Rikuto_Kobayashi
Rikuto Kobayashi
Japanese racing driver
Rikuto Kobayashi (小林利徠斗, Kobayashi Rikuto, born 1 July 2005) is a Japanese racing driver, esports player. Kobayashi is the driver who won the 2023 F4 Japanese Championship title.[1] He is also part of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Driver Challenge Program.[2]
| Rikuto Kobayashi | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Japanese |
| Born | (2005-07-01) 1 July 2005 (age 18) Yamagata, Japan |
| Super GT - GT300 career | |
| Debut season | 2024 |
| Current team | apr |
| Car number | 30 |
| Super Formula Lights career | |
| Debut season | 2024 |
| Current team | TOM'S |
| Car number | 38 |
| Previous series | |
| 2022-2023 | F4 Japanese Championship |
| Championship titles | |
| 2023 | F4 Japanese Championship |
Formula 4
Kobayashi started his formula racing in 2022 at F4 Japanese Championship with TGR-DC Racing School as a part from he got TGR-DC RS Scholarship Driver[3] He ended up finish 6th in the standings. He continued to compete for the 2023 season, and he won the title ahead of Jin Nakamura and Yusuke Mitsui. On 30 May 2023, Toyota Gazoo Racing announced that Kobayashi took part in WEC Challenge Program training session for young drivers who are deemed to have a future in the Le Mans 24 Hours. He participated and experienced firsthand how WEC drivers and engineers take on the challenge of Le Mans.[4]
Super Formula Lights
Kobayashi will step up to Super Formula Lights with TOM'S alongside Jin Nakamura too.[5]
Super GT
Nakamura also will make his debut to compete in Super GT - GT300 with apr, as he will partner Hiroaki Nagai and Manabu Orido.[6]
In esports
For 2021, Kobayashi raced in TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT Cup where he claimed 3rd in the series.[7] He also competed in Gran Turismo World Series Showdown.[8] He's also part of the Virtual Drivers by TX3 eSport Team, on the Gran Turismo roster.
Career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | FLaps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | F4 Japanese Championship | TGR-DC Racing School | 14 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 120 | 6th |
| 2023 | F4 Japanese Championship | TGR-DC Racing School | 14 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 221 | 1st |
| 2024 | Super Formula Lights | TOM'S | |||||||
| Super GT - GT300 | apr | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0* | 23rd* | |
| Super Taikyu - ST-2 | KTMS | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 22* | 1st‡* | |
‡ Team standings
Complete F4 Japanese Championship results
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | TGR-DC Racing School | FUJ1 1 8 |
FUJ1 2 5 |
SUZ1 1 15 |
SUZ1 2 8 |
FUJ2 1 7 |
FUJ2 2 5 |
SUZ2 1 4 |
SUZ2 2 5 |
SUG 1 3 |
SUG 2 7 |
AUT 1 5 |
AUT 2 DNS |
MOT 1 1 |
MOT 2 6 |
6th | 120 |
| 2023 | TGR-DC Racing School | FUJ1 1 1 |
FUJ1 2 3 |
SUZ1 1 2 |
SUZ1 2 4 |
FUJ2 1 1 |
FUJ2 2 1 |
SUZ2 1 33 |
SUZ2 2 5 |
SUG 1 6 |
SUG 2 22 |
AUT 1 1 |
AUT 2 3 |
MOT 1 2 |
MOT 2 1 |
1st | 221 |
Complete Super Formula Lights results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Complete Super GT results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | apr | Toyota GR86 GT300 | GT300 | OKA 23 |
FUJ |
SUZ |
FUJ |
SUZ |
SUG |
AUT |
MOT |
23rd* | 0* |
* Season still in progress.
- "Kobayashi beats fellow Toyota junior Nakamura to Japanese F4 title". formulascout.com. 5 November 2023.
- "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing announced its 2023 motorsport team setups". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing announced its 2022 motorsport team setups". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- CORPORATION, TOYOTA MOTOR. "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WEC Challenge Program: | RELEASE | WEC". TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- "Honda confirms Iori Kimura's place on 2024 Super Formula grid". formulascout. 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- "Saitama Toyopet Gets New Lineup Amid Toyota Reshuffle". sportscar365.com. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- "Straight Talk from e-Motorsports Top 3 Drivers 2020". Toyota Gazoo Racing.
- "Rikuto Kobayashi: Gran Turismo's next Superstar?". .overtake.gg. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- Rikuto Kobayashi career summary at DriverDB.com