Super Formula, an elite form of open-wheel racing in Japan.

The sport can be a stepping stone to the prestigious Formula One event.

The highly competitive races are intense and thrilling.

During the 2023 season, one young Japanese driver was vying to become champion.

24-year-old Miyata Ritomo.

Miyata is a skillful driver supported by a dedicated team.

We follow his journey to claim the Super Formula title.

On today's show, we meet a young Japanese driver who had a major impact on last season's competition.

We'll learn more about his racing style and his goal of becoming a top international racing driver.

Super Formula is Asia's top open-wheel racing event rivaling IndyCar in North America

and Formula Two run by the International Automobile Federation.

Many former Super Formula drivers have gone on to enjoy careers in Formula One,

attracting the attention of fans around the globe.

The Super Formula season consists of nine race events.

Drivers score points according to their position in each race.

The driver who scores the most over the season becomes champion.

Super Formula is unique in that all drivers pilot a machine with exactly the same specifications.

The chassis are made of natural materials, and the tires use recyclable materials.

Every team utilizes identical equipment, and engines are supplied by either Toyota or Honda.

Super Formula continues working to reduce its environmental impact and achieve carbon neutrality.

This levels the field, meaning that results depend entirely on driver skill and team strategy.

In 2023, one young Japanese driver was pushing hard to become champion.

This is Miyata Ritomo's third year in the Super Formula competition.

Having won numerous races in Japan, he's hoping to one day make a name for himself on the international stage.

Miyata is an aggressive driver who loves to overtake.

He puts pressure on his rivals when cornering, always looking for a gap he can move through.

Just like attack and defense in soccer, you have it in racing too,

where a driver who doesn't want to give up his position fights for it against another driver.

You need to unsettle your opponents and find the gaps.

The third race of the 2023 season, held at Suzuka Circuit, highlighted Miyata's aggressive driving style.

Miyata, in the green car, was only twelfth out of 21 drivers on the starting grid,

but he soon set about moving up the field.

"Miyata shifts left and makes the pass.
Miyata Ritomo is up to second."

"Closing the gap, he swings left into
the straight, overtaking on the outside!"

Miyata sped past 11 rival drivers to claim his first ever Super Formula victory.

This lifted him to second place in the drivers' rankings, giving him a chance at the overall title.

Miyata went on to win the next race, leaping to the top of the drivers' standings.

Leading the way, there's just one more race to go.

Super Formula is highly regarded in the racing world.

That's because it's even more of a driver's race than Formula One, and it's also one of the fastest events.

If you perform well in Super Formula, it's a great advert for your driving skills.

I hope to race in Formula One someday.

While strong performances in Super Formula rely heavily on driver skill,

strong back up from their team is a major factor for success.

Each member of the team has a defined role, whether that be assembling the racing car or formulating race day strategy.

Miyata's team, led by the team director, is composed of engineers, mechanics and other management staff.

Engineers play a particularly important role.

Their job is to figure out how to approach the race, determining vehicle tuning and racing strategy.

The team's chief engineer is Saeda Masaki.

We make decisions on how to tune the car on race day, as well as strategies such as pit stop timing.

We also communicate with the driver, acting as a bridge between the driver and the mechanics.

When you tune the car, changing the ground clearance by even a fraction of a millimeter affects how the car behaves.

Small differences in driving style also affect vehicle behavior.

So, it's really interesting as a driver, and fun to try and find the driving style that's fastest for you.

There are four days to go until the final race of the season.

Miyata walks the track with Saeda to reassess their race plan.

It's important to make sure they're on the same page regarding their approach.

I don't know if I can do it,

but I've got some thoughts.

You're keen!

Even if I corner faster than other drivers, I'm slower hitting the accelerator out of the corners.

Walking the entire 5.8-kilometer circuit provides much food for thought.

Miyata is a thoughtful driver.

He walks the course with me, having watched the onboard footage beforehand,

and we review his decisions at the time.

It's easy to talk with him about what we should do at various points during the race.

He's very detail-oriented.

Chief engineer Saeda passes their observations on to the mechanics.

They are then able to adjust the machine down to the millimeter to ensure optimum performance.

If we make even a small mistake, it can have a massive impact.

But Chief Saeda gives us precise calculations,

and we work hard to make sure we accurately reflect those numbers into the vehicle set up.

If we work together, the driver can go faster and win the race.

So, it's truly a team sport.

The final race of the Super Formula season saw a fierce battle

with Miyata Ritomo up against a rival with experience in Formula One and a two-time Super Formula champion.

October 2023. Miyata is one race away from claiming the Super Formula Championship.

He goes into the race in first place.

The title is within his reach.

First place in qualifiying earns a driver three points, and a win in the final will secure twenty points.

But two rivals also have their eyes set firmly on the prize.

Nojiri Tomoki, looking for his third consecutive Super Formula crown, is in second place.

And sitting in third, is New Zealander Liam Lawson.

Lawson has been a reserve driver in Formula One.

He's competing in Super Formula for the first time, in a bid to improve his driving skills.

The final takes place in Suzuka, where Miyata recorded his first win of the season.

More than 25,000 fans gather to witness the three-horse race to become champion.

The race is split into a qualifying and a final round.

Qualifying is timed, with drivers racing individually against the clock to decide their grid placing.

Up first, is Super Formula veteran Nojiri.

He performs well but can only place third.

Next up is Lawson.

He laps faster than Nojiri to claim first place.

Finally, Miyata takes his turn.

As usual, he attacks the course with vigor.

But he makes a rare cornering error.

"Oh! Miyata gets it wrong!"

Miyata has gone too hard, and ends up nearly spinning his machine.

