"I'll miss the fans quite a lot": Zak O'Sullivan on Super Formula, Super GT stints and his move to Formula E
Zak O’Sullivan has had a coming-of-age season in Super Formula this year, grabbing three podiums and a pole position so far for Team Impul, a team with a long history of podiums and wins, but facing a recent slump in form, which culminated in a point-less season in 2025 last year.
The Brit, however, is bound for Formula E and would be missing the season finale at Rounds 11 & 12 due to clashes with the Formula E pre-season tests at Circuit da Jarama. Nonetheless, he ended his time in Japan’s top-class single-seater series with back-to-back podiums.
O’Sullivan was interviewed by DIVEBOMB following Rounds 9 & 10 of the Super Formula season and Super GT’s Round 6 at Autopolis.
The Formula 2 graduate ended his time in Super Formula on a high in Rounds 9 & 10, finishing on the podium in both races and with a third-place start for Round 10, his highest qualifying position in dry conditions.
“Yeah, it was a really good weekend. Obviously, my best weekend in Super Formula to date. A very nice way to finish my Super Formula chapter out. Very pleased with the way it went and happy with the pace we had.”
The season has been a much-needed turn of fortunes for Team Impul as well. Founded by the legendary Kazuyoshi Hoshino, the team has won 11 drivers’ titles in Japan’s top formula series. However, over the past two years, it has been on a descent to the bottom of the standings. The team had three points finishes in 2024 and none last year, resulting in their worst finish in the Teams’ Standings, 11th.
“Team Impul are a very established team in Japan and a very successful team as well. To be honest, from when I first drove the car in the rookie test last year, I was quite confused as to why they hadn't scored any points, because as soon as I got in, I seemed to get along with it quite well. And we were always relatively fast. And then, yeah, this season, I think I've left the championship in fifth and near Nirei [Fukuzumi] as the top [Toyota driver].
“And honestly, looking back at the year, there were a few instances where we could have scored a few more points with different circumstances. So it's been a really good year. Happy with the progress we've made. And although I'm leaving the team, it's a kind of fantastic way to have our first season together and to try and bring them back to scoring good points.”
O’Sullivan’s first podium and maiden pole came in Round 6 at Fuji, something he attributed to the wet and damp conditions switching up the pecking order. He compares his performance in Round 6 with his performances at Rounds 9 & 10, which came in much drier and warmer conditions.
“Obviously, the podium in Round 6 was definitely on merit, but it was helped a lot by the wet qualifying, which put me on pole. And then this last weekend was the first time where we've had really strong, dry qualifying pace. As always in Super Formula, if you're not starting at the front, your life's very difficult.
“Unless maybe you're in a Dandelion this year, you can get through the field. But it's about starting in that top seven, top six area. Gives you the chance, with a good race start, to be fighting for the podium. And we made a few changes to the way we did qualifying this weekend and really happy that it made a good difference.”
While he could not go into the specifics of the changes that made the big difference in dry qualifying and race pace, he elaborated on the broad area of changes made.
“The Super Formula tyres are very complex to get working. And across the grid, there are a lot of different ways to get the tyres into a window. There seems to be no right or wrong answer. It just seems to be that if you can get them working for your car, then you'll have a good qualifying. And we struggled a lot, as most teams do, to get them working. And finally, we found out a way to switch them on.”
Rounds 9 & 10 were his final rounds in Super Formula, with the Briton having to end his time in the series two rounds too early due to his Formula E commitments. The official announcement of his departure was made the day after Round 10 and was unconfirmed until then. O’Sullivan explains when and how the decision about his departure was made.
“[The decision] was made a few months back. I had the opportunity to drive in Formula E, and for my career, I thought it was the best option and the best move, an opportunity I couldn't really decline in case it didn't come again. So Kazuki [Hoshino] and everyone around me knew for a while that it was going to be my last year in Japan and I wouldn't be able to attend Suzuka.
“On one hand, I’m a bit disappointed and sad to be leaving Japan, because especially this last year, I've started to get a bit of momentum. And I do think I would have had another strong year next year. But on the other hand, Formula E is a world championship. And like I said, an opportunity I couldn't really turn down.”
Despite it being his final rounds in Super Formula, O’Sullivan mentions that the finality of the weekend didn’t make a significant impact on his mindset and approach for the weekend.
“I wish I could say it made a big difference. Thankfully, that was a great way to finish for the team. But we approached the weekend like any other weekend. It just so happened that between myself and the team, we seemed to get more or less everything right in terms of car setup, and my driving was really in a good place.
