Kurashio Dominates Again as Ricci and Marine Roll Back the Years at the Okayama 400 Split Races

Mimasaka, Okayama, 18 December – The second round of the 2024-25 Hololive GT3 Japan Series Qualifiers at the challenging Okayama International Circuit delivered thrilling action across both splits, with Rustim Kurashio claiming another decisive victory in Split A while Lorenzo Ricci and Houshou Marine broke their winless streaks in Split B. Rustim Kurashio (La+ Darknesss, Nissan) cemented his dominance early in the season with a flawless performance at Okayama. Starting second alongside Rim Elgore (Oozora Subaru, Lexus), Kurashio managed his strategy expertly, navigating through traffic and seizing control of the race. Elgore, while unable to match Kurashio’s pace, delivered a strong and consistent drive to finish second, maintaining his championship momentum. Tamoyuki Aoki (Takane Lui, Nissan) had a breakthrough performance, securing her first podium finish in Hololive GT3 with a well-executed drive to third. Aoki held off early challenges from the Nissans of Zeke Wimberley (Shirakami Fubuki) and Ed Skye (Kazama Iroha), both of whom showed podium pace in the early stages but dropped back as the race unfolded. The race also saw a strong showing from Saerin (Otonose Kanade, Ferrari), who opted for a bold no-stop strategy. Despite heavy tire wear in the closing laps, Saerin managed to hold on for a career-best fourth-place finish, even leading a few laps during the pit cycle. Misaki Sakura (Himemori Luna, Honda) had a challenging race marred by a strategic miscalculation, as her engineers under-fueled the car, forcing an unscheduled second pit stop. Nevertheless, she salvaged a point in 15th after Callum Gibbens (Roboco, Toyota) suffered a dramatic rollover at Turn 4 on Lap 53, hitting the kerbs too hard while attempting an overtake. Elsewhere, Alticer Antanarau (Nekomata Okayu, Nissan) ended a long drought by finishing eighth, marking his first top-10 result since Okayama in November 2023. Meanwhile, the day ended in frustration for Johan Sinful (Natsuiro Matsuri), Seo Byeong-Eun (Shiranui Flare), and Kaminari Riba (Shishiro Botan), whose cars failed to start due to persistent mechanical issues. Split B delivered a vintage performance as Lorenzo Ricci (Houshou Marine, Lexus) claimed his first victory since July 2022 at Suzuka East, and Marine celebrated her first win since Autopolis in June 2022. The victory was hard-fought, with Ricci capitalizing on mistakes and incidents involving his rivals. The Lexus duo of Raijin Kacyznski (Yuzuki Choco) and Joshu Asahi (Hakui Koyori) looked poised to contend for the podium but fell victim to costly incidents. Kacyznski’s race unraveled after he hit the kerbs too hard at Turn 8 on Lap 53, sending his car into a violent rollover that also collected Asahi in a devastating DNF for both drivers. Kacyznski had been battling Vladislav Domaschnev (Aki Rosenthal, Lexus) for the lead earlier, but Domaschnev’s race ended prematurely on Lap 41 following contact with Kacyznski in a heated duel. Ricci seized the lead on Lap 46, navigating through lapped traffic and using Asahi’s car as a buffer to pass Kacyznski. From there, Ricci maintained a steady gap to secure a historic win for himself and Marine, reviving the Lexus teams’ season. Ricci’s pivotal moment came on Lap 46 when he overtook Kacyznski, skillfully navigating through lapped traffic to take control of the race. With Kacyznski out, Tyler Williams (Amane Kanata) delivered another consistent performance to finish inside the Top 5, extending his championship lead.

Further down the grid, Mohamed Khashiu (Tsunomaki Watame) secured a strong second-place finish, with Joey (Juufuutei Raden) scoring his first podium with third, while Mohamed Shaqif Redza (Momosuzu Nene) ended in the points despite early struggles. Meanwhile, electronics issues prevented both Danilo Goyena (Usada Pekora) and Hoshizono Ryo (Nakiri Ayame) from starting the race. The Split A standings have been updated, with Rustim Kurashio leading the way with 400 points after victories at SUGO and Okayama. Both drivers, Rim Elgore and Zeke Wimberley, have strong performances but have yet to match Kurashio's dominance. Tamoyuki Aoki's first podium at Okayama showcases her improving form, keeping her firmly in the fight for a Tsuyo Series spot. Sean Poly's underwhelming Okayama race sees him drop in the standings, and he will need to bounce back to maintain Tsuyo Series qualification. Saerin moved to 8th place with a strategic 4th-place finish, moving closer to Tsuyo qualification. Seo Byeong-Eun, Michael Turner, and Johan Sinful remain on the bubble due to no starts, and must recover in future rounds to keep their Tsuyo hopes alive. Misaki Sakura remains in 17th place with only 15 points, while Callum Gibbens and Kaminari Riba must address consistency issues to escape the Zako Series zone.

In the Split B standings, Tyler Williams remains the Split B leader with 308 points after a victory at SUGO and a top-5 finish at Okayama. Joey, Lorenzo Ricci, and Mohammed Khashiu are strong contenders in the Lexus camp, with Khashiu's podium at Okayama and strong pace keeping him in the Tsuyo hunt. Ri Liu holds 6th place with 165 points, but consistent points finishes will be necessary to maintain his position. Daniel Barguer remains on the cusp of the Tsuyo Series with 131 points after a steady performance. Ho Phu-My moved up slightly with 90 points, while Raijin Kacyznski, Lexus' driver, sits lower at 58 points after a chaotic race. Isekaijin Mikolev and Danilo Goyena, Honda's drivers, are in Zako territory with poor finishes and DNFs.

Championship Standings After Okayama

Split A Standings:

1. Rustim Kurashio (La+ Darknesss, Nissan) – 400 points

2. Rim Elgore (Oozora Subaru, Lexus) – 265 points

3. Zeke Wimberley (Shirakami Fubuki, Nissan) – 265 points

4. Tamoyuki Aoki (Takane Lui, Nissan) – 258 points

Split B Standings:

1. Tyler Williams (Amane Kanata, Nissan) – 308 points

2. Joey (Juufuutei Raden, Lexus) – 240 points

3. Lorenzo Ricci (Houshou Marine, Lexus) – 232 points

4. Mohamed Khashiu (Tsunomaki Watame, Lexus) – 189 points
   

The Okayama 400 delivered a mix of dramatic comebacks, unfortunate DNFs, and thrilling strategy battles, setting the stage for the next round at Autopolis. With Kurashio and Ricci now firmly in the spotlight, the pressure is on Nissan and Lexus to maintain their momentum as the season heats up. Meanwhile, drivers like Saerin, Antanarau, and Asahi have shown their potential, promising even more unpredictability as the qualifiers continue.

As the championship fight tightens, all eyes will turn to Autopolis to see if Kurashio can extend his unbeaten run and whether the Split B title race remains firmly in Williams’ grasp.