Tomoki Nojiri says he is taking heart from Fernando Alonso’s late-career renaissance in Formula 1 after his bid for a third consecutive Super Formula title fell short at Suzuka.
Team Mugen driver Nojiri went into the final double-header of the season 10 points behind series leader Ritomo Miyata aiming to become Japanese top formula racing’s first driver to win three consecutive titles since Satoru Nakajima in 1984-86. The weekend started with victory in a shortened opening race, allowing Nojiri to close in to within 6.5 points, but fourth in the finale left him 8.
“Even Alonso, you know… I’m 34 years old and I’m in the best shape of my career, so I think I still have a long way to go from here.” Nojiri rounded off his campaign in the second Suzuka race with a fourth-place finish, his second-worst result excluding DNFs, as he was passed off the line by Miyata and was never in a position to challenge for a podium thereafter.
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