Latest news with #FujiSpeedway
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Sho Tsuboi's Haas F1 test is an 'audition', says Toyota
Toyota has dismissed the notion that Sho Tsuboi's maiden Formula 1 test opportunity with Haas at Fuji Speedway is a 'reward' for his title success in Super Formula. The Japanese marque's director of global motorsport Masaya Kaji characterised the TPC test, which will take place on 6-7 August with the two-year-old Haas VF-23, as an 'audition' that will be used to gauge Tsuboi's future potential. Tsuboi will be in action on the second day of the test at Toyota's home circuit, while Haas reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa will take the wheel on the opening day. 'What comes next totally depends on Tsuboi's performance and on his communication with the team,' Kaji told 'This is a kind of audition, or selection. It's not just for his experience. We would like to assess his real level of performance. 'He must make a big effort especially to communicate in English. But the main target is to understand his potential. 'Currently his performance is the best among the Japanese drivers, so it's quite interesting for us, also for the other drivers in Japan and motorsport fans.' Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1 Kaji described ex-Super Formula racer Hirakawa, who has made two FP1 outings for Haas so far this year and another for Alpine, as a 'good benchmark' for Tsuboi. He did however concede that differing conditions between the two days would make direct comparisons in terms of lap times during the test difficult. Tsuboi becomes the latest Toyota-affiliated driver to get behind the wheel of the VF-23 in Haas's newly-established TPC programme this year following Ritomo Miyata, his predecessor as Super Formula champion, and Kamui Kobayashi. Formula 2 racer Miyata sampled the Haas at Jerez in January, while ex-Sauber and Caterham F1 driver Kobayashi drove the VF-23 in June at Paul Ricard in a run aimed at enabling him to better coach Toyota's stable of youngsters in future. Kaji wouldn't be drawn on who could be next in line for an F1 test from Toyota's domestic roster, but stressed that results in Super Formula will not be the decisive factor. 'To be honest, we don't have any clear boundaries,' Kaji continued. 'Tsuboi has very good potential, so it's not only about his results. The test is not a reward for becoming Super Formula champion. Ritomo Miyata, VANTELIN TEAM TOM'S 'We will not have the same situation for other drivers [in future] who become champion. It is purely based on performance.' Following his run for Haas in January, Miyata has also driven in TPC tests for Alpine, firstly at Zandvoort and then at Monza. Those opportunities came despite Miyata struggling for performance in his second season of F2 with ART Grand Prix, although he achieved a season-best result of second in wet conditions at Spa, having qualified in the same position. 'At the moment, we want to give him as much experience as we can," said Kaji of Miyata. "It's important to give him the environment where he can focus on driving, regardless of the team or the car.' To read more articles visit our website.
Malay Mail
13-07-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Malaysian royals shine at Fuji GT race as Tunku Abu Bakar claims third; Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah lends support (VIDEO)
KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, graciously attended the Fuji Speedway Circuit in Japan today to witness the GT World Challenge Asia series race. According to a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar's official Facebook page, Her Majesty's presence was to support her sons, Tunku Panglima Johor Tunku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ibrahim and Tunku Putera Johor Tunku Abu Bakar Sultan Ibrahim. In the first race in Fuji, Tunku Abu Bakar Al-Haj and his teammate Jordan Love (car #66) achieved their first podium finish of the season by securing third place. Meanwhile, Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj (car #99) continued to display consistent driving with teammate Ben Green, finishing in eighth place. His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, who followed the race from the capital, expressed gratitude over his youngest son's podium finish. 'I am grateful that Tunku Putera achieved a good result this time and hope that he and his brother (Tunku Panglima) will continue to give strong competition in tomorrow's second race,' the post read. Also in attendance at yesterday's race were Raja DiHilir Perak Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Sultan Idris Shah, as well as Tunku Tun Aminah Sultan Ibrahim and her husband, Datuk Dennis Muhammad Abdullah. Both Johor Motorsports Racing (JMR) Corvette Z06 GT3.R cars will start tomorrow's second race from the front row after claiming first (car #99) and second (car #66) positions in this morning's qualifying round. The race can be watched live on GT World's YouTube channel via the link beginning 10.15 am Malaysian time. — Bernama
Auto Blog
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Subaru Just Dropped a Teaser for a Sporty New Model – Could it Be the STI Successor?
Subaru is working on something sporty and spicy, but what could it be? Is Subaru's legendary rally-derived sport sedan finally set to return? Subaru's iconic rally-derived sport sedan, the WRX STI, has been absent from the market since 2021. Although its slightly less potent sibling, the WRX, is still available for purchase from your local Subaru dealer, Subaru loyalists have long been awaiting any sort of news about an upcoming replacement for the hotter, Subaru Technica International-developed model. Previous Pause Next Unmute 0:09 / 0:09 Nissan's revolutionary self-driving tech hits Japan's streets Watch More That lengthy wait may almost be over, according to Motor1, which reports that, 'During a media session surrounding the Super Taikyu series at Fuji Speedway, Subaru Executive Managing Director and Chief Technical Officer, Tetsuro Fujinuki, confirmed a new performance model for this year's Japan Mobility Show.' Although no official details have been announced yet, we can expect to learn more come October when the 2025 Japan Mobility Show begins. For the time being, however, we're left wondering what exactly Subaru might have up its sleeve. Subaru WRX Teaser — Source: Subaru What can we learn from Subaru's teaser? When looking at Subaru's teaser image, it seems pretty clear that whatever Subaru is planning on unveiling in November, it'll be heavily based on the current VB-generation WRX, as made evident by its distinct forward fascia, C-shaped LED headlights, and, of course, its signature hood scoop. Notable differences that set this teaser apart from the standard WRX are its aggressive front bumper splitter, its widened wheel arches, and perhaps most curiously, the blurred rear end. What's most intriguing about the rear of the car's roof is the obvious tailgate hinges, which might suggest that a hatchback variant of the Subaru WRX STI might return after a long hiatus–something that many Subaru and hot hatch fans alike will be extremely excited about. Despite the hatchback hints, the image also seems to suggest a large spoiler could be present on the rear. Keep in mind that this is pure speculation, but it seems like the details on the rear of the vehicle in the image might suggest that both four-door sedan and five-door hatchback variants of the WRX STI could be made available. Only time will tell, but we remain extremely hopeful that the beloved WRX STI Hatchback makes a glorious return. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. What could a new Subaru WRX STI look like? Subaru WRX STI Coupe — Source: AI Generated Image Using generative text-to-image artificial intelligence and Adobe Photoshop, we imagine what a tarted-up, STI-branded variant of the VB-generation Subaru WRX could look like. Although the render pictured above depicts a two-door coupe body reminiscent of the iconic Subaru Impreza 22B STI, an actual WRX STI would likely retain all four of its doors, or perhaps gain a fifth door in hatchback guise. Despite its coupe appearance, the above render gives us a glimpse at possible styling alterations for the STI model, such as facelifted headlights for a more aggressive look, larger grilles for increased cooling airflow, wider wheel arches with contrast painted overfenders, and, of course, an extra aggressive rear spoiler for enhanced aerodynamics. Final thoughts Although not many details have been officially confirmed yet, we're eagerly awaiting more information to be revealed in October of this year. We'd love to see a hatchback return to Subaru's iconic WRX lineup, so hopefully the tailgate hinges on the teaser image turning out to be a clue and not just meaningless speculation. Regardless, we're glad to see Subaru working on something sporty and exciting rather than yet another crossover. Now, if only Mitsubishi would get the hint… About the Author Cole Attisha View Profile
Motor 1
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Subaru Is Teasing a New Performance Model. Could It Be an STI?
Will Subaru ever build another WRX STI? Will there ever be another hatchback? Those are questions Subie enthusiasts have been asking for years—since at least 2021, in fact, when the last STI left the US market. There have been hints of new STI and STI-adjacent models since then, but nothing concrete. Now, Subaru is teasing us with a high-performance variant of the WRX that may or may not be the new performance model we've been waiting for. 2024 Subaru WRX tS Photo by: Tim Stevens / Motor1 During a media session surrounding the Super Taikyu series at Fuji Speedway, Subaru Executive Managing Director and Chief Technical Officer, Tetsuro Fujinuki, confirmed a new performance model for this year's Japan Mobility Show. As reported by Japan's Car Watch , this could be a new WRX or STI, but the details are still unconfirmed. A lone teaser image previews the proposed performance model, showing a front-end clearly derived from the current WRX platform, but potentially with a longer roofline. Could it be a WRX hatchback or a new performance derivative of the Levorg? We'll have to wait to find out. Fujinuki said that this new model will make "good use of our current technological assets," and that, "we would like to create an even more cutting-edge car" down the line. The CTO reiterated that the company will provide even more details surrounding its future performance plans when the Japan Mobility Show opens its doors in October. For now, buyers in the US will have to make do with the current WRX and WRX tS sedans, which make up to 271 horsepower at their most potent. There have been rumors of all-electric iterations of Subaru's STI performance models, but given the recent changing landscape, it's unclear if Subaru will stick to that plan. 42 Source: Tim Stevens / Motor1 The Latest From Subaru The Subaru WRX STI Is Back, But Only With a CVT The 2025 Subaru WRX tS Is Expensive Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
