Will Dandelion Racing duo's friendship survive Super Formula title battle?

Taking a closer look at the dynamic of Tadasuke Makino vs. Kakunoshin Ohta as the Super Formula title race moves on to Autopolis... (Photos: Honda, JRP)

Four races down this season in Super Formula, and it’s four wins for Dandelion Racing. That means there’s more scrutiny than ever on the team’s two drivers Tadasuke Makino and Kakunoshin Ohta, who have each taken two of those victories, and comfortably sit 1-2 in the drivers’ standings, Ohta on 61 points and Makino on 60 ahead of this weekend’s fifth round of the championship at Autopolis.

Compared to many other championships worldwide, the camaraderie between drivers in Super Formula tends to be relatively strong. But even by those standards, the harmonious relationship between Makino and Ohta is unusual. The pair, who both hail from the Kansai region (Osaka in the case of Makino, Kyoto in the case of Ohta) are genuinely good pals, also meeting each other away from the race track.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t want to beat each other. And now, with both Makino and Ohta looking like they are going to be sure-fire title contenders, the question is whether that chumminess will survive the pressure of an all-out title fight.