Why you should watch the Kyojo Cup season finale

As Kyojo Cup heads to Fuji Speedway for the final round of the 2024 season, here's all you need to know about the all-female championship before the title decider on December 22nd.

An Introduction to Kyojo Cup

The Kyojo Cup is a single-seater women-only championship that has been using the VITA-01 machine since its inception in 2017.

The car, powered by a Toyota Vitz RS engine, has always provided very close racing, with most races being a Monza-like slipstream battle until the checkered flag. Though, as it was announced earlier this year, the championship will use the KC-MG01 F4 car from next year onwards, making Kyojo Cup effectively a F4 championship.

The championship is mainly based at Fuji Speedway, with all but two rounds, held at Suzuka in 2020 and 2021, being held at the Oyama circuit supporting championships such as Super Formula, Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia and Inter Proto Series.

Previous champions include former W Series driver Miki Koyama (2017&2018 champion), Hinako Muramatsu (2019 champion), former Japanese Formula 3 and Formula Regional driver Ai Miura (2020&2023 champion), Women in Motorsport-selected driver Shion Tsujimoto (2021 champion) and Miki Onaga, who won the 2022 edition.

The latter of which is fighting for the 2024 championship, entering the final round of the season 4 points behind Aimi Saito, who won three races in a row during the season.

Names to watch out for

Aimi Saito, current championship leader and Sho Tsuboi's wife, who is competing in her fifth season in the championship and looks to become the sixth different champion in the series' history.

2022 champion and Saito's rival, Miki Onaga, made her debut in 2019 and was immediately on the pace, winning on debut but coming up one point short on winning the championship on debut and hasn't finished lower than second in every season since then.

Onaga finished third in the exhibition race, behind Riona Tomishita and Kirei Kanemoto - Photo: DrivingAthlete

Japanese F4 driver Rio Shimono, who drives for Dr.Dry in both championships, currently sits third in the championship, is a TCR Japan Saturday Series - Bronze champion and is aiming to score her first win in Kyojo Cup.

Fourth in the championship, Mako Hirakawa, sister of WEC driver Ryo Hirakawa, was a finalist in WRC's Beyond Rally Women’s Driver Development Programme and looks to end the 2024 season on a high.

The youngest driver on the grid, Riona Tomishita (photo below), sits fifth in the standings despite missing the fourth race of the season. The 18 year-old is in her second season of Kyojo Cup and has two podiums and a pole position to her name, the latter of which achieved on debut last season.

Tomishita won the Kyojo Cup Exhibition race at Fuji Speedway last month - Photo: DrivingAthlete

Ryu Yamamoto has been competing in the championship since 2019 and has been a consistent contender for top 5 finishes. Meanwhile, Hana Burton looks to finish her second Kyojo Cup season on a high after having finished in the top five in the last two races.

Where to watch Kyojo Cup

The races will be streamed on the official Inter Proto Series x Kyojo Cup youtube channel.