Red Bull junior Lawson joins Mugen for 2023 Super Formula season

As previously reported by Autosport, Red Bull junior driver Lawson is moving to Super Formula after two seasons of racing in FIA Formula 2, and had his first taste of the Japanese series in last week’s post-season test at Suzuka.

The New Zealander joins the title-winning Mugen operation alongside reigning two-time champion Tomoki Nojiri, effectively taking the place of Toyota-bound Ukyo Sasahara.

Lawson follows in the footsteps of Pierre Gasly, Dan Ticktum, Pato O’Ward and Juri Vips in joining Mugen, which has taken back its previous deal to run a Red Bull junior driver in Super Formula from Team Goh.

 

Ren Sato, who earned Rookie of the Year honours this season driving for Goh, moves to Nakajima Racing for his second season, joining three-time champion Naoki Yamamoto in place of Toshiki Oyu.

Dandelion Racing meanwhile has its fourth different line-up in as many years with Super Formula Lights runner-up Kakunoshin Ota getting the nod to join Tadasuke Makino.

Ota, the fastest rookie in the Suzuka test, replaces Hiroki Otsu, who has lost his place on the Honda Super Formula roster after a largely disappointing sophomore season.

 

B-Max Racing returns to running two cars for the first time since 2020, with HPD scholarship winner Raoul Hyman partnering up with Nobuharu Matsushita.

Nirei Fukuzumi will spend a second season with the minnow one-car Drago Corse team.

Oyu’s future remains uncertain as his name was absent from Monday’s announcement, but there remains a chance he could still race in 2023 if the organisation behind Team Goh, Servus Japan, can find the funds to continue racing next year.

Servus ran a single car in the Suzuka test for Turkish Formula 2 racer Cem Bolukbasi, who is weighing up whether to race in Super Formula next year.

Honda will continue to support two junior drivers in Super Formula Lights next year.

Taking Ota’s place at Toda Racing is reigning Japanese F4 champion Shun Koide, while Iori Kimura gets a second season with B-Max.

2023 Super Formula grid so far: