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# Nakagawa and Asano Split Wet Ebisu Double-Header as D1 Lights Title Fight Tightens
- URL: https://www.thehairpin.co/nakagawa-and-asano-split-wet-ebisu-double-header-as-d1-lights-title-fight-tightens/
- Published: 2026-07-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Description: The D1 Lights Series returned to Ebisu Circuit for Rounds 5 and 6, with relentless rain turning the reversed West Course into a test of precision and commitment. Across two days of tandem battles, Naotaka Nakagawa and championship leader Junichi Asano shared the victories, while changing…
- Author: Anupama Rao
- Tags: This Week in Motorsport

Nakagawa opened the weekend in commanding fashion. The only driver to break the 97-point barrier in Saturday qualifying, he topped the session with a 97.70 before carrying that momentum through the tandem battles. Victories over Kazuaki Takeda in the semifinal and Daisuke Nakamura in the final secured his first win of the weekend, with Nakagawa crediting a revised suspension setup and overnight repairs following a heavy practice crash for giving him the confidence to attack in the wet. Nakamura settled for second, while Takeda claimed his first D1 Lights podium in third.

Sunday brought heavier rain and a reshuffled order. Daisuke Seto led qualifying with a 98.35, while Nakagawa remained near the front in second. Championship leader Asano, however, could only qualify 11th, forcing him to start from the opening tandem bracket rather than receiving a seeded run.

The lower qualifying position ultimately mattered little. Asano worked methodically through the field before eliminating Nakagawa in the semifinals after his rival made a costly mistake on the second run. In the final, Seto led the opening pass, but ran wide into the first corner during the deciding chase run, allowing Asano to secure victory and extend his championship advantage. Seto finished second despite overcoming gearbox issues earlier in the weekend, while Nakagawa completed the podium in third.

The split results ensured both protagonists left Ebisu with silverware, but Asano emerged with the bigger prize. His Round 6 victory stretched his championship lead to 52 points over Nakagawa, setting up the next round with the title fight increasingly taking shape between the two wet-weather specialists.