Round 3 of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Japan 2025 took place at Fuji Speedway, which also hosted the memorable 10th edition of Ferrari Racing Days. On one of Japan’s premier high-speed circuits, 32 296 Challenge cars and 6 488 Challenge Evo cars put on a spectacular show.

Under clear skies at Fuji Speedway, temperatures reached an unseasonably high 28℃ for June. The 30-minute plus one lap race was intense, with frequent lead changes in each class, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats. In Trofeo Pirelli, Nobuhiro Imada (Rosso Scuderia), who qualified second, took the lead on the opening lap and never looked back, securing his first win in the 296 Challenge. In Trofeo Pirelli Am, third-place qualifier Kanji Yagura (Cornes Osaka) clinched victory, while Tsutomu Shimoyama (Cornes Shiba) took the win in Coppa Shell, and Liang Chen Yu (Rosso Scuderia) celebrated a joyful first win in Coppa Shell Am. In the one-make 488 Challenge Evo class, Deske (Cornes Shiba) claimed a dominant victory.

Trofeo Pirelli. Trofeo Pirelli class saw four cars compete, with Sota Muto (M. Auto Italia) who made a sensational debut victory in Round 2, taking pole position. However, the experienced Imada seized the lead at the Corner on the first lap. Muto was hit by a jump-start penalty, dropping him back, though he chased fiercely, he retired due to technical troubles partway through the race. Akihiro Tsuzuki (Auto Speciale) mounted a late charge, closing to within a second of Imada, but couldn’t quite catch up before the flag.

In Trofeo Pirelli Am class, which had five starters, current points leader Motohiko Isozaki (Cornes Shiba) took pole, but Yagura made a brilliant getaway and grabbed the class lead on lap one. While Isozaki tried to fight back, he couldn’t improve his pace as he faced fierce pressure from Cold Max (Cornes Osaka), and Yasutaka Shirasaki (Rosso Scuderia), and the gap gradually widened. Ultimately, Kanji Yagura maintained a lead of just over six seconds to take his first victory of the season.

In the Trofeo Pirelli 488 Challenge Evo class, which began in Round 2, Deske displayed pace rivaling the 296 Challenge, taking pole and leading from start to finish for a convincing victory.

Coppa Shell. In the Coppa Shell class, Shimoyama took pole, showing pace that put him fourth overall. Norikazu Shibata (Cornes Osaka), promoted to Coppa Shell for Round 3, started second but crashed into turn one on the opening lap. Shimoyama maintained his speed throughout and finished third overall. Ryutaro Saito (Mid Sapporo), also promoted to Coppa Shell this round, finished second.

Coppa Shell Am attracted the largest field with 16 cars. Z. Falcon (Cornes Nagoya) took pole, but got caught in the opening lap and dropped back. This allowed third-place qualifier Liang Chen Yu to move into the lead, gradually building a gap until a mid-race spin. Hiroyuki Katayama (Cornes Osaka), who had started seventh, closed in after steadily climbing the order, but rookie Liang Chen held on for a well-earned maiden victory.

Race 2 will be held tomorrow 4:30 Pm, Sunday June 22 local time, at Fuji Speedway as part of Ferrari Racing Days.