TGR Driver Challenge Program

Last updated
TGR Driver Challenge Program
Tgrdc.png
Founded2001;24 years ago (2001) (as Toyota Drivers Academy in 2003) [1]
Base Cologne, Germany & Japan
Team principal(s) Kazuki Nakajima
Current drivers Flag of France.svg Esteban Masson
Flag of Japan.svg Rikuto Kobayashi
Flag of Japan.svg Kazuto Kotaka
Flag of Japan.svg Miki Koyama
Flag of Japan.svg Ritomo Miyata
Flag of Japan.svg Jin Nakamura
Flag of Japan.svg Seita Nonaka
Flag of Japan.svg Yuki Sano
Flag of Japan.svg Tokiya Suzuki
Flag of Japan.svg Hibiki Taira
Flag of Japan.svg Kiyoshi Umegaki

The Toyota Gazoo Racing Driver Challenge Program (TGR-DC) formerly known as the Toyota Drivers Academy and Toyota Young Drivers Programme (TDP), is a driver development programme by Toyota Gazoo Racing. It is meant to promote talent in different racing series by helping them with funds, hoping to find drivers who will race for the team in the future. Notable graduates of the scheme are Kazuki Nakajima, Kamui Kobayashi; who made their F1 debuts for Williams and Toyota, respectively.

Contents

The program was launched in 2001 when Toyota entered Formula 1, and wants to promote young drivers from Japan, and other countries that are able to reach F1.

Current drivers

TGR-DC drivers

DriverYearsCurrent SeriesTitles as TGR-DC driver
Flag of Japan.svg Ritomo Miyata [2] [3] 2017–2021,
2025–		 Formula 2 Championship 2017 F4 Japanese Championship
2020 Super Formula Lights
Flag of Japan.svg Kazuto Kotaka [4] 2019– Super Formula 2022 Super Formula Lights
Flag of Japan.svg Hibiki Taira [5] 2021– Super Formula
Super GT – GT300 		None as TGR-DC driver
Flag of Japan.svg Miki Koyama [6] 2022– Super GT – GT300 2022 Formula Regional Japanese Championship
Flag of Japan.svg Seita Nonaka [6] 2022– Super GT – GT300
Japan Cup Series – GT4 		None as TGR-DC driver
Flag of Japan.svg Rikuto Kobayashi [7] 2024– Super Formula Lights
Super GT GT300 		None as TGR-DC driver
Flag of Japan.svg Jin Nakamura [7] 2024– Formula Regional Middle East Championship
Formula Regional European Championship 		None as TGR-DC driver
Flag of France.svg Esteban Masson [3] 2025– Super Formula Lights
European Le Mans Series – LMP2 		None as TGR-DC driver
Flag of Japan.svg Yuki Sano [3] 2025– Super Formula Lights
Super GT – GT300 		None as TGR-DC driver
Flag of Japan.svg Tokiya Suzuki [3] 2025– Formula Regional Japanese Championship
F4 Japanese Championship 		None as TGR-DC driver
Flag of Japan.svg Kiyoshi Umegaki [3] 2025– Formula Regional Japanese Championship
F4 Japanese Championship 		None as TGR-DC driver

TGR-DC Racing School drivers

The TGR-DC Racing School is a team for young Toyota drivers who compete in F4 Japanese Championship.

No.Driver [3]
TBA Flag of Japan.svg Kiyoshi Umegaki
TBA Flag of Japan.svg Tokiya Suzuki
TBA Flag of Japan.svg Yuzuki Miura
TBA Flag of Japan.svg Takahiro Kikuchi
TBA Flag of Japan.svg Megumu Suzuki
TBA Flag of Japan.svg Masana Muto

