The former F1 junior looking to rejuvenate his career in Japan

Zak O’Sullivan’s junior profession makes for spectacular studying. The Briton completed within the prime two of each full marketing campaign during which he has raced, save for one. His first of two Method 3 seasons in 2022 additionally marked his solely marketing campaign with no victory.

Though stepping as much as Method 2 final 12 months had confirmed tough earlier than monetary difficulties curtailed his season with ART Grand Prix, O’Sullivan had nonetheless managed to register two wins. His Monaco function race triumph was made potential by way of a superbly timed late-race incident – narrowly managing to enter the pitlane before the virtual safety car was displayed – and barely any racing was achieved in Spa’s rain-shortened sprint race, during which O’Sullivan transformed pole. However he did not make errors and put collectively a powerful drive to fourth within the Spa function race to underline his tempo that weekend.

That mentioned, ART was not fairly the pressure it had been in 2023 when champion Theo Pourchaire and rookie Victor Martins mixed to ship the groups’ title. With the aggressive order shaken up by the introduction of the brand new Dallara F2 2024 chassis, anticipated title favorite Martin solely gained as soon as and was by no means within the title hunt. O’Sullivan was really forward of Martins within the standings previous to Monza, which proved his final outing with ART before exiting F2.

Pressured to look additional afield for racing choices, O’Sullivan launched into December’s post-season Tremendous Method Suzuka check with Kondo Racing on a day reserved for rookies. It led to a full-time deal for 2025, lining up alongside reigning Tremendous GT champion Kenta Yamashita. He joins 2019 Japanese Method 3 champion Sacha Fenestraz (TOM’S), contemporary from a stint with Nissan in Method E, and former World Endurance Championship racer Oliver Rasmussen (Impul) among the many ‘gaijin’ contingent.

“It’s very completely different,” 2021 GB3 champion O’Sullivan tells Autosport when evaluating the F2 and Tremendous Method paddocks. “I feel it simply comes right down to the truth that clearly, in Japan, that is their premier racing sequence, it’s their model of F1. So after all, there’s much more consideration than we get in F2.

“However I used to be a bit shocked even for a check how busy the paddocks had been. There have been pitlane walks for followers and even the grandstands had been filling up, so it’s actually cool. After all, it’s all the time very nice to have assist.”

In a single picture, O’Sullivan could possibly be seen taking a second to himself between transporters. However that wasn’t solely an element of the fan curiosity, since he reveals “I acquired the call-up for the check a day or two earlier than, so I arrived actually late to the observe”.

In 2024 the worlds of F2 and Tremendous Method turned considerably intertwined, with Pourchaire heading to Japan whereas recently-crowned Tremendous Method and Tremendous GT champion Ritomo Miyata moved in the wrong way. Whereas Pourchaire’s time with Impul got here to an finish after one weekend, when McLaren known as him as much as fill an IndyCar seat, Miyata discovered his first F2 marketing campaign powerful going. The Rodin driver completed nineteenth general – three locations behind O’Sullivan – with a brace of fifths in Melbourne his finest outcomes.

Conceding he perhaps ought to have requested Miyata for recommendation earlier than hopping into Tremendous Method’s Dallara SF24 for the primary time, O’Sullivan explains that it’s “very intuitive to drive” and instantly recognised “there’s much more downforce than what I used to be used to in F2”.

“There’s no actual tyre-saving within the race, so you’ll be able to push fairly onerous” Zak O’Sullivan

“The efficiency stage is lots nearer to F1,” says O’Sullivan, who sampled a 2021 Aston Martin AMR21 as his prize for successful the 2021 Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Younger Driver of the 12 months Award and appeared for Williams on the 2023 younger driver check in Abu Dhabi. “Energy steering within the automotive as properly is a pleasant addition!” he provides.

“It didn’t take too lengthy. The automotive is confidence-inspiring. After all, there are all the time areas the place in your first check you don’t fairly get on prime of, however I loved the check and it was good enjoyable to drive.”

On the tyres, having to get used to Hankook rubber quite than the Pirelli compounds with which he had spent the earlier 4 years, O’Sullivan provides: “Most Pirellis do [fall apart quickly], sadly, however we get used to them and also you be taught to drive across the limitations.

