Dandelion Racing Dominates Super Formula Season Start
Kameoka, Japan – Dandelion Racing has made a stunning start to the 2025 Super Formula season, securing four consecutive victories across the opening double-headers at Suzuka and Motegi. Drivers Tadasuke Makino and Kakunoshin Ohta each claimed two wins, further establishing the Honda-powered squad as a formidable force in the championship.
With this impressive streak, Dandelion Racing now holds a record of six consecutive race wins, having swept the previous year’s concluding double-header at Suzuka—a feat not achieved since Nakajima Racing in 2000. This marks the last time any team opened a season with four straight victories.
As the season progresses, both Makino and Ohta lead the drivers’ championship, each 20 points ahead of third-place Ayumu Iwasa from Team Mugen. Dandelion’s points tally already exceeds Mugen’s by more than double, making the team’s title defense appear nearly secure.
Dandelion Racing, founded in 1993 by Kiyoshi Muraoka, operates with a lean staff of just 25 permanent employees. The team initially struggled in Formula 3 and the Japan Touring Car Championship but found success after joining Formula Nippon in 1999. The partnership with Honda began in 2006, evolving from a simple engine supply relationship to a deep technical collaboration.
The 2001 signing of chief engineer Norimitsu Yoshida proved pivotal, followed by the key acquisition of driver Richard Lyons in 2002, which marked the beginning of meaningful results. Dandelion won its first teams title in 2012, and following an inconsistent stretch, rebounded with renewed strength in recent years, capturing another title in 2020 with Naoki Yamamoto.
Muraoka has highlighted the determination of his small team to demonstrate that privateer outfits can still excel in motorsports, suggesting that their success adds intrigue to the championship landscape. Now, with both drivers in contention for the title and the team eyeing dual championships, their friendly rivalry intensifies, particularly after recent race incidents.
“We aim to show that privateer teams can achieve remarkable things, reminiscent of motorsport’s golden age,” said Muraoka. As the season unfolds, this underdog story continues to captivate the motorsport community, proving that passion and dedication can still triumph in a competitive environment increasingly dominated by manufacturers.