Former drivers

TGR-DC drivers

DriverYearsSeries competed
Flag of Japan.svg Takashi Kogure 2001 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2001)
Flag of Japan.svg Norihiko Tasaki2001 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2001)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ryan Briscoe [8] [9] [1] 2001–2005 Formula Renault 2000 Italy ( 2001 )
Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup (2001)
German Formula 3 Championship (2002)
International Formula 3000 (2002)
Formula 3 Euro Series ( 2003 )
IndyCar Series (2005)
Flag of Japan.svg Katsuyuki Hiranaka [9] 2001–2005 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2002)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2003–2004)
Formula Nippon (2005)
Super GT – GT300 (2005)
Flag of Japan.svg Tatsuya Kataoka 2001–2006 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2002–2003)
Formula Nippon (2004–2006)
All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship – GT300 (2003, 2009–2010)
Super GT – GT500 (2005–2006, 2011)
Flag of France.svg Franck Perera [8] [9] [1] 2001–2006 Formula Renault 2000 Italia (2002– 2003 )
Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup (2002)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2004–2005)
GP2 Series (2006)
Flag of Sweden.svg Alexander Storckenfeldt [8] 2002 Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup (2002)
Flag of Japan.svg Hiroki Yoshimoto 2002–2003 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2002–2003)
Flag of Japan.svg Naoki Yokomizo 2002–2004 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2002–2004)
Flag of Japan.svg Taku Bamba 2002–2005 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2003–2005)
Flag of Japan.svg Wataru Kobayakawa2002–2004 Formula Toyota (2002)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2003–2004)
Flag of Japan.svg Kohei Hirate [9] [1] [10] 2002–2011 Formula Renault 2000 Italia (2003)
Formula Renault 2000 Masters (2003)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2004–2006)
GP2 Series (2007)
Formula Nippon (2008–2011)
Super GT – GT300 (2008)
Super GT – GT500 (2009–2011)
Flag of Brazil.svg Roberto Streit [9] 2003–2004 Formula Renault 2000 Italia (2003)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2004)
Flag of Japan.svg Kamui Kobayashi [9] [11] [10] 2003–2011 Formula Renault 2000 Italia (2004)
Formula Renault Eurocup ( 2005 )
Formula Renault 2.0 Italia ( 2005 )
F3 Euro Series (2006–2007)
GP2 Asia Series (2008, 2008–09 )
GP2 Series (2008–2009)
Formula One (2009–2011)
Flag of Japan.svg Kazuki Nakajima [12] [11] [10] 2003–2011 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2004)
JGTC – GT300 (2004)
F3 Euro Series (2005–2006)
GP2 Series (2007)
Formula One (2007–2009)
Formula Nippon (2010–2011)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ben Clucas 2004 Formula Renault 2000 Italia (2004)
Flag of Japan.svg Daisuke Ikeda2004–2005 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2004–2005)
Flag of Japan.svg Yuhi Sekiguchi [13] 2004–2005,
2007		 Formula Toyota (2004–2005)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2007)
Flag of Japan.svg Kazuya Oshima [11] [10] 2004–2011 Formula Toyota (2005)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2006– 2007 )
Super GT – GT300 ( 2007 )
Formula 3 Euro Series (2008)
Formula Nippon (2009–2011)
Super GT – GT500 (2009–2011)
Flag of Japan.svg Hideto Yasuoka [11] 2005–2006 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2005-2006)
Flag of Japan.svg Hideki Yamauchi [10] 2005, 2008 Formula Toyota (2005)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2008)
Flag of Japan.svg Tsubasa Abe [11] 2006 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2006)
Flag of Japan.svg Yoshifumi Kubota [11] 2006 Formula Challenge Japan (2006)
Flag of Japan.svg Sadaomi Masuda [11] [10] 2006 Formula Challenge Japan (2006)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Martin Plowman [11] [10] 2006–2007 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2006–2007)
Formula Renault 2.0 Italia (2006–2007)
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Henkie Waldschmidt [11] [10] 2006–2008 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2006–2007)
Formula Renault 2.0 Italia (2006–2007)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2008)
Flag of Japan.svg Keisuke Kunimoto [11] [10] 2006–2009 Formula Toyota (2006–2007)
Formula Challenge Japan (2006–2007)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2008–2009)
Super GT – GT300 (2008)
Macau Grand Prix ( 2008 )
Formula Nippon (2009)
Flag of Japan.svg Takuto Iguchi [11] [10] 2006–2011 Formula Toyota (2006–2007)
Formula Challenge Japan (2006–2007)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2008–2009)
Super GT – GT300 (2008–2010)
Super GT – GT350 (2011)
Flag of Japan.svg Takamitsu Matsui [13] 2007 Formula Toyota (2007)
Formula Challenge Japan (2007)
Flag of Italy.svg Andrea Caldarelli [13] [10] [14] [15] 2007–2008 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2007–2008)
Formula Renault 2.0 WEC (2008)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2008)
Flag of Japan.svg Hiroaki Ishiura [13] [10] 2007–2011 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2007–2009)
Super GT – GT300 ( 2007 )
Super GT – GT500 (2008–2011)
Formula Nippon (2009–2011)
Flag of Italy.svg Kei Cozzolino [10] 2008 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2008)
Flag of Japan.svg Yuji Kunimoto [10] 2008–2013 Formula Challenge Japan ( 2008 )
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2009– 2010 )
Super GT – GT300 (2009–2011)
Formula Nippon (2011–2012)
Super GT – GT500 (2012–2013)
Super Formula Championship (2013
Flag of Japan.svg Naoya Gamou [10] [16] 2008,
2010–2011		 Formula Challenge Japan (2008)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2010–2011)
Flag of Japan.svg Yuichi Nakayama [10] [17] 2008,
2011–2016		 Formula Challenge Japan (2008)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2011– 2013 )
Super GT – GT300 (2013–2016)
Super Formula Championship (2014–2016)
Flag of Japan.svg Takamoto Katsuta [18] 2012–2014 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2012–2014)
Flag of Japan.svg Ryo Hirakawa [2] 2013–2017 Super Formula Championship (2013–2015)
Super GT GT500 (2014– 2017 )
European Le Mans Series - LMP2 (2016–2017)
Flag of Japan.svg Kenta Yamashita [2] [4] 2014–2020 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2014– 2016 )
Super GT GT300 (2015–2017)
Super GT GT500 (2018– 2019 )
Super Formula Championship (2017–2019)
FIA World Endurance Championship (2019–20)
Flag of Japan.svg Sho Tsuboi [2] [19] 2016–2020 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2016– 2018 )
Super GT GT300 (2017–2018)
Super GT GT500 (2019–2020)
Super Formula Championship (2019–2020)

