Wizard’s Double Delight and Kinsai’s Clincher Define Motegi Qualifiers Finale

Motegi, 23 June – The Twin Ring Motegi grandstands buzzed with anticipation as the final round of the 2025 Formula Hololive Japan Qualifiers reached its climax under bright summer skies. In a weekend that would seal the fate of 41 JP and DEV_IS class entries, two 34-lap dashes across each Split decided who would advance to the championship-contending Tsuyo phase and who would battle in the Zako consolation.

Saturday’s opener saw the Inugami Korone driver Ozne Wizard steered his Dallara SF19 (#56) to a lights-to-flag triumph. Behind him, Nakiri Ayame’s Hoshizono Ryo (#18) made runners-up, while Tsunomaki Watame’s Mohamed Khashiu (#3) completed the podium in third. Hoshimachi Suisei’s Daniel Barguer (#41) and Momosuzu Nene’s Mohd Shaqif Redza (#77) rounded out the top five, both demonstrating pace but unable to match Wizard's flawless opening stint.

A late-race incident saw Yukihana Lamy’s Touka penalized thirty seconds for contact with Rim Elgore, nearly relegating Touka’s debut in the Lamy machine (#63) off the points while still with a comfortable cushion for Tsuyo qualification. Notable retirements included Airi Nakamura (#81) who was spun out in a racing incident on Lap 1 and Hanami Kiriko (#31) retiring from her fourth consecutive ARO race.

In the return leg not long after Split A concluded, Wizard double up with another victory, this time fending off Tsunomaki Watame's Khashiu and Shirakami Fubuki’s Sammy Ake for the runner-up spot. Shishiro Botan (#43) and Roboco’s Callum Gibbens (#64) seized fourth and fifth respectively, while standout rookie Hanami Kiriko earned a career-best seventh in Himemori Luna’s steed (#31), finally giving her a finish in ARO competitions, but her fate in the Zako was already sealed. Penalties for Jeff Rohan (#10), Lexi Boan (#08) and Joshu Asahi (#54) for on-track incidents reshuffled the finishing order but did little to dent Wizard's perfect weekend.

With 710 points, Ozne Wizard heads into the Tsuyo phase as the Split A benchmark and champion, followed by Mohamed Khashiu (546 pts) and Mohd Shaqif Redza (456 pts). Hoshizono Ryo’s Nakiri Ayame clinched fourth overall by the narrowest of margins, while wildcard Natsuiro Matsuri joins the Tsuyo field thanks to her split-best points haul among 11th-placed finishers.

Split B erupted into life when Aki Rosenthal’s Vladislav Domaschnev (#19) commandeered the opening race, in a race where Domaschnev and Akirose secured win #4 in Formula Hololive, holding off Dev_IS standout Todoroki Hajime’s Masa Raido (#82) and Rindo Chihaya’s Dag Patterson (#78). Seo Byeong-Eun (#29) and Jake Martinez (#05) rounded out the top five, each showcasing skill from the DEV_IS class inside the Top 5. A raft of DNFs—including Usada Pekora’s Danilo Goyena (#11) and Kikirara Vivi’s Allie Jay (#51)—served as a stark reminder that Motegi tolerates no driver error.

Race two was a case of same kind of race, different driver as it was Ookami Mio’s Jake Goodwin (#30) who led from lights to flag to snatch victory at Motegi, where both Goodwin and Mio grab win #4 as well, despite Goodwin winning race #1 for Fuwawa Abyssgard in the 2023/24 Formula Hololive International season, and Ookami Mio won her #1 with Zeke Wimberley in 2023. Jace Kinsai’s Tyler Williams (#61) followed closely to secure second, cementing his weekend tally, while Krzysztof Salmonman (#12) delivered Honda power third for AZKi. Todoroki Hajime and Ed Skye’s Kazama Iroha completed the top five, fending off late charges from returning podium regulars.

Combining both results, Jace Kinsai topped Split B with 607 points as the champion, a comfortable 159-point margin over runner-up Lorenzo Ricci (#6). DEV_IS racer Allie Jay clinched third overall, punching her ticket to the Tsuyo alongside Danilo Goyena and Saerin from Otonose Kanade’s camp. Notably, Aki Rosenthal’s early success fell just short of the top ten cut, consigning them to the Zako round, while Jake Goodwin’s dramatic recovery gave him the spot for the Tsuyo cup.

Due to a dramatic final 2 laps featuring Danilo Goyena's excursion off the track at Turn 11 and collision with Ho Phu-My, Phu-My sustained heavy damage on his #36 Tokino Sora machine which caused him to fall from 7th to 11th on the final lap alone, which costed him a spot in the Tsuyo Cup. Krzysztof Salmonman instead made the Tsuyo in the wildcard spot (11th in Split B) with 338 points, beating Chaka Labradores and Natsuiro Matsuri's 286 points tally as they finished 11th in Split A.

As the dust settles on qualifiers, the Tsuyo and Zako grids for Rounds 4-6 is set. All eyes turn to Okayama later this summer, where the Tsuyo drivers will wage a two-leg war for the 2025 Formula Hololive Japan crown, while the Zako contenders prepare their own comeback narratives. For Wizard, Kinsai and the other Tsuyo qualifiers, Motegi was triumph and trial in equal measure—proof that in Hololive motorsport, consistency and daring go hand-in-hand.