---
title: "14-Year-Old Juju Noda Wins From Pole in Her First F4 Race"
description: "She’s the daughter of former driver Hideki Noda, and she hopes to be F1’s first female Grand Prix winner."
date: "2020-06-22"
modified: "2020-06-23"
authors:
  - name: "James Gilboy"
    job_title: "Contributing Writer"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/34258/14-year-old-juju-noda-wins-from-pole-in-her-first-f4-race"
categories:
  - "F1"
  - "News"
  - "Racing"
---

# 14-Year-Old Juju Noda Wins From Pole in Her First F4 Race

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2020/06/juju-noda-race-win.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

When we last checked in on the daughter of former Formula 1 driver Hideki Noda, Juju, she was 12 and already [captaining a Formula 3 car like a pro](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/18781/juju-noda-is-12-years-old-and-already-driving-a-formula-3-car>). Now aged 14, Noda is old enough to compete in the entry-level open-wheel category Formula 4, and in her Danish F4 debut this past weekend, she showed the kind of spark that often portends the rise of a star driver.

After qualifying second for the first of Danish F4's three season-opening races at Jyllandsringen this past weekend, Noda found herself on pole position when rival Conrad Laursen's best qualifying lap was invalidated, having been set under a yellow flag per [*Formula Scout*](<https://formulascout.com/juju-noda-wins-on-danish-f4-debut-at-jyllandsringen/63330>). In the ensuing race, Laursen briefly challenged Noda for the lead, though the young Japanese driver easily reopened a gap to her Danish rival. She kept him at bay until the checkered flag dropped, marking victory in her debut open-wheel race and making her a race winner at age 14. That's two years younger than even F1's youngest race winner [Max Verstappen](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/32265/watch-f1-driver-max-verstappen-hustle-the-1160-hp-aston-martin-valkyrie>) managed, with the Dutchman not claiming the cup in an open-wheeler until age 16 in the short-lived Florida Winter Series.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1274345774051196940

Noda started eighth on a reversed grid for the weekend's second race and picked up five places before receiving a post-race disqualification for "unregistered" tires—which also landed her with a penalty for race three. That didn't matter to young Juju, who, starting 12th, scythed her way through the field, climbing up to fourth before a late-race safety car blocked further upward movement. She ended the weekend with 37 points, which places her fourth in the Danish F4 standings. Though shortened by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Danish F4 calendar still has four races remaining, all of which are further chances for Noda to show she's [the nascent Grand Prix winner she aspires to be](<https://www.thedrive.com/start-finish/12196/11-year-old-juju-noda-wants-to-be-the-first-woman-to-win-in-f1>).

"I think we are doing well but sometimes it's difficult because we don't know many people here and we don't know the language," Noda told [*Formula Scout*](<https://formulascout.com/what-can-be-taken-from-juju-nodas-victorious-danish-f4-debut/63423>). "I also miss my friends! But racing is just as fun as everywhere else!"

https://twitter.com/_/status/1274394050091782145

*Got a tip? Send us a note: tips@thedrive.com*

## Author
James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids."

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/jamesgilboy>)