Ritomo Miyata
Miyata in 2023
NationalityJapan Japanese
Born (1999-08-10) 10 August 1999
Zushi, Kanagawa, Japan
Super GT career
Debut season2018
Current teamTGR Team au TOM'S
Car number36
Former teamsTeam WedsSport Bandoh, LM Corsa (GT300)
Starts49
Wins5 (1 in GT300)
Podiums9 (2 in GT300)
Poles3
Fastest laps1
Best finish1st in 2023
Super Formula Championship career
Debut season2020
Current teamVantelin Team TOM'S
Car number37
Starts28
Wins2
Podiums8
Poles0
Fastest laps3
Best finish1st in 2023
Previous series
2023

2020
2017–19
2016–17		FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am
Super Formula Lights
Japanese Formula 3 Championship
F4 Japanese Championship
Championship titles
2023
2023
2020
2016, 2017		Super GT
Super Formula
Super Formula Lights
F4 Japanese Championship

Ritomo Miyata (宮田莉朋, Miyata Ritomo, born 10 August 1999) is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who is currently set to compete in the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship for Rodin Motorsport and in the 2024 European Le Mans Series for Cool Racing. He is the reigning champion of the Super GT and Super Formula championships, having won both titles in 2023 with TOM'S, and previously won the 2020 Super Formula Lights championship, as well as back-to-back titles in the FIA F4 Japanese Championship.

He is also the fifth driver to win the Super Formula and Super GT titles in the same year, doing so in 2023.[1]

Early and personal life

Miyata is a graduate of Yokohama High School. His name comes from the Fiat Ritmo, named as such by his parents as they were car enthusiasts. He was diagnosed with autism early in his childhood and was unable to adjust to school life during his kindergarten and elementary schooling years, spending much of his early life receiving counseling at various hospitals; he uses racing as a method of subduing his symptoms.[2]

Miyata is an avid gamer, bringing his computer and consoles to races.[3] As of September 2023, Miyata has over 500 race wins from 1,000 starts in iRacing official events[4] and also participates in esports racing events for BS+COMPETITION.[5]

Early career

Miyata started his motorsport career in karting in 2004, winning the All-Japan Kart Championship KF class title in 2014. In 2015, after his 16th birthday, he made his formula racing debut in the Formula 4 Japanese Championship with the RSS team at the last three race weekends of the season. Despite his limited experience, he finished in the top ten in three of the six races, including a podium finish at Autopolis. He finished 15th in the standings with 24 points.

First Japanese F4 championship (2016)

In 2016 he made his full-time Japanese F4 debut with Toyota-backed TOM'S Spirit. He won two races at Fuji Speedway and took podium finishes in three other races, and won the championship by just four points over Honda-sponsored driver Ukyo Sasahara.

All-Japan Formula Three debut and second Japanese F4 championship (2017)

In 2017, Miyata raced a dual program in Japanese F4 and the All-Japan Formula Three Championship, driving in both series with TOM'S (TOM'S Spirit in F4). He won his second consecutive F4 title with four wins and 11 podiums, including a sweep of the two races at Fuji during the Golden Week holiday. He defeated Sasahara for the second year, this time by a margin of seven points, while finishing 58 points ahead of third-place driver Yuki Tsunoda.

In his debut Formula 3 season, he achieved ten podium finishes and finished fourth in the championship with 79 points, behind Mitsunori Takaboshi, Sho Tsuboi and Álex Palou. At the end of the year he made his debut in the Macau Grand Prix, finishing 12th.

All-Japan F3/Super Formula Lights (2018–2020)

Miyata continued in All-Japan F3 for a second season with TOM'S. He won his first race at Fuji on 8 July, followed by a second win at Okayama on 28 July. These two wins propelled him to second in the championship behind his teammate Tsuboi, who won the championship and the other 17 races that year. Miyata finished 13th in his second Macau Grand Prix start.

He returned for a third season of All-Japan F3 in 2019. Miyata won eight races, including five of the last eight, but finished second in the standings again, this time to former Renault Sport Academy driver Sacha Fenestraz of B-Max Racing Team.

2019 was the last season for the All-Japan Formula Three Championship, which was renamed Super Formula Lights in 2020. Miyata returned for a fourth season in this category. Beginning with a sweep of the opening round at Twin Ring Motegi, Miyata won 12 out of 17 races and clinched the championship with a win in the penultimate race meeting at Suzuka Circuit.[6]

Super GT and Super Formula career

Super GT

GT300 (2018–2019)

Miyata made his debut in Super GT in 2018, driving in the GT300 class for Lexus customer team LM Corsa. At 18 years old, he recorded his first podium finish at Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, where he and co-driver Hiroki Yoshimoto finished third.