TGR-DC Racing School drivers

DriverYears
Flag of Japan.svg Hibiki Taira 2020
Flag of Japan.svg Seita Nonaka 2020– 2021
Flag of Japan.svg Jiei Okuzumi 2020–2021
Flag of Japan.svg Eijiro Shimizu 2020–2021
Flag of Japan.svg Rin Arakawa 2021–2022
Flag of Japan.svg Rikuto Kobayashi 2022– 2023
Flag of Japan.svg Jin Nakamura 2022–2023
Flag of Japan.svg Ryoma Henzan 2022
Flag of Japan.svg Shunji Okumoto 2023
Flag of Japan.svg Yuki Sano 2023–2024
Flag of Japan.svg Kazuhisa Urabe 2024

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazuto Kotaka</span> Japanese racing driver

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Toyota Young Drivers Programme Ready for 2005". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 25 February 2005. Retrieved 25 February 2005.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Outlines 2017 Motorsports Activities". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Presents its 2025 motorsport team setups in Japan". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 25 December 2024. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  4. 1 2 "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Outlines 2019 Motorsports Activities". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  5. ↑ "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Outlines 2021 Motorsports Activities". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  6. 1 2 "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing announced its 2022 motorsport team setups". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  7. 1 2 "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing、2024年SUPER GT GT300クラス、スーパー耐久シリーズ参戦体制、国内レースのドライバー育成計画を発表". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 "Toyota Finalise Young Drivers' Programme". atlasf1.com. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Toyota launches 'Drivers Academy'". Crash.net. 25 February 2003. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Toyota Outlines Motorsports Activities for 2008". Toyota. 7 March 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Toyota Outlines Motorsports Activities for 2006". Toyota. 3 March 2006. Retrieved 3 March 2006.
  12. ↑ "3 Japanese drivers from TOYOTA Young Drivers Program will participate in F1 tests in 2007". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 10 November 2007. Retrieved 10 November 2007.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Toyota Outlines Motorsports Activities for 2007". Toyota. 12 March 2007. Retrieved 12 March 2007.
  14. ↑ "Teen tests Toyota". eurosport. 17 December 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
  15. ↑ "Toyota give Caldarelli maiden test". autosport. 17 December 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
  16. ↑ "TMC Outlines Motorsports Activities for 2010". Toyota. 15 March 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  17. ↑ "Toyota GAZOO Racing Outlines 2016 Motorsports Activities" (PDF). Toyota Gazoo Racing. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  18. ↑ "Toyota Outlines Its Motorsports Activities for CY2014". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  19. ↑ "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Outlines 2020 Motorsports Activities". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
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