Tsukuba Round: J-GP3 Class Held— Pongkhun Aeimnoi Finishes 7th, Rintaro Todaka 9th, and Techin In-Aphai 12th in Strong Performances—JRR Round 4
On Sunday, June 21, the “TSUKUBA Round” of the MFJ All-Japan Road Race Championship—the fourth round of the 2026 season—was held at Tsukuba Circuit in Ibaraki Prefecture. Only the J-GP3 class was contested at this event, with three riders competing for Astemo Pro Honda SI Racing.
Jun 21 (Sun): Qualifying / Weather: Cloudy / Track: Wet
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- J-GP3 Qualifying
Although the morning rain had cleared up by the start of qualifying, the track surface was a mix of wet and dry patches, creating challenging conditions. Under these circumstances, Rintaro Todaka put in a strong performance, improving his time toward the end of the session to secure the 4th grid position—his best-ever result. Pongkhun Aeimnoi, who was unable to fully capitalize on the unstable conditions, would start from the 11th grid position, while Techin In-Aphai would start from the 24th grid position.
Jun 21 (Sun): Race / Weather: Sunny / Track: Dry
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- J-GP3 Race
As the final race got underway, Rintaro Todaka got off to a strong start, charging into Turn 1 first to take the holeshot. However, he was passed by a rider at Turn 2 and another on the back straight, returning to the home straight in third place on the opening lap. He subsequently dropped back to seventh, where he was pressured by Pongkhun Aeimnoi, who had struggled to find his pace early on, and the battle between the teammates continued for several laps. Pongkhun, having found his rhythm, pulled away once he took the lead and finished in 7th place. Todaka, on the other hand, struggled to find his pace but fought hard against a rival with superior bike performance, taking the checkered flag in 9th place. Techin In-Aphai gradually picked up the pace, steadily climbing from 24th place to finish in 12th.
The next race, the “MFJ All-Japan Road Race Championship Series Round 5: SUPERBIKE RACE IN MOTEGI,” will be held on August 29(Sat), and August 30(Sun), at Mobility Resort Motegi in Tochigi Prefecture. Thank you for your continued support of Astemo Pro Honda SI Racing.
■Comments from Team Director and Riders
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- Team Director Shinichi Ito
I think this race week really highlighted each rider’s growth and areas for improvement. Pongkhun was in great form, clocking times in the 59-second range as early as practice and was in a position where a top-5 finish was within reach. However, because it rained during qualifying, he wasn’t able to pick up the pace as he’d hoped, though his level has definitely improved. His personal goals have also become more ambitious, and I think he’s struggling a bit with the gap between those goals and his actual results. He’s in the midst of growing, not only technically but also mentally. Techin wasn’t able to prepare fully due to the effects of his crash in the previous race, and he still hasn’t been able to show his true potential. He has a good role model in Hiroki Ono (P.MU 7C GALESPEED), and since the level of the J-GP3 class is rising, I hope he can become a rider who can compete for the podium in that environment. Todaka started from fourth on the grid and even ran in second place at one point during the race. His precision, particularly in braking and corner entry, has improved significantly. There are still areas for improvement, so I’m looking forward to seeing him overcome these challenges and show even greater growth in the next race. Tsukuba Circuit is a track where the riders are close to the spectators, and where a rider’s skill cannot be masked. That’s precisely why being able to ride fast here is so valuable. Also, since it’s in the Kanto region, many people involved in the sport and fans came out to cheer us on. I think racing in an atmosphere different from usual was a great experience for the riders. For the J-GP3 class teams, developing young talent is a major priority, and thanks to the support of many people, an environment has been created where young riders can take on new challenges. To live up to those expectations, we’ll continue to work as a united team in the second half of the season to support their growth.
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- Rider: Techin In-Aphai
Partly due to the crash I had at the previous race at Autopolis, I wasn’t able to ride until Saturday’s practice sessions, which was a very frustrating time for me. However, during Saturday’s practice, I managed to beat my best time from last year, so I felt optimistic heading into qualifying and the race. Unfortunately, qualifying took place in wet conditions—a first for me—and I wasn’t able to push with confidence, resulting in a disappointing 24th-place qualifying result. It was the farthest back on the grid I’ve ever been, but I started the race with the mindset that I had nothing to lose. During the race, I focused on steadily passing the riders in front of me one by one, and I was able to steadily move up the order. I ultimately finished in 12th place—a result that isn’t entirely satisfying—but the fact that I fought until the very end without giving up was a valuable lesson that will help me moving forward. I’ll train hard in Thailand leading up to the next race at Motegi, and I’ll do my best to show you how much I’ve grown. I’ll give it my all to deliver good results to my fans in Japan and Thailand, so please continue to support me.
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- Rider: Pongkhun Aeimnoi
Since it was my first time racing on this circuit in wet conditions, I didn’t feel completely confident about the track surface, and I wasn’t able to drive the way I wanted to in qualifying. The race took place in dry conditions, but I didn’t get off to a good start. I got stuck in the pack, which threw off my rhythm, and at one point I dropped as far back as 12th place. My race pace itself wasn’t bad, so I tried to make up ground, but I struggled to close the gap to the cars ahead, and it took me a long time to move up the order. I recognize this as an area I need to work on. I feel I still lack the ability to deliver consistent performance under any conditions. Nevertheless, I was able to set good lap times throughout the test and race weekend, and competing in a position where I could challenge for the top spots has given me confidence. I’ll return to Thailand until the next race at Motegi to practice hard and further improve my performance. I’ll prepare with everything I’ve got so that I can deliver a race I’m truly satisfied with next time.
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- Rider: Rintaro Todaka
I’d been riding with a good feel since Saturday, setting a new personal best and getting off to a great start to the race weekend. Sunday’s qualifying took place in wet conditions, but since I don’t mind the rain, I was able to ride better than I expected. I managed to secure fourth place on the grid, a result that even surprised me. The race took place in dry conditions, but I didn’t feel much grip, and unfortunately, my pace wasn’t quite up to par, so I dropped a few positions. Even so, I was able to charge into the corners just as aggressively as riders on other manufacturers’ tires, and I enjoyed the battles, so I’m satisfied with how the race went. I’m heading back to my home region of Kyushu to focus on practicing the areas where I’m lacking, and I’m looking forward to returning to Motegi for the next race.