LM Corsa changed tyre suppliers from Yokohama to Dunlop in 2019, and Miyata returned for his second season. In the sixth round at Autopolis, Miyata took his first career win after a late-race charge from Yoshimoto to take the lead with four laps to go.[7] Miyata and Yoshimoto also won both races of the auto sport Web Sprint Cup, a GT3 and GT300-only support race held during the inaugural Super GT x DTM Dream Race weekend at Fuji Speedway.[8]

Earlier that season, Miyata made his one-off GT500 debut at the Fuji GT 500km Race, when he substituted for Kazuki Nakajima at TOM'S, driving the number 36 Lexus LC 500 alongside Yuhi Sekiguchi.

GT500 (2020–present)

Miyata made his full-time Super GT GT500 debut in 2020 with Racing Project Bandoh.

In 2020, Toyota Gazoo Racing confirmed that Miyata would step up to GT500 full-time with TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh, driving the new Toyota GR Supra GT500 alongside Yuji Kunimoto. Miyata scored five top-ten finishes including a best finish of seventh place in round five at Fuji.

Miyata remained at the WedsSport Bandoh team for a second season in 2021. He scored his first pole position at the Fuji 500km, and finished second at the following round in Motegi for his first GT500 podium. Miyata and Kunimoto would finish second again in the seventh round at Motegi, ending the season 11th in the drivers' standings.

Miyata drove for TOM's in the 2022 Super GT Series GT500 class.

After two seasons, Miyata transferred to TOM'S for the 2022 season. He joined the number 37 team, replacing World Endurance Championship-bound Ryō Hirakawa and forming a new partnership with his one-time F3 rival Sacha Fenestraz. The combination of Miyata and Fenestraz had an impressive season highlighted by both drivers' first career GT500 wins, during the Fuji GT 450km Race in August. Miyata and Fenestraz finished sixth in the drivers' championship with six top-ten finishes and two podiums.

In 2023, Miyata moved over to the number 36 car, this time on a permanent basis with Sho Tsuboi as his co-driver. Miyata and Tsuboi won the Golden Week 450km race at Fuji in only their second race together, then finished second in the following round at Suzuka. The pair won their second race at Autopolis in the penultimate round of the season, which gave them a seven-point lead going into the final race at Motegi. Late in the race, Miyata was running in second place, which would have given TOM'S the championship ahead of NDDP Racing drivers Katsumasa Chiyo and Mitsunori Takaboshi. Takaboshi spun off while leading, and Miyata took the lead with five laps to go. Miyata and Tsuboi clinched the championship with their third win of the season.

This made Miyata the fifth driver to win both the Super GT GT500 and Super Formula championships in the same year, joining Pedro de la Rosa (1996), Satoshi Motoyama (2003), Richard Lyons (2004), and Naoki Yamamoto (2018 and 2020).

Super Formula (2020–2023)

2020

Due to Kazuki Nakajima's commitments in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the travel restrictions mandated during the COVID-19 pandemic, Miyata made his Super Formula championship debut in 2020, replacing Nakajima at Vantelin Team TOM'S for two races. He qualified on the front row for his series debut at Okayama International Circuit, finished ninth in the race, then finished eighth in his second start at Autopolis.

2021

After winning the Super Formula Lights championship and the departure of Nick Cassidy, Miyata earned a full-time Super Formula drive with TOM'S in 2021. Miyata had six top-ten finishes in seven races, and finished tenth in the championship with a best finish of fourth in a rain-shortened race at Autopolis.

2022

Miyata took another step forward in 2022, the last season for the Dallara SF19 chassis. He got his first podium finish, a third place, in the second round at Fuji. He finished the season with another third place in the final round at Suzuka, and was fourth in the final championship standings.

2023

The new Dallara SF23 made its debut in 2023. In the third round of the season at Suzuka, Miyata finally won for the first time in Super Formula. He got his second career win and second win of the season in round five at Sugo, ahead of two-time series champion Tomoki Nojiri. A third-place finish at the season-ending JAF Grand Prix at Suzuka was enough for Miyata to clinch the championship ahead of Red Bull Racing reserve driver Liam Lawson and Nojiri.

He would not return to the series for 2024.[9]

FIA Formula 2 Championship

In November 2023, it was announced Miyata would join the championship for the 2024 season with Rodin Carlin alongside Zane Maloney .[10][11]

Endurance racing career (2023–present)

2023 season: WEC debut

On 30 May 2023, Toyota Gazoo Racing announced that Miyata was selected as a WEC Challenge programme driver, with the goal of developing a career path towards the top category of the FIA World Endurance Championship.[12] Miyata joined Toyota Gazoo Racing in a non-driving role at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 6 Hours of Monza later that season.

