Mugen adds second Super Formula entry, signs Sasahara
Ukyo Sasahara has been granted a last-minute reprieve to race in Super Formula this season as part of an expanded two-car Mugen team.
Sasahara had been left on the sidelines when Honda made its initial Super Formula line-up announcement back in January, having been passed over for a chance to race for Dandelion Racing in favour of Hiroki Otsu.
It was a similar story when new squad Team Goh announced its full line-up, as rookie Atsushi Miyake got the nod to join Ren Sato.
But on Friday, with mere days until the start of pre-season testing on Monday, Mugen announced that it will be reviving its second entry, the #15 car, having been originally planned to scale back to a single car in 2022.
Sasahara will therefore partner reigning champion Tomoki Nojiri as part of a two-car Mugen attack.
"First, I'd like to express my sincere thanks all of those who made it possible to compete full-time this year," said Sasahara. "Thank you very much.
"In order to show the kind of top-class performance worthy of this chance, I'll give my best every day working alongside the team and Nojiri, so I'd like to ask everyone involved and the fans to support me."
Sasahara previously contested a full season for Mugen in 2020 as a replacement for Red Bull junior Juri Vips, but could only manage 18th in the points with a best finish of seventh place, and was replaced by Otsu for 2021.
He then made two outings at the start of the season in place of an unwell Tadasuke Makino at Dandelion, scoring a podium at Suzuka, and spent the remainder of the season on reserve duties for the team.
Sasahara's #15 car will be engineered by Tomo Koike and sponsored by BH Auction, sporting a light blue livery.
Nojiri's #1 car meanwhile will return to a more traditional Mugen livery as used in recent years, after winning the title last year with a striking all-red paint job to pay tribute to Japan's healthcare workers during the pandemic.
Tomohiro Ichise continues as Nojiri's engineer following Mugen's split from Servus Japan, which will operate the all-new Goh outfit in 2022 having previously run the #15 side of the Mugen operation.
The announcement that Sasahara will race for Mugen this year effectively completes the 2022 Super Formula grid, as it's understood Mugen has leased its second car from fellow Honda team B-Max Racing.
It means that Nobuharu Matsushita will again be the sole B-Max driver on the grid this season.
2022 Super Formula grid:
| Team/Engine | No. | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Mugen/Honda | 1 |
|
| 15 |
|
|
| Kondo Racing/Toyota | 3 |  Kenta Yamashita |
| 4 |  Sacha Fenestraz |
|
| Dandelion Racing/Honda | 5 | Tadasuke Makino |
| 6 | Hiroki Otsu |
|
| KCMG/Toyota | 7 |
|
| 18 |
|
|
| Drago Corse/Honda | 12 | Nirei Fukuzumi |
| Rookie Racing/Toyota | 14 |
|
| Impul/Toyota | 19 |
|
| 20 |
|
|
| TOM'S/Toyota | 36 |
|
| 37 |
|
|
| Inging/Toyota | 38 |
|
| 39 |
|
|
| B-Max Racing/Honda | 50 |
|
| Goh/Honda | 53 |
|
| 55 |
|
|
| Nakajima Racing/Honda | 64 |
|
| 65 |
|
KCMG adopts green-and-yellow livery for 2022 Super Formula season
Super Formula reveals extensive next-gen testing plans
Mardenborough ‘at home’ ahead of Fuji 24 Hours racing return
Mardenborough ‘at home’ ahead of Fuji 24 Hours racing return Mardenborough ‘at home’ ahead of Fuji 24 Hours racing return
Ex-MotoGP rider Rabat replaces Sykes at Puccetti Kawasaki WSBK team
Ex-MotoGP rider Rabat replaces Sykes at Puccetti Kawasaki WSBK team Ex-MotoGP rider Rabat replaces Sykes at Puccetti Kawasaki WSBK team
How Toyota's brightest Super Formula hope got his groove back
How Toyota's brightest Super Formula hope got his groove back How Toyota's brightest Super Formula hope got his groove back
TOM'S on double Okayama disaster: "We have to reflect on this"
TOM'S on double Okayama disaster: "We have to reflect on this" TOM'S on double Okayama disaster: "We have to reflect on this"
How Toyota's newcomer is faring after flying the Honda nest
How Toyota's newcomer is faring after flying the Honda nest How Toyota's newcomer is faring after flying the Honda nest
Sasahara replaces injured Yamashita for Super Formula test
Sasahara replaces injured Yamashita for Super Formula test Sasahara replaces injured Yamashita for Super Formula test
Has Honda’s super-sub blown his best shot at redemption?
Has Honda’s super-sub blown his best shot at redemption? Has Honda’s super-sub blown his best shot at redemption?
Lawson not thinking about F1 rumours after latest Super Formula win
Lawson not thinking about F1 rumours after latest Super Formula win Lawson not thinking about F1 rumours after latest Super Formula win
The transformation behind Super Formula's new title favourite
The transformation behind Super Formula's new title favourite The transformation behind Super Formula's new title favourite
Gasly: Alpine closer to the front than any F1 race this year
Gasly: Alpine closer to the front than any F1 race this year Gasly: Alpine closer to the front than any F1 race this year
F2 Monaco: Vesti wins red-flagged feature race
F2 Monaco: Vesti wins red-flagged feature race F2 Monaco: Vesti wins red-flagged feature race
F1 teams will be "all over" Red Bull floor photographs - Mercedes
F1 teams will be "all over" Red Bull floor photographs - Mercedes F1 teams will be "all over" Red Bull floor photographs - Mercedes
DTM Oschersleben: Preining on pole as Porsche dominates Sunday qualifying
DTM Oschersleben: Preining on pole as Porsche dominates Sunday qualifying DTM Oschersleben: Preining on pole as Porsche dominates Sunday qualifying
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.