Newly topped Tremendous Formulation champion Ayumu Iwasa has the potential to carry out in Formulation 1 at the next stage than Yuki Tsunoda, believes his race engineer.
Tomohiko Koike made the declare within the wake of final weekend’s Suzuka finale, the place two pole positions and victory within the remaining race have been sufficient to propel Workforce Mugen’s Iwasa forward of defending champion Sho Tsuboi within the drivers’ standings.
For the final two years, Iwasa has mixed racing in Tremendous Formulation with reserve and simulator duties with Purple Bull’s two F1 groups, most just lately showing with Racing Bulls in FP1 for the Mexico Grand Prix final month.
Nonetheless, the Japanese driver doesn’t look like within the body for a race drive at Racing Bulls, regardless of each Tsunoda and Liam Lawson dealing with unsure futures heading into the ultimate a part of the F1 season.
Koike, who additionally engineered Lawson for his Tremendous Formulation title bid in 2023, believes Iwasa’s technical data may make him a greater match for F1 than his compatriot Tsunoda.
“Iwasa is getting higher and higher,” Koike advised Motorsport. “When it comes to his driving talent and his method in direction of racing, he was higher than final season.
“This season he has been very constant and I might say his common efficiency has been the very best of any driver, higher than Tsuboi and Kakunoshin [Ohta].
“It’s fairly simple to think about him in Formulation 1. I believe he can be higher than Tsunoda.
Ayumu Iwasa, Visa Money App RB F1 Workforce
Photograph by: Purple Bull Content material Pool
“I don’t know Tsunoda personally, however I believe Iwasa, not solely by way of driving talent, however his skill to arrange the automotive is kind of spectacular, on the identical stage as [Tomoki] Nojiri.
“That’s why I believe he would be capable to drive higher in F1 than some drivers who’re on the grid. He simply must be given an opportunity, that’s probably the most troublesome factor.”
Addressing his future after profitable the title, Iwasa remained coy about his 2026 plans within the probably absence of a possibility to step as much as an F1 race seat.
“At this stage I don’t know,” stated Iwasa when requested what profitable the Tremendous Formulation crown may imply for his profession shifting ahead.
“I believe it is going to be as much as me to make the very best use of that worth, so I need to transfer ahead in a manner that lets me make full use of the title of champion, of being primary in Japan.”
Koike stated Mugen would “actually welcome” Iwasa staying on the staff to defend his Tremendous Formulation title, including: “I believe he’ll solely attain an excellent greater stage.”
Dethroned Tsuboi admits: “It was Iwasa’s 12 months”
Sho Tsuboi, VANTELIN TEAM TOM’S
Photograph by: Masahide Kamio
Tsuboi went into Sunday’s deciding race at Suzuka with a 12.5-point margin over Iwasa, which meant he wanted to complete fourth as a way to forestall the Mugen driver from overturning his lead.
However a disappointing run to eighth from seventh on the grid meant the TOM’S driver ended up 4.5 factors away from turning into the Toyota staff’s first ever back-to-back champion.
Addressing reporters post-race, Tsuboi conceded Iwasa was the 12 months’s rightful champion, highlighting the factors his rival misplaced at each Autopolis and Motegi as a result of automotive failures.
“When it comes to pure pace, I believe there was completely no probability of beating the Honda drivers this weekend, and Iwasa made virtually no errors in any race this 12 months,” stated Tsuboi.
“Each time he completed a race, he was within the prime three. I believe it was Iwasa’s 12 months.
“He had mechanical bother on two events, so in the event you give him again the factors he misplaced there, he ought to have been far forward coming into this weekend.
“From that standpoint, it was solely by means of his misfortune that I used to be in a position to keep within the title struggle till the top. In actuality, Iwasa ought to have been champion earlier than the ultimate race.
“After all I’m pissed off, however I did all I may. Iwasa was actually superb this 12 months.”
Extra reporting by Kenichiro Ebii
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