Reigning Kyojo Cup Shimono set to make debut in Formula Regional Japan
- MARCO ALBERTINI
- 1 minute ago
- 2 min read
Osaka-born Rio Shimono will race in Formula Regional Japan for Dr.Dry alongside her title defence in Kyojo Cup for the same team.
Last year's Kyojo Cup champion, Rio Shimono will make the step up to the Formula Regional Japanese Championship this year, continuing her three-year partnership with the team.
Shimono began racing single-seaters in 2019, finishing 11th in the Super FJ Suzuka Series standings for Drago Corse, but starred in her one-off races in other Super FJ series, winning at Autopolis and Fuji, as well as scoring further podiums at Sugo and Motegi.
The following year, Shimono remained with Drago Corse as she ventured to TCR Japan, taking her only win of the season at Suzuka to end the year runner-up in the Saturday Series and fourth in the Sunday series, whilst also clinching the Saturday Series' Bronze title. Despite her endeavors in TCR Japan, Shimono continued to race in single-seaters, competing in the Super FJ Suzuka series, in which she finished on the podium twice to secure runner-up honors.
A successful rookie season in Kyojo Cup then ensued, in which she finished third in points, before making her debut in F4 Japan in 2022 for Zap Speed. Shimono remained with Zap Speed for the following year, before making the mid-season witch to Dr.Dry, as her results immediately improved in the last three rounds of the season.
With Dr.Dry, Shimono began competing in both Japanese F4 and Kyojo Cup from 2024, with Shimono focusing on the latter series, finishing third on her comeback year, before a stellar season with the series' brand new KC MG-01 that saw her take the title with a round to spare.
This year's Formula Regional Japan season will begin with two rounds at Suzuka, held on 28 February-1 March and 23-24 May, before heading to Motegi on 27-28 June. The season then will go to Sportsland Sugo for its northernmost round of the season 29-30 August, and then head to Fuji for its final two rounds on 25-26 September and 10-11 October.
