On May 10, 2026, the opening round—Race 1 Final—of the 2026 KYOJO CUP season was held at Fuji Speedway. The nat team KCMG fielded four drivers, with #10 Joanne Chikonte securing second place on the podium. #7 Miki Oonaga also finished in fourth place, giving the team a strong start to the season right from the opening round.
In the 15-lap race, which saw all 18 cars finish under clear skies, #39 Rio Tomishita (OPTIMUS CERUMO·INGING) took the win. Chikonte maintained a steady pace from the start and held onto second place. Oonaga also made a perfect start and surged into third place early on, but ultimately finished in fourth. The team demonstrated its high level of competitiveness right from the season opener.
#8 Aisa Sasaki finished in 10th place after receiving a 5-second time penalty for driving off the track. #9 Kelsey Pinkowski finished the race in 18th place. We look forward to seeing them make even greater strides in the next race.
nat Team KCMG Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | #10 | Joanne Ciconte | 26'26.532 |
| 4 | #7 | Miki Onaga | 26'32.364 |
| 10 | #8 | Rami Sasaki *5-second time penalty added (for driving off the course multiple times) | 26'40.779 |
| 18 | #9 | Kelsey Pinkowski | 27.01.944 |
Fastest Lap: 1’45.265 (156.052 km/h) — #36 Manami Saito / SCS TOM’S
Drivers' Championship — After Round 1
| Rank | Driver | Team | Key Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riona Tomishita | OPTIMUS CERUMO·INGING | 33 |
| 2 | Joanne Ciconte ★ | nat Team KCMG | 25 |
| 3 | Aimi Saito | SCS TOM’S | 16 |
| 4 | Miki Onaga ★ | nat Team KCMG | 13 |
| 9 | Aisa Sasaki (Rami Sasaki) ★ | nat Team KCMG | 2 |
★ nat team KCMG ／ Chikonte is in second place in the series, 8 points behind the leader
Driver Comments
The effects of the mechanical issues that arose during the final test before the season opener carried over into race week, forcing us to compete with the test car.We had maintained a positive feeling through Friday, but on qualifying day, aiming to take advantage of improving track conditions, we started our run in the final 10 minutes of the session. We struggled to improve our time and ultimately finished with the sixth-fastest lap. As a result, it was easier to set a fast lap during the first half of the session when temperatures were lower, and because we were unable to fully increase tire pressure, we ended up far from our goal of pole position.
In the sprint race, I got separated from the leading pack amid the chaos right after the start. I managed to close in on the driver in third place but couldn’t quite catch up, and that’s how the race ended. In the main race, I was able to run in third place right from the start, but I lacked speed and was gradually overtaken by the fast cars behind me, ultimately falling out of podium contention.
Although the situation in this race differed from our smooth testing sessions, and we ended up doing the best we could under the circumstances, the organizers and the entire team also did their very best. It was a disappointing result because I wasn’t able to perform to my full potential. While I continue to investigate the reasons for my lack of speed, I will thoroughly review my preparations and processes leading up to the race, and I’ll keep working hard to secure pole position and the victory again. I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to all of our sponsors for their support, to all the fans for their encouragement, and to everyone on the team.
I was able to gain a lot of valuable insights from this race that will help me moving forward. Although the results weren’t great and there are areas I need to reflect on—which is very frustrating—I want to view this positively as an opportunity for growth. The penalties I received in qualifying and the final race were my own mistakes, so I’ll do my best to keep these lessons in mind during practice so I can become faster.
This was the race where I had to think the hardest while driving, so I feel I lacked that instinctive feel for the car. To prevent this from happening again, I’m going to take a fresh look at my driving style, mindset, and preparation from the ground up as I gear up for Round 2. I’m truly grateful to everyone whose support and cooperation have made it possible for me to race this season. I look forward to your continued strict guidance and warm support.
