Honda-powered Dandelion Racing has embarked on an impressive journey in the 2025 Super Formula season, kicking things off with four consecutive victories during the initial double-header events at Suzuka and Motegi. The team’s drivers, Tadasuke Makino and Kakunoshin Ohta, each notched two wins, showcasing their skills and solidifying Dandelion’s dominance on the track. This remarkable performance includes the previous season’s finale at Suzuka, also won by Ohta, marking an incredible streak of six consecutive race victories. The last team to achieve such a feat was Nakajima Racing back in 2000, a year famously dominated by former Formula 1 driver Toranosuke Takagi, when they also opened their season with four straight wins.
As the championship unfolds, both Makino and Ohta are leading the drivers’ standings, sitting 20 points ahead of third-place Ayumu Iwasa, the reserve driver for Racing Bulls F1, who is spearheading Team Mugen. Dandelion Racing has positioned itself strongly in the teams’ championship, amassing more than double the points of its nearest rival, Team Mugen. This impressive start is a testament to the efficiency and effectiveness of the small but dedicated team based in Kyoto, which has only 25 permanent staff members and was established in 1993 by Kiyoshi Muraoka to compete in All-Japan Formula 3.
The team faced considerable challenges in its early years, initially struggling for success in both F3 and the now-defunct Japan Touring Car Championship. Dandelion Racing made its debut in Formula Nippon in 1999, fielding a single car for lesser-known Argentinian driver Ruben Derfler. The initial years in Formula Nippon were a struggle, but Muraoka was laying the groundwork for future triumphs. In 2001, he brought in Norimitsu Yoshida as the chief engineer, forming a partnership that remains intact to this day. That same year, Dandelion Racing began a collaboration with the Sauber F1 team, providing technical support.
A significant turnaround for Dandelion Racing occurred when they signed Ulsterman Richard Lyons in mid-2002 to replace underperforming driver Jonathan Cochet. Under the guidance of engineer Rob Arnott, who joined in 2003, Lyons secured the team’s first win at Suzuka that year, propelling Dandelion toward a successful title challenge in the following season. Muraoka attributes this turnaround also to the addition of veteran driver Naoki Hattori, who partnered with Lyons during this pivotal period.
When the rivalry between Toyota and Honda engines ignited in 2006, Dandelion Racing aligned itself with Honda. Beginning with Takuya Izawa in 2009, the team transitioned from merely being an engine supplier to becoming an integral part of Honda’s driver development program. The collaboration blossomed over the years, culminating in Dandelion’s first teams’ championship in 2012, achieved by Izawa and fellow Honda protégé Koudai Tsukakoshi. After a brief dry spell during the SF14 era, highlighted by Stoffel Vandoorne’s two wins in 2016 on his way to F1, Dandelion rebounded in the first year of the SF19, capturing another teams’ title and securing a second drivers’ championship for Naoki Yamamoto in 2020.
Muraoka firmly believes in the potential of privateer teams, stating, “What we are trying to demonstrate is that privateer teams can still do great things, like in the old days of motorsport.” Despite the challenges of maintaining a lean operation with only two engineers per car—while most competitors have three or more—Dandelion Racing has thrived through ingenuity and dedication. Yoshida adeptly balances his responsibilities as the race engineer for Ohta’s car and the team director, showcasing the versatility and commitment of the team’s staff.
Located in Kameoka City, just outside Kyoto, Dandelion Racing faces difficulties in recruiting new talent due to its geographical isolation from the main hub of Japanese motorsport, predominantly situated in Gotemba, near Mount Fuji. However, this remoteness has fostered a strong sense of loyalty among existing team members and has helped safeguard the team’s proprietary knowledge from leaking to competitors. The closest analogy in Formula 1 might be Sauber, although Dandelion’s singular focus on competing in Super Formula is reminiscent of Williams, which exists solely to succeed in its chosen discipline.
Dandelion Racing deliberately avoids competing in other categories, such as Japan’s Super GT series, where many of its rivals, including TOM’S and Mugen, are active. Muraoka believes this strategic choice grants Dandelion a unique purity that sets it apart from other teams. Both Makino and Ohta, a pair of talented drivers, have played significant roles in the team’s current success. Their friendly rivalry has pushed each to perform at their best, and both are now seen as formidable contenders for the championship. However, as the season progresses, the dynamics of their relationship may change, especially following a recent incident where Ohta expressed frustration after being overtaken by Makino during a race when he believed team orders were in play.
While Muraoka may face challenges in managing the budding rivalry between his two star drivers, the positive atmosphere within the team is evident. Following their impressive performances at Motegi, where they achieved a pair of 1-2 finishes, Muraoka humorously urged longtime sponsor NTT Docomo to consider providing additional win bonuses.
Although Muraoka initially planned to retire after Dandelion’s 2019 teams’ title victory, circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic led him to continue as the public face of the team. His presence has undoubtedly enriched the Super Formula landscape, which touts the slogan “Human Motorsport” to promote its values.
In an age where financial backing often dictates success in motorsport, Dandelion Racing’s achievements serve as a refreshing reminder that smaller teams can still challenge the status quo. Muraoka emphasizes that in many championships, success often requires close ties to a manufacturer, but he aims to show that independent teams can still achieve greatness, reminiscent of motorsport’s storied past. “If a team like ours didn’t exist anymore, the championship would be less interesting,” he asserts, advocating for the importance of diversity and competition in the racing world.
