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, with the hope of finding 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 enters Formula 1, and want to promote young drivers from Japan, and other countries that 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 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 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)
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

Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe GmbH (TGR-E) is an automotive engineering and motorsport services facility based in Cologne, Germany. It is fully-owned and controlled by Toyota Motor Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamui Kobayashi</span> Japanese racing driver (born 1986)

Kamui Kobayashi is a Japanese racing driver and motorsport executive, who competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Toyota and in Super Formula for KCMG. Kobayashi competed in Formula One from 2009 to 2014. In endurance racing, Kobayashi has won two FIA World Endurance Championship titles, and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021, all with Toyota; he is also a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2019 and 2020 with WTR. Since 2022, Kobayashi has served as team principal of Toyota in WEC, winning three consecutive World Manufacturers' Championship titles from 2022 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TGM Grand Prix</span> Racing team

TGM Grand Prix or TGMGP, formerly Team Goh Motorsports, is a Japanese auto racing team founded by Kazumichi Goh in 1996. Now the team compete in Super Formula Championship since 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuji Kunimoto</span> Japanese racing driver

Yuji Kunimoto is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who is currently competing in Super GT for Racing Project Bandoh and in Super Formula for Team Impul. He is the champion of the 2016 Super Formula Championship and the 2010 Japanese Formula 3 Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazuya Oshima</span> Japanese racing driver

Kazuya Oshima is a Japanese racing driver, currently racing in the Super GT Series and the Super Formula Championship for Toyota Gazoo Racing and ROOKIE Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryō Hirakawa</span> Japanese racing driver (born 1994)

Ryō Hirakawa is a Japanese racing driver who is currently competing for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He was Super GT GT500 champion in 2017, and finished runner-up in Super Formula in 2020. He has competed in the FIA World Endurance Championship in the Hypercar class since 2022, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in his debut season and the championship title in 2022 and 2023 alongside co-drivers Sébastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley. Hirakawa is also signed to McLaren's Driver Development Programme as a reserve driver for the 2024 Formula One season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenta Yamashita</span> Japanese racing driver

Kenta Yamashita is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who is currently competing in Super GT for ROOKIE Racing and in Super Formula for Kondō Racing. He won the GT500-class Super GT championship title in 2019, driving alongside Kazuya Oshima, and previously won the 2016 All-Japan Formula 3 Championship and the 2013 Formula Challenge Japan titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nirei Fukuzumi</span> Japanese racing driver

Nirei Fukuzumi is a Japanese racing driver affiliated with Toyota Gazoo Racing who currently competes in Super GT for ROOKIE Racing and in Super Formula for KCMG. He won the GT300 class championship in Super GT in 2019, driving for ARTA alongside series veteran Shinichi Takagi, and is a race winner in the GP3 Series and Super Formula.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team is a competitor of the World Rally Championship (WRC) based in Finland, serving as the entry for the car manufacturer Toyota. Its team principal is former WRC driver Jari-Matti Latvala and its drivers for 2023 include reigning champion Kalle Rovanperä, alongside Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta and Sébastien Ogier. The team made its debut during the 2017 season, where it entered the Toyota Yaris WRC.

Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) is a motorsport division of the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota. Alongside competition activities, the division develops technologies for the Gazoo Racing (GR) sub-brand of Toyota's sports and performance-oriented production road cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McLaren Driver Development Programme</span> Program to support young racing drivers through their careers

The McLaren Driver Development Programme, formerly known as the McLaren Young Driver Programme, is a driver development programme operated by McLaren. It is intended to offer year-by-year guidance, assistance and endorsement to help promising young racers climb the motorsport ladder. The program is managed by Stephanie Carlin, formerly of Carlin Motorsport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miki Koyama</span> Japanese racing driver

Miki Koyama is a Japanese racing driver, currently racing in the Super GT Series GT300 class as a reserve driver for R'Qs Motor Sports. She is best known for her time racing in the W Series from 2019 to 2021, and for becoming the first woman to win an FIA-sanctioned, all-gender single-seater championship when she won the 2022 Formula Regional Japanese Championship. She is part of the TGR Driver Challenge Program.

The 2020 Autobacs Super GT Series was motor racing championship based in Japan for grand touring cars. The series is sanctioned by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) and run by the GT Association (GTA). It was the twenty-eighth season of the Japan Automobile Federation Super GT Championship which includes the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) era and the sixteenth season the series to compete under the Super GT name. It was the thirty-eighth overall season of a JAF national sportscar championship dating back to the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ritomo Miyata</span> Japanese racing driver (born 1999)

Ritomo Miyata is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who is set to compete in the 2025 FIA Formula 2 Championship for ART Grand Prix, having last competed in the series in 2024 with Rodin Motorsport. He is also part of the TGR Driver Challenge Program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sena Sakaguchi</span> Japanese racing driver

Sena Sakaguchi is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who is currently competing in Super GT for Racing Project Bandoh and in Super Formula for Cerumo・INGING. He is the champion of the 2020 Formula Regional Japanese Championship.

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

Kazuto Kotaka is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who currently competes in Super Formula for Kondo Racing and Super GT for apr. He won the Super Formula Lights championship in 2022. He is part of the TGR Driver Challenge Program.

Seita Nonaka is a racing driver from Japan who currently competes in Super GT and Super Formula Lights. He was the former F4 Japanese Championship title winner in 2021. He is part of the TGR Driver Challenge Program.

Rikuto Kobayashi is a Japanese racing driver, esports player. Kobayashi is the driver who won the 2023 F4 Japanese Championship title. He is also part of the TGR Driver Challenge Program.

Jin Nakamura is a Japanese racing driver currently competing in Super GT and Super Formula Lights. He was runner up in the 2023 F4 Japanese Championship He is also part of the TGR Driver Challenge Program.

The 2025 Japanese Super Formula Championship is scheduled to be the fifty-third season of premier Japanese open-wheel motor racing, and the twelfth under the moniker of Super Formula. The season will start in March at Suzuka Circuit and is due to be contested over 12 rounds in seven race weekends, ending in November at Suzuka.

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. 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.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.