Ake And Fubuki End Drought as Wizard Shines in Yeongnam Opener

Yeongnam, 19 Septemeber – The Tsuyo/Zako Series of the 2025 HoloType Japan season began with fireworks at the Yeongnam 200 minutes, delivering two compelling races in both the Tsuyo and Zako categories. Fans would come to witness a long-awaited return to glory for Shirakami Fubuki and her driver Sammy Ake, while Inugami Korone’s Ozne Wizard stamped his authority on the Zako field.

Two weekends ago however, was not without its controversies. Once again, drivers and teams voiced frustrations over the unforgiving kerbs of the another circuit, this time in the Yeongnam circuit, a recurring issue that unsettled cars throughout both races and contributed to several DNFs.

The Zako category saw a breakout performance from Inugami Korone’s Ozne Wizard (No. 56), who cruised to victory after dominating much of the race. Wizard’s pace and consistency proved untouchable as he opened his title campaign with maximum points.

Koganei Niko’s Seo Byeong-Eun (No. 29) secured second with an impressive run for the DEV class in his home race, while Rindo Chihaya’s Dag Patterson (No. 78) completed the podium. Otonose Kanade’s Saerin (No. 59) and Hakui Koyori’s Joshu Asahi (No. 54) rounded out the top five after a spirited midfield battle.

Patterson was visibly joyous to score his first podium in HoloType, his first since he last tasted the podium for the outgoing Ceres Fauna in December last year.

Not all were as fortunate. A string of DNFs thinned the field late in the race, with Shishiro Botan’s Kaminari Riba (No. 43), Shiranui Flare’s Rey Mark Rosales (No. 20), and Sakura Miko’s Isekaijin Mikolev (No. 35) among those forced to retire. In the Tsuyo on Sunday, Shirakami Fubuki’s driver, Sammy Ake (No. 22), broke a three-year winless streak with a commanding drive in the Tsuyo division. Fubuki’s last victory dated back to May 2022 in Hololive GT3 at Buriram under Muhd Zuhair, and the relief on both driver and talent was visible as they took the checkered flag, with celebrations coming not long after.

Behind Ake, Nakiri Ayame’s Hoshizono Ryo (No. 18) pushed hard but ultimately had to settle for second, while Aki Rosenthal’s Vladislav Domaschnev (No. 19) rounded out the podium with a strong third.

The race claimed several high-profile casualties. Nekomata Okayu’s Alticer Antanarau (No. 5) and Shirogane Noel’s Lexi Boan (No. 08) were among those who failed to finish, alongside championship hopefuls like Tsunomaki Watame’s Mohamed Khashiu (No. 3) and Houshou Marine’s Lorenzo Ricci (No. 6).

After Yeongnam, Ake’s victory places Fubuki at the top of the standings on 200 points, with Ayame and Ryo close behind at 175.

The Yeongnam circuit’s aggressive kerbing once again became a talking point. Several cars sustained damage after running wide, spinning out and/or flipping over, and both drivers and teams expressed concerns that the issue—already present in previous visits—remains unresolved. With four rounds still to come in the Tsuyo/Zako calendar, officials will be under pressure to prevent similar incidents.

The championship picture is already forming: Ake and Wizard hold early leads, but with 800 points still on the table across four rounds, rivals such as Ryo, Domascnev, Seo, and Patterson remain well within striking distance.

The Tsuyo/Zako Series will continue later this month, with the second round set to take place on home soil in Japan in over a week's time. After a chaotic opener, all eyes will be on whether Fubuki and Korone can carry their momentum forward—or if Yeongnam’s surprises were only the beginning.