The transformation behind Super Formula's new title favourite

By:

Jamie Klein

, News Editor

Jul 23, 2021, 8:22 AM

Long-time Honda driver Tomoki Nojiri is three races away from the biggest achievement of his career, as he leads the Super Formula standings after back-to-back wins earlier this year. But how did a driver in his eighth season in the category suddenly go from being an inconsistent also-ran to the favourite?

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With four races down and three to go in the 2021 Super Formula season, a clear favourite for the crown in Japan’s top single-seater series has emerged. But it’s a name that even committed European motorsport fans would be forgiven for being unfamiliar with.

It’s been over a decade since long-time Honda man Tomoki Nojiri last contested a race outside of Japan. In that time, he’s steadily built his reputation as one of the fastest drivers in both Super Formula and SUPER GT, but – at least until now – he has nothing in the way of championship silverware to show for his efforts.

Jamie Klein News Editor

Jamie Klein is one of Motorsport.com’s Global News Editors, reporting primarily on the FIA World Endurance Championship, Super Formula and SUPER GT. He took his first steps into motorsport journalism in 2013 as a freelancer before joining Motorsport Network full-time in April 2015 as UK Editor. In 2016, he moved into a more wide-ranging role as he became a regular in the paddocks of the WEC and MotoGP. After a two-month trip to Japan in late 2018 gave him his first taste of reporting live on Super Formula and SUPER GT, he made the move to Tokyo permanently in October 2019, and covered every round of the country’s two top series in 2020. Away from motorsport, he is studying the Japanese language and can often be found relaxing in an ‘onsen’ (Japanese hot spring) or gorging on ramen, occasionally at the same time. He can be found on Twitter at @JamieKlein_.

The transformation behind Super Formula's new title favourite

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