It's against the rules for all of the car's tires to cross the course's white line.

But he manages to recover.

Qualifying ends with Miyata in fourth place on the grid.

These results give Lawson and Nojiri qualifying points, allowing them to close the gap on Miyata.

Miyata needs to grab at least second spot to win the title, or should Nojiri finish further back, the third spot.

We were all going for broke.

I wanted to go on the offensive, but I was falling further behind.

I knew I needed to corner quickly, and really go for it, without worrying about getting it wrong.

But when I accelerated, the rear of the car slipped.

The time has come for the drivers to tackle the track's 31 laps.

Miyata knows, that if he wants to win, he needs a good start.

With three faster rivals in front of him, it will be difficult to gain position later on in the race.

Right after the race starts, the whole field is tightly packed.

This presents a perfect opportunity to overtake.

Maintaining or gaining grid placing is critical.

As I was fourth on the grid, I knew I needed to make up ground quickly to become champion.

Miyata is the last of the three to leave the pit.

He pulls to one side of the pit lane to gather his thoughts and refocus.

He takes his place on the grid.

"And the race to become fastest driver in Japan
and Asia is underway."

"Here's Nojiri!"

"And Miyata is in third."

"He's overtaken Nojiri!"

Miyata gets off to a fast start.

Let's take another look.

We can see him fly out of the blocks.

Nojiri immediately moves to the right to overtake Lawson.

Lawson also goes right, blocking out Nojiri, but leaving space on the left open for Miyata.

Just as planned, Miyata quickly moves into third place.

Miyata is sandwiched between Lawson in second and Nojiri in fourth, with no clear water between them.

Saeda keeps Miyata up to date with his rivals' lap times.

"Liam 1'42.3, Ritomo 1'42.3, Nojiri 1'42.4"

The three drivers all complete the 5.8-kilometer lap in the same time.

"Liam 1'42.9, Ritomo 1'42.9, Nojiri 1'42.9"

Here, Saeda calls for a pit stop.

In the final, one pit stop and a tire change are compulsory.

On new tires, Miyata should be able to improve his lap times.

"Ritomo, box, box."

"OK!"

When the driver pit stops, the mechanics have a chance to show off their skills.

With incredible teamwork, they send Miyata on his way in just 6.2 seconds.

Having seen Miyata pit stop, Lawson decides to follow suit on his next lap.

As Lawson exits the pit lane, Miyata is right on his tail, putting him under pressure.

"Miyata is on Lawson's tail.
He's in the green car."

"Miyata's on Lawson's rear wheel,
but Lawson fends him off."

"Miyata tries the outside, they're neck and neck."

"But Lawson blocks him."

"The battle is Lawson's for now."

Miyata tries to get past Lawson, but Lawson's defense is strong.

If he keeps pushing, he'll wear down his tires, which will affect his time.

Miyata knows the crown is his as long as he can stay ahead of Nojiri.

He decides to focus on defending third place.

"Nojiri's boxed. The gap's nearly 10 seconds."

"Keep going at this pace and you're fine."

Miyata is still in third as the final lap starts.

Lawson crosses the line in second place.

And Miyata, who stayed ahead of Nojiri, gets the third place that he needs.

"A new champion is born!"

Miyata becomes Super Formula Champion for the first time.

"Ritomo, you're champion!
What a performance!"

"Thank you so much!
We did it!"

I think we got the most out of Ritomo's speed,

and sent him on his way with the best possible preparation.

This was really a great team effort.

"We did it. We're the fastest in Japan!"

The next thing I need to do is figure out how to harness this title to take on the competition overseas.

I want to do the best I can for the future of my career.

Miyata has earned himself a place in the prestigious Formula Two event for 2024,

putting on him track to a bright future on the global stage.

Miyata Ritomo has reached the top of Super Formula.

He's taking one step at a time toward his dream of becoming a leading international racing driver,

and I can't wait to see how his career continues to progress.

The "Yumitorishiki" or Bow-twirling ceremony is held every day after all bouts of a Grand Sumo are over.

It's performed by a lower-ranked wrestler on behalf of a Yokozuna.

The dynamic performance is a real crowd-pleaser.

Today, we're going to learn about the ceremony which takes place at the end of each day during Grand Sumo tournaments;

"Yumitorishiki" or the Bow-twirling ceremony.

Well, for today, my instructor is former rikishi, Kasugaryu-san!

During his career, Kasugaryu served as assistant to Yokozuna Hakuho, and he performed the "Yumitorishiki" for about two years.

After the final bout of the day, the "Yumitorishiki" performer steps into the ring to start the ceremony.

There's an important meaning behind each movement.

We twirl the bow quickly to drive away evil spirits.

Evil spirits?

That's right.

Next, the rikishi uses the bow to dig up and level the ground.

This movement is a prayer for a rich harvest.

Then, he holds the bow up and presents it in three directions as a gesture of gratitude to the deities of the ring.

Then comes the climax of the ceremony.

Applause explodes as he stamps on the ground and raises his body in the dignified manner of a Yokozuna.

As a former assistant to Hakuho, Kasugaryu was especially committed to this movement.

Yokozuna Hakuho used to exhale after stamping.

So, I emulated the movements of the Yokozuna.

It was an honor to play this role.

I felt a great sense of responsibility and did my best to entertain those spectators

who remained behind in the arena until the very end to watch the "Yumitorishiki."

Now, that we've understood the meanings of each movement, let's go through them again.

Driving away evil spirits.

Digging up the ground and leveling it.

Paying gratitude to the three deities of the ring.

Stamping down evil spirits.

"Yumitorishiki" is an indispensable ritual that concludes a long day at the Grand Sumo Tournament.