth place. Barguer now sits only 27 points behind championship leader Lexi Boan, representing Shirogane Noel, whose race ended prematurely in retirement. What once appeared to be Noel's comfortable march to the Split B crown has suddenly become a genuine fight entering the final round.

The DEV contingent again demonstrated impressive pace despite carrying 80 kilograms of ballast in their Ligier JSP217 prototypes. Masa Raido, representing Todoroki Hajime, finished seventh to maintain fifth overall in the standings, while Saerin, driving for Otonose Kanade, and Dag Patterson, representing Isaki Riona, also secured valuable finishes. Ri Liu, driving for Rindo Chihaya, remained firmly in the Tsuyo hunt, while Rudy, representing Mizumiya Su, continued collecting consistent points despite narrowly missing the top twelve.

The biggest casualty of the weekend was Shawn Goh, representing Ichijou Ririka, whose retirement proved particularly costly. Once viewed as a strong Tsuyo contender, Goh now enters Mandalika needing an exceptional result and significant help from rivals to climb back into contention.

Elsewhere, Misaki Sakura, representing AZKi, produced an impressive fifth-place finish to move to fifteenth, while Jake Martinez whose representing vTuber Tokoyami Towa has recently begun her month long medical related hiatus, continued his late-season resurgence with sixth. Lorenzo Ricci, representing Houshou Marine, salvaged only four points after finishing fourteenth, allowing several rivals to close what had once been a comfortable championship cushion.

With only the Mandalika finale remaining, the championship picture has become remarkably clear at the very top while simultaneously becoming chaotic everywhere else. Deuxieme has already booked his place among Japan's elite, but the battle behind him remains fiercely contested. In Split A, Ryo, Fubuki, Goodwin and Shaqif Redza remain locked in the fight for championship honours, while several drivers continue battling for the remaining Tsuyo places. Split B promises an equally dramatic conclusion as Boan, Barguer, Kiriko and Ricci prepare for one final showdown with Raido, Labradores and the surging Domaschnev and Nakamura refusing to surrender.

With Mandalika remaining for the quest for JP Tsuyo qualification, the question is now about which among the 36 remaining runners will join Deuxieme and Shaqif Redza in the JP Tsuyo?