End of an Era: Hiodoshi Ao-Jake Martinez Combo Bows Out of ARO

7 October – The ARO grid has now looked very different since last weekend, with the announcement of Hiodoshi Ao’s immediate graduation from Hololive, her ARO entries have retired from all competitions following the Formula Hololive Japan Tsuyo/Zako Cup round at Autopolis. This also closes the chapter on Jake Martinez’s journey as Ao’s driver, a partnership that spanned three series, two seasons, three memorable victories, and briefly, a chance to be crowned as a ARO Hololive champion..

Ao’s first foray into ARO racing came in 2024, when the newly-formed ReGloss lineup joined HoloGT3 Zako after skipping qualifiers. Running a Nissan GT-R GT3 with a concept origin idol outfit design, Ao’s entry was placed in the deep end against seasoned privateers. Part time driver Martinez, then still unproven, carried the car to a best finish of 6th at Tsukuba and 166 points overall. The season was more about survival than silverware, but it established Ao’s team as hopefuls.

In parallel, Ao also debuted in Formula Hololive Japan Zako 2024, where Martinez consistently placed in the points and collected 222 total. He missed one round at Okayama, replaced by Joshua Azurid to allow him to race at home in Singapore in his final race for Mori Calliope before being announced as Ao's full time driver, but otherwise anchored the entry through its first year.

Ao’s program took a leap forward in 2025. Switching from the Nissan to the Ford Mustang GT3, Martinez immediately found pace. The Ao entry advanced from qualifiers into the Tsuyo Series, where they finished 2nd overall behind only Akai Haato’s Honda squad after a last lap collision with ReGloss teammate Saerin for Otonose Kanade, where Martinez was on course to take the 2025 HoloGT3 title. Along the way, Martinez delivered his first GT3 wins at the Autopolis 400 (Qualifiers Split B) and later the Yeongnam 400 (Tsuyo), cementing Ao’s Mustang as one of the year’s surprise success stories.

Then, Ao’s Formula Hololive program also blossomed this year as Martinez made waves in the Japan Qualifiers Split B, winning Race 1 at Sugo and progressing to the Tsuyo Cup. Though results were mixed, including a strong 5th at Okayama in race 2, Martinez’s 140 points placed Ao inside the top ten after Okayama. It was another sign of Ao’s competitive growth from a Zako underdog to a Tsuyo challenger. However, this chapter ended with no Top 10s in Martinez's final race for Ao at Autopolis. Martinez’s 148 points placed Ao inside the top ten before the team’s withdrawal.

The same year, Ao expanded into the brand-new HoloType World Series, fielding Martinez in both the International and Japan series. Though they struggled to find consistency, highlights included a gritty run in the World Qualifiers Split B, where Martinez scraped into the Zako phase on the final cutline. In Japan, he again squeezed into the Tsuyo bracket at the very last slot, showing his resilience in do-or-die qualifying campaigns.

Together, Hiodoshi Ao and Jake Martinez may not have had the sustained dominance of the established Hololive ARO powerhouses, but their time in the ARO has been marked by progress and persistence. In particular in HoloGT3, from a midfield Nissan GT-R in 2024 to a Ford Mustang capable of winning at Autopolis and Yeongnam in 2025, and in FHolo, wins in SUGO to make the Tsuyo Cup and glimpses of quality in the Tsuyo, the Ao entries proved that development and determination can deliver results.

Martinez himself departs Ao with three career wins—two in HoloGT3 and one in Formula Hololive Japan—along with multiple Tsuyo appearances across the board. For a driver who began as a Zako-class hopeful, he leaves with a reputation as one of ARO’s most dependable builders, capable of extracting pace and stability in any machinery he’s given. With the closing of Ao's time in Hololive and the ARO, there is now no doubt as to who was there to contribute throughout Ao's time in ARO competitions.