Miyata reflects on “very good” Belgian weekend as he looks forward to Hungarian challenge

Written by Vyas Ponnuri

ART Grand Prix racer Ritomo Miyata scored his maiden Formula 2 podium in a soaking wet Feature Race at Spa-Francorchamps, promoted up to second after infringements from those ahead cost them vital points and positions. The Japanese driver is finally starting to find his groove in F2, having raced in the series for almost a season and a half.  

Miyata took his maiden F2 podium in Spa in the rain | Credit: Formula 2 via X

It’s been an uphill climb for the Japanese driver, who raced in Europe for the first time in 2024, partnered alongside Zane Maloney at Rodin Motorsport. Many certainly read it as a surprise when his name flashed up on screens, given his absence from junior racing on the European feeder series. 

The full-blown transition to European racing circuits has certainly been a tough one, with Miyata even coming into racing circuits with no prior knowledge and having to ask for directions and landmarks on the racetrack. 

Despite his lengthy adaptation to F2, Miyata’s talent still shines. After all, he is no pushover: A Super Formula, Super GT and Super Formula Lights champion, in addition to his Japanese F4 and Japanese F3 titles on the junior ladder. 

An F2 podium only adds to his repertoire, and after a year and a half worth of experience in the series, the 25-year-old finally looks to have gained some confidence to tame the most competitive junior racing series on the road. 

“Yeah, to be honest, last year (in 2024) I didn't have any experience in Europe or even F2, so it was quite tough. But this season I have experience from last year,” Miyata said, speaking of his F2 campaign with Rodin Motorsport back in 2024. 

“For sure, it’s a different team, because last year I was driving with Rodin, but this season I'm driving with ART. So even though it’s the same car in F2, same tyre brand (Pirelli), same engine (Mechachrome), but even switching to a different team, you have a completely different car balance. 

“So yeah, before Spa, many issues happened in the race, and the issues of lack of performance, but especially coming to European circuits, we gained confidence because we always try to improve as much as possible. 

Miyata chasing Dunne for the race lead in Belgium | Credit: Formula 2 via X

“And then in Spa, we finally showed good performance. So yeah, from my side, I always try to show my best performance, because I came from Japan and I came from the winning the Super Formula Championship,” Miyata mentioned, speaking of the past laurels he has to uphold. 

“So, of course, F2, it’s quite different compared to Super Formula, but you know, I always try to do my best performance as much as possible. So finally, we could show good performance. So I hope people like this in the future,” Miyata concluded, hoping he had impressed the pundits and scouts with his performance in the Belgian countryside. 

Miyata is a racer who grows in confidence around high-speed circuits, and the Japanese driver made it evident how the prior rounds of the F2 season marked a turnaround for him, despite scoring no points. 

“Yeah, I’ve had confidence since Silverstone and Red Bull Ring, but unfortunately, in those races we had issues, so I was just unlucky. So if we have a normal weekend, where nothing happens, we may do well, I think. That's why Spa was a very good weekend,” the ART Grand Prix racer mentioned. 

Miyata’s teammate Victor Martins has proven to be an immense support on the other side of the ART garage. The Frenchman, who has been undoubtedly the star of qualifying in 2025, has been likened as “so fast” by the Japanese racer. 

“Yeah, you know, Victor is always doing an amazing job in the qualifying. I mean, both qualifying and race. Especially qualifying, he has a good, like, so fast. And for sure, I learn from him,” Miyata mentioned to DIVEBOMB. 

“But, you know, he’s also driven with ART Grand Prix for a long time, so it’s quite the same as how to make a good car. But for me, it's my first year. It's quite difficult to understand what the preferred car is, understeer or oversteer, so, you know.

“Especially, it's very difficult to make that (preferred car balance) because we don't have any tests. Only, like, Bahrain and Barcelona before the start of the season. But, again, we always try to improve as much as possible.

“And that's why in Spa, I finished P2. And yeah, and also I learn from him,” Miyata concluded, mentioning the challenges in finding the preferred style of driving all year. 

The Hungaroring is a tricky circuit to overtake at | Credit: Formula 2

Hungaroring has often been mentioned as the “Monaco without walls,” stemming from the narrow characteristics of the circuit and the limited overtaking that often takes place around the circuit. 

The series of medium and high speed corners constituting sector 2 often means the circuit is renowned for its technical nature, leaving drivers with a lot more to do at the wheel in order to extract the optimum lap time. 

Amidst many European venues, the Hungaroring is a more favoured venue for Miyata. The Japanese driver made his way up the order to finish eighth, making up ground from 18th on the alternate strategy during the Feature Race to net valuable points. 

When asked about the difficulty in extracting lap time from the Hungaroring, Miyata put it down to the Hungarian circuit’s technical nature. 

“Coming to Hungaroring, I would say it’s a really technical track,” Miyata mentioned.  

“It’s quite different compared to Spa, you know. And I think the most important sector here is sector 2. Because there are many corners and also very technical. Drivers have always driven the Hungaroring circuit earlier, so let's see how it's going in the Free Practice (FP) qualifying,” Miyata expressed. 

The brace of safety car periods in 2024 aided overtaking on the track, a factor the now sophomore F2 racer mentions. 

“During the race weekend, you make overtakes on the track. In the last year, you know, it was many safety cars that always saw the drivers rise up and down the order. So I think motorsports fans really enjoy it. So hopefully, yeah, we can enjoy the track,” Miyata said. 

One factor that appears to have followed the F2 caravan from Belgium to Hungary is the inclement weather, with a 50% chance of rain at the circuit in the wee hours of Sunday morning, while this drops to 25% by the start time of the Feature Race. 

Miyata gained valuable experience racing in the rain at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The Japanese driver experienced a spin last time out in the Belgian Feature Race, with an off at the Pouhon corner costing him a potential race victory to Invicta Racing’s Roman Staněk. Nevertheless, despite never racing in the wet in Hungary earlier, he doesn’t shy away from pushing hard even in the rain. 

“Yeah, for me, if we have rain on the weekend, or even Sunday, it's not great. Because we always want to feel good weather. 

“But yeah. I think we will be okay even if it rains during the race. Because, back in Silverstone, we didn't have any big accidents and were always going to slide.”

“Just for me, I never drove in wet conditions in Hungary before. So just for me, it's very difficult to time. But again, if it rains, I will push, it's simple,” Miyata concluded, his motto simple as ever. 

Miyata will certainly be looking to make it big once again when the F2 grid takes to the Hungaroring this weekend, to round out the final race weekend before the championship heads off on its annual summer break.