“The principle distinction in Tremendous Method is that you simply’re right down to a 13-inch wheel rim, which adjustments the dynamics of the automotive lots, makes it extra predictable and you’ve got a slower buildup to most grip.

O’Sullivan has loved attending to grips with the upper downforce afforded in Tremendous Method

Photograph by: Masahide Kamio

“The principle dynamic of the tyre is that it’s got a really stiff sidewall to deal with the G-force of the automobiles, so it makes the grip fairly binary both on or off, which takes some time to get used to. However it’s sturdy, there’s no actual tyre-saving within the race, so you’ll be able to push fairly onerous.”

Following O’Sullivan’s F2 exit, Williams sporting director Sven Smeets eluded to a “personal issue” between the motive force and ART, commenting to Autosport: “I can not actually elaborate on that and it is extra of a query to them, what occurred with ART.”

Giving his model of occasions, O’Sullivan explains: “It’s fairly easy – I ran out of cash to compete in F2. Maybe the quote about points with ART was that we couldn’t pay them, so there’s your problem.

“All of us agreed to mutually half methods between ART and I, and it’s as much as Williams who they put within the seat. Luke [Browning] acquired the seat ultimately, however that’s fairly irrelevant. The principle problem was that I couldn’t afford my F2 season. We cut up methods with ART and I’ve additionally cut up methods with Williams.

“I feel it was a mutual settlement that there wasn’t a spot for me within the Academy or any future plans, so it was finest for either side to half methods. However I’ve actually loved my three years there. I discovered lots and clearly, with out their assist, I’d by no means have gotten to F2 stage.”

Pressed on whether or not funds might show problematic as soon as extra in 2025, O’Sullivan confirms that “it gained’t be a problem in any respect”.

‘5-year plans’ are in vogue, notably in soccer every time a brand new supervisor is signed, however O’Sullivan is coy on his personal future and maintains that his on-track performances will finally dictate whether or not his long-term prospects lie in Japan.

It was introduced this week that O’Sullivan will pair his Tremendous Method exploits with simulator duties for the Envision Method E crew, offering very important assist for Robin Frijns and Sebastian Buemi. He may even full a free apply session in Jeddah.

With finance not a priority racing for Kondo, O’Sullivan might be freed as much as deal with driving

Photograph by: Tremendous Method

“It is undoubtedly a consideration for me, after all, this 12 months my foremost programme is Tremendous Method so my focus is to do in addition to I can in that and have a very good season,” O’Sullivan says of his Method E duties.

“But in addition on the aspect, clearly my work with Envision, I wish to be taught as a lot as potential. I am positive I will benefit from the automotive in Jeddah, so it is undoubtedly a viable profession choice.

“The session itself will present a very good alternative for me to be taught the automotive and I may even be ensuring I spend as a lot time with the crew as potential throughout the race week, so I take in as a lot as I can.”

“I’m wanting ahead to being on some old-school tracks once more. Clearly, being on the F1 bundle, you go to a couple avenue circuits however it’s primarily large open circuits, so it’ll be good to be on one thing slim once more” Zak O’Sullivan

Now accustomed to the swathes of asphalt runoff that adorn fashionable grand prix venues, the motive force who turns 20 subsequent month is most enthusiastic about sampling layouts that evoke his earliest automotive racing experiences within the UK.

“I’m actually wanting ahead to Sugo really,” he reveals. “I spent three years racing within the UK at some actually slim tracks like Oulton Park and Manufacturers GP, and I’ve seen a few of the onboards there and it appears to be like actually cool.

“I’m wanting ahead to being on some old-school tracks once more. Clearly, being on the F1 bundle, you go to a couple avenue circuits however it’s primarily large open circuits, so it’ll be good to be on one thing slim once more. Additionally, in Japan the climate is kind of variable, so I’m positive we’ll have some moist races.”

Whether or not or not the rain and UK-esque layouts can present a home-from-home for O’Sullivan stays to be seen. However following within the footsteps of Geoff Lees and Richard Lyons to turn into solely the third British champion in Japan’s prime class is bound to be an attractive problem.

Can returning to old-school type tracks in Japan assist O’Sullivan rediscover the profession momentum he misplaced in F2?

Photograph by: Tremendous Method