Super Formula has released the entry list for this week’s post-season test at Suzuka, headlined by 2025 Formula 1 drivers Oliver Bearman and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
It was revealed last Friday that Bearman and Antonelli would be part of the traditional rookie test at the Japanese Grand Prix venue on December 11-13, although it was not confirmed on which days they would be running and for which teams.
Now the entry list has confirmed that both will be taking part on the third and final day of the test, which is reserved for Super Formula rookies, for Toyota-powered teams.
Bearman will be driving for KCMG, taking over the #7 car that would normally be piloted by Kamui Kobayashi, who is missing the test due to a clash with the FIA Prize Giving gala in Rwanda.
Antonelli meanwhile will get his first taste of Suzuka with the one-car Rookie Racing outfit and will drive the #14 SF23 of series veteran Kazuya Oshima.
The pair of F1 stars are among 14 rookie drivers, defined as a driver with four Super Formula starts or fewer, taking part in the test.
Formula 2 racer Juan Manuel Correa will take part in the second day of the test for Kondo Racing, piloting the #4 car that will be driven on the opening day by Ukyo Sasahara.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, PREMA Racing
Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images
Kondo will also field Briton James Hedley, a podium finisher in GB3, on the second and third days of the test in Kenta Yamashita’s regular #3 car.
Oliver Rasmussen will make his second Super Formula outing for Team Impul, having also driven for the Toyota-powered squad on the final day of last year’s Suzuka test.
Rasmussen, who is searching for a drive after exiting the Jota World Endurance Championship squad upon its transition to works Cadillac status, will drive on the second and third days, taking over the #19 car from Hibiki Taira.
Nissan Super GT driver Mitsunori Takaboshi will drive Impul’s #20 car for all three days of the test in a sign he is the favourite to take over the drive from Yuji Kunimoto, who announced the end of his Super Formula career late last month.
Sacha Fenestraz will drive on the first and second days of the test for TOM’S alongside Sho Tsuboi as he prepares to join the team full-time next year on his expected return to Japanese racing, as previously reported by Autosport.
In the Honda camp, Igor Fraga will drive for Nakajima Racing on all three days of the test in the #64 car that he is expected to race next year in place of the retiring Naoki Yamamoto.
Super Formula Lights champion Shun Koide meanwhile will drive for B-Max Racing in the car piloted this year by Iori Kimura, who is not part of the Honda roster for the test.
A total of 19 cars are entered for the test, with the two TGM Grand Prix cars absent.
It comes amid strong speculation that TGM will be switching from Honda to Toyota engines next year as part of a deal with the latter manufacturer to help develop its junior drivers.
Full entry list:
In this article
Jamie Klein
Super Formula
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