Breaking news
Super Formula Lights
Ex-Honda junior Natori launches crowdfunding campaign
Ex-Honda junior driver Teppei Natori has launched a crowdfunding campaign as he aims for a return to Super Formula Lights this year.
Jamie Klein
Published: Mar 22, 2021, 6:41 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Natori contested SF Lights last year with Honda's backing off the back of a disappointing season in FIA Formula 3, concluding the season fourth overall driving for the one-car Toda Racing squad (pictured top).
He also made an abortive attempt at making his Super Formula debut for B-Max Racing in the season-opener at Motegi, only to have to back out at the eleventh hour as he suffered from dehydration while trying to perform double duties during a particularly hot weekend.
Natori was not retained by Honda for the 2021 season, but has nonetheless secured a drive for the upcoming campaign in SUPER GT's GT300 class in an UpGarage Racing Honda NSX GT3.
He was also briefly linked to a full-time step up to Super Formula with B-Max over the winter, but the team's loss of 2020 sponsor Buzz appears to have ended any such hopes for now.
As such, Natori has turned his attention to completing a second season in SF Lights, and was in action for B-Max earlier this month for pre-season testing at Suzuka - where he set the fastest time on the second day.
Teppei Natori（TODA RACING）
Photo by: Masahide Kamio
However, B-Max has yet to name its drivers for the new season, and Natori had to share the #50 car with Nissan SUPER GT racer Nobuharu Matsushita and reigning GT300 champion Kiyoto Fujinami at Suzuka.
Ahead of this week's second pre-season test at Fuji Speedway, Natori has now created his own crowdfunding page, and is offering a variety of rewards for those who pledge their backing - including a delivery of peaches from his home prefecture of Yamanashi.
Natori's target is to raise five million yen (approx. $46,000), and as of Monday morning he had raised 800,000 yen ($7,400).
The 20-year-old appears to be the favourite for the vacant B-Max seat, judging from the entry list for this week's Fuji test released last week - which has him listed as the sole driver in the team's #50 car.
Matsushita will be back in action as well at Fuji, sharing the #51 B-Max entry with W Series regular Miki Koyama, while another Nissan GT500 racer, Daiki Sasaki, will share a car with gentleman driver Nobuhiro Imada.
Last year, B-Max took Sena Sakaguchi (below) to the runner-up spot in the SF Lights standings behind Ritomo Miyata, with both drivers stepping up to the main series for 2021 with TOM'S and Inging respectively.
The Toda seat occupied by Natori last year has gone to Honda junior driver Ren Sato, last year's French F4 runner-up.
Sena Sakaguchi（B-MAX RACING TEAM）
Photo by: Masahide Kamio
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Crompton makes Supercars comeback
Next article Tsunoda-beater Miyata frustrated at lack of overseas chance
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jamie Klein
Super Formula Fuji: Ayumu Iwasa wins as Kakunoshin Ohta misses chance to seal title
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji II
Super Formula Fuji: Ayumu Iwasa wins as Kakunoshin Ohta misses chance to seal title
Super Formula Fuji: Igor Fraga wins while Kakunoshin Ohta closes on title
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji II
Super Formula Fuji: Igor Fraga wins while Kakunoshin Ohta closes on title
More from
Teppei Natori
Natori apologises for triggering Yamamoto's huge Sugo crash
Super GT
Super GT
Sugo
Natori apologises for triggering Yamamoto's huge Sugo crash
Natori takes break from racing as planned F2 move falls through
FIA F2
FIA F2
Natori takes break from racing as planned F2 move falls through
Super Formula Lights champion Natori gets F2 test chance
FIA F2
FIA F2
Super Formula Lights champion Natori gets F2 test chance
More from
B-Max Racing Team
Honda junior Kimura snatches Super Formula Lights title
Super Formula Lights
Super Formula Lights
Honda junior Kimura snatches Super Formula Lights title
Gran Turismo-backed Fraga scores first Super Formula Lights win
Super Formula Lights
Super Formula Lights
Gran Turismo-backed Fraga scores first Super Formula Lights win
HPD scholarship winner Hyman explains Fuji stall woes
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji
HPD scholarship winner Hyman explains Fuji stall woes
Latest news
Tom Cruise interested in racing ARCA car, per NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
2 h
Tom Cruise interested in racing ARCA car, per NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell
Gibbs, Spire and Gabehart argue over contempt and injunction
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
5 h
Gibbs, Spire and Gabehart argue over contempt and injunction
William Byron to run Jeff Gordon throwback Axalta scheme at Phoenix
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
5 h
William Byron to run Jeff Gordon throwback Axalta scheme at Phoenix
Alexander Rossi takes over IR-28 testing as IndyCar pushes new chassis to the limit at Sebring
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 6 h
Alexander Rossi takes over IR-28 testing as IndyCar pushes new chassis to the limit at Sebring
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe