RIO SHIMONO Scores Three Top-10s in Strong Formula Regional Japan Debut

March 5, 2026

• RIO SHIMONO proved she belongs in Formula Regional Japan with a composed debut weekend at Suzuka, delivering exactly what we want to see from a driver stepping up – consistency and clear progression. Starting from seventh in Race 1, she held her ground in a field where multiple drivers were making mistakes and using escape roads, showing the racecraft that got her noticed in last year’s Kyojo Cup performances.
• The weekend’s defining moment came in qualifying for Race 3, where SHIMONO secured a second-row starting position that had everyone taking notice. While she couldn’t hold onto that front-running spot once the lights went out – getting shuffled back in typical rookie fashion when the experienced drivers turned up the heat – she demonstrated the pace that earned her that grid position wasn’t a fluke.
• What impressed most was how SHIMONO handled the pressure cooker of midfield Formula Regional racing, where one small mistake can cost multiple positions and track position is everything. Her Race 2 recovery from ninth back to eighth after that Turn 2 moment showed the mental toughness needed at this level, and her seventh-place finish in the final race marked genuine weekend-long improvement that sets up perfectly for the next Suzuka round in May.

dr. dry racing team, f111, formula regional japanese championship, suzuka circuit