Formula Regional Japan: Shimono ends rookie season fourth overall
In the final round of the Formula Regional Japanese Championship at Fuji, Rio Shimono concluded her rookie season in the series fourth in the championship, by finishing the last two races of the season fourth and sixth.
Last year's Kyojo Cup champion Rio Shimono completed her first season in Formula Regional-level competitions a strong fourth in the Japanese championship, a campaign headlined by a pole-to-win performance at Sportsland SUGO earlier this year.
Starting off the Fuji weekend with Friday's practice sessions, Shimono set the seventh- and sixth-quickest times throughout the two sessions, with her time from the second session being good enough for the seventh overall fastest time.
Saturday was up next, in which Shimono, in her lone Dr.Dry car was fifth fastest in the first qualifying session, before going one better in the other session to put herself fourth on the grid for race two.
Later that day, race one took place, in which Shimono lined up fifth on the grid. Shimono briefly moved up to fourth at the start, but was held off by Yuzuki Miura on the opening lap as she was forced to fend off Tosei Moriyama to keep fifth. From there, Shimono had a straight-forward race, ending the race fifth on the road but was later promoted to fourth after Kento Omiya was given a five-second penalty for jumping the start.
Then came the finale on a sunny Saturday morning, with Shimono fourth on the grid. In the early stages, Shimono held on to fourth, but was passed by Miura at Dunlop on lap two and fell to fifth. Five laps later at the same corner, Moriyama also found his way past and thus dropped Shimono down to sixth. The second half of the race proved to be quieter for the Osaka native, as she remained close to Moriyama as she finished sixth.
With her sixth-place finish at the finale, Shimono ended her maiden Formula Regional Japan campaign fourth in overall points, in a season that saw her capture her first pole and win of her career in a mixed-gender grid earlier in the year at Sportsland Sugo. This won't be the end of Shimono's racing adventures this year though, as later this month on 31 October–1 November, she will contest the Kyojo Cup finale with the same team, in hopes of ending the year on a high.
