Motegi Shakes Up Japan Qualifier Picture with Oreca Wins From Deuxieme, Ricci

Tochigi, 15 May — The 2026 HoloProto Japan Qualifiers delivered a competitive reset last weekend as the Motegi 400 transformed the championship picture across both splits. Following Fuji’s Ligier domination and the introduction of an 80-kilogram ballast for all Ligier cars in the DEV_IS class, the second round of the season saw Oreca runners return to the forefront while several surprise contenders emerged at the head of the standings.

Split A produced the clearest example of the reshuffled order as Maverick Deuxieme representing Omaru Polka in the #46 Oreca secured victory to move into the championship lead. After entering Motegi sixth in the standings, Deuxieme delivered a composed and mistake-free performance to finally convert the pace shown at Fuji into a race win. Close behind, Mohamed Khashiu representing Tsunomaki Watame in the #3 Oreca finished second, allowing him to remain firmly within striking distance of the championship lead with only three points separating the top two drivers after two rounds.

Third place went to Isekaijin Mikolev representing Sakura Miko in the #35 Oreca, whose podium marked a major recovery after a difficult Fuji opener. Sammy Ake representing Shirakami Fubuki in the #22 Oreca also rebounded strongly with fourth after failing to score in the opening round, while Ho Phu-My representing Tokino Sora in the #36 Oreca completed the top five and climbed into the provisional Tsuyo positions in the standings.

The Motegi race also proved costly for several early championship favorites. Hoshizono Ryo representing Nakiri Ayame in the #18 Oreca entered the weekend as championship leader after his Fuji victory, but eleventh place limited the damage rather than extending his advantage. Meanwhile, Rustim Kurashio representing La+ Darknesss in the #39 could only manage ninth place.

Mohamed Shaqif Redza representing Momosuzu Nene in the #77 Oreca quietly produced one of the weekend’s most important results with sixth place, enough to move into third overall in the standings behind Deuxieme and Khashiu. The consistency shown by the Momosuzu Nene entry has now made it one of the most reliable performers in the field despite not yet claiming a victory.

Split B delivered an equally dramatic shift in momentum as Lorenzo Ricci representing Houshou Marine in the #6 Oreca completed one of the biggest turnarounds of the season. After scoring only four points at Fuji, Ricci dominated Motegi to secure victory and launch himself from seventeenth to fifth in the championship standings. Behind him, Lexi Boan representing Shirogane Noel in the #08 Oreca finished second to vault into the provisional Tsuyo positions after also struggling during the opening round.

Third place went to Dag Patterson representing Isaki Riona in the #68 Ligier, whose podium demonstrated that the Ligier package still retained strong pace despite the ballast penalty. Ri Liu representing Rindo Chihaya in the #78 Ligier followed in fourth, while Chaka Labradores representing Natsuiro Matsuri in the #7 Oreca completed the top five and moved into third overall in the standings.

The ballast penalty’s impact was most visible on the former Fuji dominators. Seo Byeong-Eun representing Koganei Niko in the #29 Ligier fell to tenth after leading the standings entering the weekend, while Rudy representing Mizumiya Su in the #45 Ligier finished eleventh. Saerin representing Otonose Kanade in the #59 Ligier failed to score entirely after first-lap contact involving Shawn Goh representing Ichijou Ririka in the #66 Ligier. Goh later received a 15-second post-race penalty for causing the collision, dropping him to fifteenth position and leaving him barely inside the provisional Tsuyo cutoff on countback despite being level on points with Patterson.

The Motegi results have widened the gap dramatically in Split A, but has tightened the Split B championship ahead of the third round at Le Mans. In Split A, only 86 points separate the top five drivers, while Split B now features six drivers within 47 points of leader Masa Raido representing Todoroki Hajime in the #82 Ligier, who inherited the championship lead despite finishing only seventh at Motegi.

With three rounds remaining and the Ligier ballast continuing for the foreseeable future, the Japan Qualifiers have entered a far less predictable phase than many anticipated after Fuji. Oreca teams have clearly regained competitiveness, the standings remain tightly compressed, and several early favorites now face growing pressure to protect their positions inside the top ten Tsuyo qualification cutoff.