Color Rise Harmony Fuji 5 Hours Review: Inaugural Winners Recorded And A Weekend To Remember

Fuji, Shizuoka – March 14, The Color Rise Harmony Fuji 5 Hours weekend delivered an unforgettable spectacle at Fuji Speedway as the 2025 HoloType season kicked off in grand style. Over the course of the March 8–9 weekend, the event—spanning three splits across World, Japan, and International Series, plus the invitational creators'—offered a roller-coaster of on-track battles, strategic gambits, and pivotal championship moments that will reverberate throughout the season.

The Saturday race was hit with snow, but the races went on, with the Sunday race being snowless.

Split A: A Battle of Consistency and Grit

Saturday’s Split A races set the tone for the weekend. In a fiercely contested field, drivers left everything on the track over a 60-lap distance, following a 10-minute qualifying session that defined the starting grids. Notably, the inaugural HoloType race in Split A produced plenty of drama, with close racing throughout the morning session starting at 7:00 JST.

Highlights from Split A included a stunning performance by Haziq Yazid, who clinched victory, while Mohd Khashiu managed a strong second-place finish, and Mohd Shazren Redza rounded out the podium in third. Despite Nichi Michan starting on pole, he could only manage fifth overall. Meanwhile, Ryan Kagawa delivered a steady drive finishing ninth, contributing to a solid performance for Nerissa Ravencroft and Hololive English Advent, with the Gen having four cars finishing inside the top 10. Lexi Boan made a notable return as the rightful Shirogane Noel driver, replacing Michael Turner and finishing sixth—a performance that immediately caught the eye of championship hopefuls. There were strategic missteps too; Tomas Ferreira was forced into five pit stops due to tactical issues, and Misaki Sakura expressed shock as she managed only a 12th-place finish for Himemori Luna. Additionally, former winner at Fuji, Sven Jensen, despite starting second and leading early on, encountered multiple pit stop setbacks that cost him an entire lap.

Split B: A Calmer, Yet Tactical Showdown

In contrast to the frenetic pace of Split A, Split B, which began at 10:00 JST, offered a more measured but equally tactical race. Here, Liam Kai emerged as the victor, displaying exceptional composure and speed despite some setbacks following a red flag restart. Tyler Williams closely followed in second place, with Aziz Muazif grabbing a hard-fought third, further cementing his reputation as a consistent threat on the track and as a champion in Formula Hololive International. The Split B grid, featuring strong performances by Filipino drivers Corey-Rico Mendez, Danilo Goyena, Joshua Azurid, and Liam Kai, saw a strategic masterclass unfold. Joshua Azurid admitted that his race starts could be improved, while Saerin expressed pride at seeing Masa Raido finish in the top 10—despite Saerin herself finishing outside the points. Kizuhara Leo is currently making her final starts for Murasaki Shion—whose graduation is scheduled for April 26, 2025, and in this race, she made her points clear with a 9th after starting from the back.

Split B demonstrated that, even with a calmer overall pace, every strategic decision—from tire choice to pit stops—remains critical in determining the final standings.

Split C & the Creators’ Race: The Final Qualifier and Invitational Extravaganza

Sunday’s racing action added the final twist to this spectacular weekend. Split C, scheduled for 09:00 JST, provided another nailbiting race of strategies. Callum Gibbens, echoing his historic debut wins from previous seasons at Fuji, once again claimed victory in his competitive debut in an ARO series in Split C. He was followed by strong performances from Vladislav Domaschnev and Angela Sims, who finished second and third respectively. Early in the race, a dramatic moment unfolded when Takeda Adachi, known for his aggressive driving, executed a daring pit maneuver against Ethan Berthelsen during the race start exiting Turn 1. Although Berthelsen suffered damage from a 360-degree spin after clipping the inside armco, he managed to continue after repairs—an incident that epitomized the weekend’s unpredictable nature.

The Creators’ Race (Invitational) also took place on Sunday morning at 07:00 JST. This non-points event, open to fan-favorite content creators, provided a light-hearted yet fiercely competitive counterpoint to the qualifier rounds. With an increased grid of 31 cars, the race offered even more action and excitement, with Nekko Mohd Shaqif Redza winning this race.

As the engines cool and the dust settles at Fuji Speedway, the Color Rise Harmony Fuji 5 Hours weekend has proven to be a wondrous start for the 2025 HoloType season with exhilarating races, strategic battles, and dramatic incidents throughout the three splits. This showpiece event has become a grand conclusion of the ARO Hololive Month of Racing, with everyone's eyes now set for a lengthy five-week break.