Formula 1 fans can shorten the five-week break with the upcoming Super Formula season opener.
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| Photo by Masahide Kamio |
Formula 1 is now entering a five-week break due to the Middle East conflict, but fans can shorten their wait with the new Super Formula season, which starts this weekend at Mobility Resort Motegi.
But what is Super Formula?
It is a single-seater motorsport series held exclusively in Japan, on circuits such as Suzuka Circuit, Autopolis, Sportsland SUGO, Fuji Speedway, and Mobility Resort Motegi.
All drivers use the same car with a Dallara chassis; the only difference is the engine. Teams can choose between Honda or Toyota four-cylinder engines, which produce around 550 horsepower. This means that overall performance depends largely on driver skill and team strategy. The cars also weigh only 680 kilograms and generate a high level of downforce, making them significantly faster than, for example, Formula 2 cars.
Like in Formula 1, there is one mandatory pit stop during the race. The difference is that Super Formula uses Yokohama tyres instead of Pirelli.
The full calendar includes 12 races, with some weekends featuring two races. The weekend format looks like this: Friday – two 90-minute practice sessions. Saturday – qualifying is split into two sessions, with the fastest drivers advancing to the final qualifying shootout for pole position. Then, still on Saturday, there is a race lasting 37 laps or a maximum of 75 minutes. The same format is repeated on Sunday.
The races are broadcast live on the SFgo application.
Program for this weekend:
Central European Time
Friday:
03:10–04:40 – First practice
07:30–09:25 – Second practice
Saturday:
02:30–02:40 – Quali (group A)
02:45–02:55 – Quali (group B)
03:05–03:15 – Final quali
07:45 – First race (37 laps / max. 75 minutes)
Sunday:
03:10–03:20 – Quali (group A)
03:25–03:35 – Quali (group B)
03:45–03:55 – Final quali
07:45 – Second race (37 laps / max. 75 minutes)