"I have confidence": Sho Tsuboi on Super Formula's Fuji rounds, testing for Haas F1 Team and more

Credit: Super Formula

2024 Super Formula Drivers’ Champion Sho Tsuboi has made a name for himself around the Fuji Speedway. Since moving to Team TOM’S in his championship winning year, he has won four of the six races held at the circuit and has finished on the podium in all of them.

He spoke to DIVEBOMB just after the Free Practice sessions ahead of the first of two Super Formula race weekends at Fuji.

Tsuboi was blisteringly fast in the test sessions that took place at Fuji two weeks ago. In those tests, in dry conditions, he was amongst the fastest, ending the weekend with the third fastest lap time.

“Two weeks ago, two days of test, and in dry condition… every session [I was in] the top four, so yeah, it's a good performance and good testing, and I have confidence in Fuji Speedway in dry condition. Hopefully, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow is also sunny, or dry condition... I'm looking forward to that race.”

In our interview with Tsuboi’s teammate, 2023 runner-up Sacha Fenestraz, Fenestraz told us that tyre wear and race pace were Team TOM’S’ biggest weaknesses and would be the focus of their Fuji test sessions. Tsuboi commented on whether these issues were resolved.

“Long run pace [was] so bad, both cars...I understand the reason now, so yeah, maybe we are improving that long run pace; maybe it's good”

Credit: Super Formula

In stark contrast to the test sessions a fortnight ago, today’s Free Practice sessions were in the wet, and the second one was called off after just 16 minutes due to the rain. In the rain, Tsuboi was only sixteenth and twelfth fastest in the two sessions, something he chalks up to saving the limited amount of tyre sets.

“Today, [it was] rainy, foggy; it’s a tough situation…I can't drive to that; wet tyres are only six sets. I can't drive in that wet condition. I don't know [about] my feelings, my performance; tomorrow, I will do my best.”

This weekend will be a triple header, meaning three races will be held across the weekend, one on Saturday and two on Sunday. The second of the three races is put in as a replacement round for the cancelled race at Autopolis. Tsuboi elucidates his thoughts heading into the weekend:

“This weekend is three races, so it's a tough weekend…but the Fuji Speedway, I like this circuit, and I always get good results in the Fuji Speedway. [I’m sixth in] points standings now, and the top is Ohta; it's a [very] big gap now, so yeah, this weekend is so important for me, so I have to get many important points.”

Round 3 on Sunday morning will be a sprint race, meaning just 25 laps of racing and no mandatory pit stops. In the past, Tsuboi has made a habit of pulling off bold overcut strategies to great effect. Since the starting grid was already determined at Autopolis, he will only be starting sixth, to his detriment. 

However, he remains cautiously optimistic about his chances for Round 3: “Overtaking is difficult, but maybe if [we have] good long run pace… last year, [I went from] position 8 to 1, so 6th place…many chances in the position. [I will] focus on the driving, and focus on the start, and lap one is so important, and if start is good, there's a position up, so many chances to get to the podium.”

Credit: Super Formula

The Fuji rounds are always a special occasion for Tsuboi because the support series during these race weekends is the Kyojo Cup, a women-only racing series that his wife, 2024 Kyojo Cup champion Aimi Saito, races in. In 2024, both Tsuboi and Saito won the races held in the overlapping Fuji race weekend, and both went on to win the championship after that.

Tsuboi talks about racing alongside his wife: “Last year, my wife’s pit box was next to our pit box, but this time it’s so far. Supporting [each other] for her and for me [boving between] pit boxes is so difficult, but we hope for good results, in the Kyojo Cup, and then my Super Formula”

Two weeks from now, Tsuboi will be driving the Haas F1 Team’s VF-25 around the Fuji Speedway for a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC). “On 28th, 29th, and again, [I will] drive the F1 car. Last year, I was driving the VF23 car, but this year is the VF25 car, so different aerodynamics, power... I'm looking forward to driving the F1 car again”

Despite his low finishing position during the two tests, Tsuboi remains one of the favourites this weekend. Catch the action tomorrow at 16:15 JST and on Sunday at 10:05 JST for Round 3 and 15:35 JST for Round 7.