Ferrari Challenge Japan, Koyama and Shibata's first wins at Suzuka

The opening round of the 2025 Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Japan took place at Suzuka Circuit, alongside an F1 event. Featuring 29 entries of the new 296 Challenge, the race unfolded under clear skies with a comfortable temperature of 15°C, spanning 14 thrilling laps. Despite a brief safety car period due to a solo crash, the race offered plenty of excitement.

Trofeo Pirelli. Young female driver Miki Koyama (M.Auto Italia) delivered a commanding performance in her debut race, securing a pole-to-win victory. Her calm and strategic management, particularly with tire management, ensured the success. Tadao Uematsu (Cornes Shiba) pushed hard from a third-place start but finished second, 7 seconds behind Koyama.

The Trofeo Pirelli Am class saw Kanji Yagura (Cornes Osaka), last season's third-place finisher, take the win. Though Motohiko Isozaki (Cornes Shiba) secured pole position and had experience from competing in the European series, he spun out on lap 5, allowing Yagura to take advantage of the situation and win the race.

Coppa Shell. Phil Kim (Nicole Competizione) matched the pace of the Trofeo Pirelli Am drivers, achieving a pole-to-win. The seasoned driver excelled at Suzuka, maintaining a strong lead and fending off Masaru Yoneda (Cornes Osaka), who advanced from third to second.

The Coppa Shell Am class featured the most entries with 16 cars. Ryutaro Saito (Mid Sapporo) initially secured pole but spun on lap 12. Norikazu Shibata (Cornes Osaka), in his second year of competition, took over the lead and maintained steady times to claim his first victory.

This inaugural race of the 296 Challenge in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Japan featured remarkable first-time wins across various classes. Rain is forecast for tomorrow, the second day of the first round of the season. Race 2 will take place at Suzuka Circuit on Sunday April 6, 9:45 am. (Time is local).