Super Formula Lights - OKAYAMA CIRCUIT

Hello again! Got my 1st podium in Super Formula Lights Japan, yey! Read more…

June 19, Track Day

Practice went relatively smoothly, since it was a track day. There were a lot of other different types of cars (F4, V1) driving with us, so there was a lot of traffic. Because of this everyone’s laptimes weren’t really representative.

Still felt quite alright with the car, with small setup things being done between sessions to check balance.

June 20, Free Practice 1 & 2

Today was more representative of everyone’s real pace. I struggled a bit in the morning having too little rotation mid corner, and specially in a track like Okayama where it’s all slow and medium speed corners, having a car rotate a lot mid corner is beneficial for traction and exits. Slowly found our way back on new tyres during the afternoon session and found a good spot for balance on new tyres, ending the day P2.

June 21, Qualifying 1 & 2
Round 7 Race

Heading into Qualifying, we knew our pace on new tyres was strong, so we just had to put a lap together. We did so in Q1, putting us P2 on the grid, and P5 in Q2 after taking a wrong direction of setup evolution in between sessions. Still only 0.05 to P2 so the pace was definitely there.

Started the Race in P2, went for a strategy with higher tyre pressures to go for the lead at the start, with the track characteristics of Okayama being difficult to overtake and really tight, however, we ended the first lap 2nd after a fight, so I started managing tyres. But as laps went by, and the track temperatures reaching 48C, the tyres overheated quickly and the rear grip was gone by lap 14/25.

Defended the rest of the race after being passed by one car, in the end finished P3. Good to get the first podium of the season, but struggled in general for pace this race with the overheating and alternate strategy.

June 22, Round 8 Race
Round 9 Race

Started P5, had a difficult getaway off the line, dropping 1 position to P6 and basically just staying there for all 18 laps, due to difficulty to overtake.

Halfway through the race, we just lost all pace, so had to defend for the last half, once again having no race pace particularly at the mid and end stages of the race.

For the last race of the weekend, started P3, lost a position at the start, P4, and then had to defend for pretty much the whole race, no grip in general, difficult race.

Had some action at the safety car restart to try and make a move forward, but the opportunity never came, had to settle for 4th at the end.

Overall definitely a step in the right direction this weekend, we showed that during qualifying, we can be in the fight for pole. Now we need to reset and see what went wrong during the races to improve on for Sugo.

Okayama honestly impressed me with how the flow of the track was, really enjoyable flow and had a nice technical sector 2-3 to contrast the highspeed flow of sector 1.

All for now!

Until next time,
ZD

2025 SF Lights Competition | B-Max Racing Team