Multiple drivers in the Japanese Super Formula championship have escaped serious injury after a first lap pile-up sent two cars rolling in the middle of a crowded pack. One driver, Tadasuke Makino, has been taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
The crash began on the exit of the race's very first corner, with Red Bull junior driver Liam Lawson going wide while attempting to pass Super Formula teammate Tomoki Nojiri. Lawson spun back into the field, where he was hit by two separate cars that both launched into the air and into a barrel roll. Makino and Yuho Sekigchi both rolled through the air before coming to a stop, then Nobuharu Matsushita collided into the pair while attempting to avoid the wreck.
According to Motorsport, Makino needed help exiting his car and complained of both back and chest pain after his crash. He was airlifted to a hospital and is expected to miss a SuperGT race next weekend, but a team representative reportedly told Motorsport that he avoided any serious injuries. Makino is expected to be discharged from the hospital on Monday.
Nojiri, a two-time Super Formula champion, went on to win the race. Lawson, a Super Formula rookie and a Red Bull junior driver often mentioned as a Formula 1 prospect, finished 13th, putting the pair just two points apart in the season standings as both chase championship leader Ritomo Miyata. Two races remain in the domestic championship, which will conclude at Suzuka in October.
