Toyota junior driver Kazuto Kotaka (kazutodesu0417) stakes his claim to a SFormula seat for 2023 by clinching the SFLights title at Okayama:
Kotaka banked his eighth win of the season in the second race of the weekend at the former Pacific Grand Prix venue to give himself an unassailable points lead over nearest rival Kakunoshin Ota ahead of the final race of the season.
However, Kotaka was unstoppable in race two once he had cleared polesitter Kimura, while Ota slipped behind Kimura despite briefly getting ahead of his fellow Honda-backed driver off the start line before the safety car was called on the opening lap. Winning the title boosts his chances of a graduation to the top class for 2023, with Sacha Fenestraz's possible exit in favour of a Nissan Formula E drive potentially opening up a space within the Toyota roster.Rookies Ota and Kimura, who looks set for third in the standings, are likely to stay in Lights for a second season next year.