May 11, 2026

Drivers aiming for F1 compete from Europe. The next F1 star could emerge from Super Formula

Super Formula, said to have speed second only to F1, is highly regarded worldwide and attracts the attention of motorsports stakeholders globally, including those in F1. Among European teams and manufacturers, some position Super Formula as the final step before F1, sending their contracted development drivers to Japan or having drivers themselves approach Super Formula. Inquiries and rumors from Europe are countless.

In fact, this year, Luke Browning, who is the reserve driver for Williams F1 (a backup driver who races in place of the regular driver if they are unable to participate) and ranked 4th in the 2025 FIA F2 standings, joined REALIZE KONDO RACING.

Before the season started, Browning said, "As the next step toward a full-time F1 seat, this is an opportunity to show how I have grown on the track and to continue honing my skills in a new environment and culture." Super Formula presents a different kind of challenge compared to the Europe-centered FIA F2, making it a racing category well worth the challenge.

Also, Ayumu Iwasa (TEAM MUGEN), the 2025 Super Formula champion, competed in FIA F2 for two seasons prior, finishing 4th in the standings in his second year before coming to Japan. He joined Super Formula in 2024 and, while continuing his contract with the Red Bull F1 Team, achieved his long-cherished title in his second year, 2025. Having established a solid track record, he is currently serving as a reserve driver for Racing Bulls, focusing mainly on simulator work at the factory in the UK this season.

Currently in Europe, many junior categories use Pirelli tires and compete across Europe from the FIA-F4 era, so by the time they participate in FIA F2, they have experience driving on almost all Grand Prix circuits. Therefore, for European drivers, Super Formula, which races on Japanese circuits where they have little to no prior experience, offers a valuable opportunity to learn how to compete on unfamiliar tracks, develop race strategies, and cultivate adaptability to different cultures and languages.

Ryo Hirakawa, who competed for the title in Super Formula until 2023, is currently participating in the WEC (FIA World Endurance Championship) while serving as a reserve driver for the Haas F1 Team, and is also scheduled to take part in free practice sessions during F1 race weeks this season.

Sho Tsuboi, currently competing in Super Formula (VANTELIN TEAM TOM'S), has also been running extensively this year at Silverstone, UK, in an older car as a development driver for Haas F1, showing that the gap between Super Formula and F1 has never been closer.

As Japan's top category, Super Formula features many of Japan's top drivers, including former F1 driver Kamui Kobayashi (KDDI TGMGP TGR-DC).

At the same time, many young drivers from overseas come to compete, aiming to defeat veteran Japanese drivers who are well-versed in Japanese circuits and conditions, and to showcase their presence to F1 stakeholders.

Just as Stoffel Vandoorne (Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, Test & Reserve), Pierre Gasly (BWT Alpine Formula One Team), and Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) once competed in Super Formula, among the drivers participating in Round 4 and Round 5 at Suzuka on May 23 (Sat) and 24 (Sun), there may be future F1 drivers in the coming years. The sight of SF cars, said to be second only to F1 in speed, and future F1 drivers racing at Suzuka is something worth etching into your memory.

Stoffel Vandoorne

Pierre Gasly

Liam Lawson