Workforce Mugen driver Nojiri went into the ultimate double-header of the season 10 factors behind collection chief Ritomo Miyata aiming to change into Japanese prime components racing’s first driver to win three consecutive titles since Satoru Nakajima in 1984-86.
The weekend began with victory in a shortened opening race, permitting Nojiri to shut in to inside 6.5 factors, however fourth within the finale left him 8.5 factors down on TOM’S rival Ritomo Miyata in the long run, with team-mate Liam Lawson ending half a degree forward in second total.
Requested what his objective can be after lacking out on an opportunity to match Nakajima’s three consecutive titles, Nojiri spoke of desirous to “tackle new challenges”, highlighting Alonso’s performances in F1 on the age of 42 as a supply of inspiration.
“Liam got here to Tremendous System, and he additionally raced in F1, and it’s the identical for Miyata and [Ryo] Hirakawa [in the World Endurance Championship],” mentioned Nojiri.
“Frankly, I don’t assume I’m so completely different to them, so it will be good to get probabilities to race exterior of Japan as nicely.
“Today, it looks like drivers don’t get given probabilities until they’re younger, so if there’s a possibility to buck that pattern even a bit, I’d like to offer it my all.
“Even Alonso, you understand… I’m 34 years outdated and I’m in the perfect form of my profession, so I feel I nonetheless have a protracted method to go from right here.”
Nojiri rounded off his marketing campaign within the second Suzuka race with a fourth-place end, his second-worst end result excluding DNFs, as he was handed off the road by Miyata and was by no means able to problem for a podium thereafter.
Trying again on what he known as an “up and down” season, the outgoing champion highlighted his crash with Toshiki Oyu within the April Suzuka race and his absence from the next spherical in Autopolis as main blows to his title defence.
“If I had completed forward of Miyata, the collection rating would have appeared completely different [with Nojiri ahead of Lawson], which made me realise that total outcomes can activate these small issues, and that too many of those small issues piled up for me over the season,” mentioned Nojiri.
“If you find yourself combating for the title, you all the time look again and assume, ‘if that hadn’t occurred…’, which is painful. Trying again now, the crash with Oyu at Suzuka in Spherical 3 was actually damaging.
“However regardless of my sickness, I used to be capable of come again strongly and battle for the championship, which I feel is due to everybody that supported me.
“Truthfully, I assumed it will be tough to win the title this yr, however I used to be supported by so many individuals, and I feel I really feel much more grateful now than once I received the title.”