“For sure, maybe around 10 in the last race, especially the last stint, I was thinking, I really want to end this with a win. So it's one of my more aggressive races in Super Formula. But yeah, I wouldn't say just because it was the last race, we had a better result.”
The recent Super Formula rounds are not his final races in Japan, as he still has two rounds left in Super GT, the season finale at Motegi. O’Sullivan’s Super GT season, continuing his partnership with CarGuy MKS Racing from last year, started off shaky, finishing 13th and 11th in the opening two rounds.
The season took a turn in Round 3, where he finished on the podium and grabbed a podium in the following Round 4 as well. A couple of solid points finishes since then have brought him and the team into championship contention similar to last year.
“It's been very similar to my first season in Super GT. For some reason, we started the season a bit off the pace and just picking up points where I could. And then halfway through the season, suddenly the performance gets a lot better. And that's our chance to score podiums and score points. And going into the last round of the season, sure enough, I'm in second position again in the championship, I think behind the same car [Kondo Racing Nissan GT-R]. So it's almost been a copy of the previous season. We even ran out of fuel in one race like last year.
“Given it's been my second year in Super GT, I understand the championship a bit more, and I understand the way the BOP works. And every race, you start to understand which races are going to be strong and which part of the season you're going to be strong in. So it's about kind of maximising the races you know you're going to be fast in. And in the races, you're not just surviving and picking up as many points as possible.”
O’Sullivan currently sits second in the drivers’ standings, 17 points behind the Kondo Racing pair of J. P. de Oliveira and Iori Kimura. In the teams standings, CarGuy MKS Racing are currently second, 18 points behind the Kondo Racing Nissan GT-R.
“We'll try and do the best race we can. It was the same last year. I tried my best in Autopolis, but it wasn't quite enough. So yeah, obviously there are two chances for points in Motegi, which is great. I know the GT-R is always quite fast there, but we'll do our race, and hopefully we end up with the championship.”
As the Brit has reached the final leg of his time in Japan, O’Sullivan reminisces on his time in Japan and what he will miss the most about racing in the country.
“The cars are very fast in Japan. The Super Formula cars are the fastest cars over a lap outside of F1, and they're very enjoyable cars to drive, especially when you're at the front. But, to be honest, I'll miss the fans quite a lot.
It's a really impressive domestic scene that they've got in terms of racing in Japan. There's not really any other country in the world that has that high of an attendance for domestic races. And it really makes it feel like you're putting on a show when you're there, you know, when there's 50,000 people watching, it makes a big difference to the whole event. And it's a great atmosphere at every race in Japan.”
He also mentioned SUGO as a circuit he will miss racing in when he leaves domestic Japanese racing.
“I really enjoy Suzuka, but for racing, it's not the best. I would say Sugo is the one I'm probably going to miss the most. Really, really old-school circuit. Very enjoyable. I always seem to go quite well around there. So yeah, one of those tracks that I'm going to miss. Any opportunity I'm getting to suggest tracks for Formula E in the future, Sugo is at the top of the list.”
The Super GT season finale won’t be O’Sullivan’s final race in Japan, however, as he will return east side for Formula E’s season finale at the Tokyo E-Prix. The all-electric series will be moving on to its next set of regulations for next season with its Gen 4 cars. The Envision Racing driver has already tested these new cars in early August this year at Estoril and is looking forward to what the new regulations will bring.
“I've been fortunate enough to already test the car a few times in the summer of this year. And yes, it's a really impressive car, to be honest. Lap time wise, we're near Formula 2 pace and much quicker in the straights. And on the technology side, it's very, very advanced with some very complex systems that we're still trying to get the hang of.
“So from a driver's side, it's a bit more of a three-dimensional challenge. Obviously, driving fast is one thing. There's a technology side and optimising all the systems. And then finally, the racecraft. No one really knows how it's going to be. I'm sure it'll be entertaining, but we have to find out.”
Finally, O’Sullivan tied his experience in Japanese domestic racing to Formula E and elucidated how this experience will help him in this new endeavour.
“Super Formula is regarded in Europe as a very high-level championship, as it should be, and the same as Super GT. Especially in the last few years, I've really learned a lot about leading teams and putting people in the right direction to achieve a good team performance.
“And that's one of the kind of unique things about Super Formula is that it really is a driver-led championship in terms of car setup, the direction the team goes. I think I've come out of Japan maybe a much smarter driver than when I entered. Of course, I'm still the same driver who can drive fast over one lap, but the stuff you learn on the outskirts of driving has been really useful. And I think that's something that I'll keep for the rest of my career.”
Comments