Liam Lawson’s 2023 Super Formula title aspirations are hanging by a thread after this evening’s 31-lap race was called after just four were completed due to a frightening high-speed crash in the mid-field.
Severe damage to catch-fencing meant the race was unable to resume, and half-points were awarded to competitors based on their position at the time the red flag was called.
Lawson’s Team Mugen teammate Tomoki Nojiri was leading at the time, with championship front-runner Ritomo Miyata sitting second. Having qualified seventh, Lawson had little time to make inroads, only gaining two places in the completed four laps.
The results see Miyata maintain his championship lead over Nojiri by just 6.5 points while Lawson slips to 15 behind.
Nojiri had controlled proceedings from the start, pulling clear of Kakunoshin Ota, who jumped clear of Miyata on the front row from fourth on the grid.
Miyata regained the position at Turn 1 the following lap and began hunting down the leader, quickly pulling onto his tail.
Lawson, meanwhile, had progressed to sixth off the start and was making ground towards the front of the pack, taking fifth by going around the outside of Sho Tsuboi at Turn 1 on Lap 4, just moments before the red flag was called.
The incident came at the famous, high-speed 130R when Hiroki Otsu tried to make a move on Ukyo Sasahara. The two came together and spun hard into the barriers.
Otsu would hit the barrier and roll onto his side while Sasahara was launched up and into the catch fence, his car separating into multiple pieces.
Otsu was able to walk away from the wreckage, while Sasahara was reported as conscious and taken to a medical centre for evaluation.
The field was quickly neutralised before the race was called off 30 minutes later due to the damage to the catch fence.
Super Formula returns for the season finale at Suzuka tomorrow, with qualifying at 12.40 pm and the race at 6.15 pm.
Header Image: Dutch Photo Agency/ Red Bull Content Pool
