August 18, 2018　Rd. 10 Twin Ring Motegi

Tsuboi converts pole position into his seventh win over Miyata, displaying a perfect drive with setting the fastest lap

Sho Tsuboi（Collora Chukyo Kuo TOM'S F317）

Start of Japanese F3 Round.10

The Japanese Formula 3 drivers went out to the Twin Ring Motegi track at 8:20 am on Saturday August 18th with Sho Tsuboi in Corolla Chukyo Kuo TOM’S F317 at the front for a 30-min qualifying for Rd. 10 and Rd. 11 races that took place in cool weather for this hot summer following three practice sessions on Thursday and Friday.

With top times being narrowed down to the 1m 44-second range Tsuboi came on top on first sets of tyres with 1m44.227, with Ritomo Miyata (in Corolla Chukyo Kuo TOM’S F317) in second and Yu Kanamaru (B-MAX RACING F3) in third.

In attacks on second sets of tyres that started with 10 minutes to go Tsuboi broke the course record with 1m43.484, taking pole positions for both Rd. 10 and Rd. 11 races. Miyata also reduced his times to 1m43.681 to qualify second for Rd. 10 ahead of Kanamaru. Toshiki Oyu (TODA FIGHTEX) would start from forth, Shunsuke Kohno (HubAuto F318) from fifth and Sena Sakaguchi (TODA FIGHTEX) from sixth.

Sho Tsuboi（Collora Chukyo Kuo TOM'S F317）

■Tsuboi gets a good start to open up a lead

As the formation lap of Rd 10 race was started at 4:10 pm after a long 7 hours and 20 minutes interval with a bit stronger wind and lower temperatures Tsuboi got a good start from pole into the first corner ahead of Miyata.

Behind them Oyu dived down the inside of Kanamaru to exit the first corner in third, and Sakaguchi followed in fifth.

Battles over sixth place heated up on lap two when Sasahara (THREEBOND) was challenged by Kohno at the inside line and yielded sixth place that he had snatched at the start before allowing Yoshiaki Katayama (YTB F318) as well to pass with a move down the inside of him. Katayama also got past Kohno at turn five for a final point.

Ritomo Miyata（Collora Chukyo Kuo TOM'S F317）

Troubled by a clutch issue since the opening lap Sasahara was forced to pit and retire at the end of the lap.

Once the contentions in the leading pack settled down Kanamaru put his car right behind the third running Oyu with Sakaguchi and Katayama approaching. These four drivers would be bunched up in the middle stages and play out battles for final podium spot.

■Oyu wins a tense battle over third place

There was a change in the close battle over third place on lap 11 when Kanamaru slightly went off at the outside of the track out of the 90 deg. turn, lagging behind Oyu and slipping backward to Sakaguchi and Katayama.

A lap later Katayama aimed the inside of Sakaguchi at turn four, but Sakaguchi defended the fifth position. The podium fight would go into the final lap as Kanamaru regained his footing to proceed with chasing Oyu.

Toshiki Oyu（TODA FIGHTEX）

Staying out of the fights behind Tsuboi completed 14 laps to claim his seventh win of the season with a 3.314 secs advantage over Miyata. Oyu secured third, his second consecutive and third podium finish of the season.

Kanamaru narrowly missed out on his first podium finish. Sakaguchi finished fifth and Katayama sixth.

It was a lonely race for Jake Parsons (NODA RACING) who took the chequered flag in 14th, scoring F3-N full-marks.