At the 6 Hours of Fuji, Miyata made his WEC race debut in the LMGTE Am class, driving a Ferrari 488 GTE Evo for Kessel Racing with the blessing of Toyota.[13] Miyata finished third in class, after he was demoted from second place following a post-race time penalty for not reducing his speed in time during a Full Course Yellow.[14]

2024 season: ELMS

In November 2023, Miyata was confirmed to race in the European Le Mans Series with Cool Racing alongside Malthe Jakobsen and Lorenzo Fluxá.[10]

Other series

Miyata entered the 2019 World Touring Car Cup JVCKENWOOD Race of Japan at Suzuka, driving an Audi RS 3 LMS TCR for Audi Team Hitotsuyama as a wildcard entry. Miyata was scheduled to compete in the 2020 Suzuka 10 Hours for Hitotsuyama in an Audi R8 LMS GT3,[15] but the race was cancelled due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beginning in 2018, Miyata began competing in the Super Taikyu Series. He made his debut in the ST-3 class with Le Beausset Motorsports, where he helped the team to a runner-up finish in the championship. He then competed the ST-4 class with Endless Sports from 2019 to 2020. Since 2021, he has driven for Audi Team Hitotsuyama, beginning with a one-off ST-X class drive at the Fuji 24 Hours in an Audi R8 LMS GT3, then in the ST-Z class in an Audi R8 LMS GT4 since 2022.

Racing record

Racing career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2015 F4 Japanese Championship RSS 6 0 0 0 1 24 15th
2016 F4 Japanese Championship TOM'S Spirit 14 2 2 3 5 142 1st
2017 F4 Japanese Championship TOM'S Spirit 14 4 5 6 11 231 1st
Japanese Formula 3 Championship Team TOM'S 18 0 0 2 10 79 4th
Macau Grand Prix 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 12th
2018 Japanese Formula 3 Championship Team TOM'S 19 2 2 2 15 117 2nd
Macau Grand Prix 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 13th
Super GT - GT300 LM Corsa – OTG Motor Sports 8 0 0 0 1 23 15th
Super Taikyu - ST-3 Le Beausset Motorsports 6 1 1 0 5 129‡ 2nd‡
2019 Japanese Formula 3 Championship Corolla Chukyo Kuo TOM'S 20 8 10 10 15 142 2nd
Super GT - GT300 LM Corsa 7 1 0 0 1 25 12th
Super GT - GT500 Lexus Team au TOM'S 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
World Touring Car Cup Audi Sport Team Hitotsuyama 3 0 0 0 0 0 NC†
Super Taikyu - ST-4 Endless Sports 5 1 0 1 4 89‡ 4th‡
2020 Super Formula Lights TOM'S 17 12 6 15 16 153 1st
Super Formula Vantelin Team TOM'S 2 0 0 0 0 7 17th
Super GT - GT500 TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh 8 0 0 0 0 10 17th
Super Taikyu - ST-4 Endless Sports 4 0 0 0 3 74‡ 4th‡
2021 Super GT - GT500 TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh 8 0 2 1 2 36 11th
Super Formula Kuo Vantelin Team TOM'S 7 0 0 0 0 22 10th
Super Taikyu - ST-X Audi Team Hitotsuyama 1 0 0 0 0 18‡ 8th‡
2022 Super GT - GT500 TGR Team KeePer TOM'S 8 1 0 0 2 43 6th
Super Formula Kuo Vantelin Team TOM'S 10 0 0 1 2 64 4th
Super Taikyu - ST-Z Audi Team Hitotsuyama 5 0 0 0 2 77‡ 7th‡
Audi Driving Experience Japan 1 0 0 0 0 3‡ 10th‡
2023 Super GT - GT500 TGR Team au TOM'S 8 3 1 0 4 89 1st
Super Formula Vantelin Team TOM'S 9 2 0 2 6 114.5 1st
FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am Kessel Racing 1 0 0 0 1 15 20th
Super Taikyu - ST-Z Audi Team Hitotsuyama 3 0 0 1 0 73‡ 5th‡
2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship Rodin Motorsport
European Le Mans Series - LMP2 Cool Racing
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Vasser Sullivan
FIA World Endurance Championship - Hypercar Toyota Gazoo Racing Reserve driver

† As Miyata was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points. ‡ Team standings.

Complete Super GT results

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 DC Points
2018 LM Corsa – OTG Motor Sports Lexus RC F GT3 GT300 OKA
17		 FUJ
7		 SUZ
5		 CHA
3		 FUJ
Ret		 SUG
9		 AUT
12		 MOT
24		 15th 23
2019 LM Corsa Lexus RC F GT3 GT300 OKA
7		 SUZ
10		 CHA
15		 FUJ
22		 AUT
1		 SUG
19		 MOT
9		 12th 25
Lexus Team au TOM'S Lexus LC500 GT500 GT500 FUJ
Ret		 NC 0
2020 TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh Toyota GR Supra GT500 GT500 FUJ
9		 FUJ
15		 SUZ
10		 MOT
Ret		 FUJ
7		 SUZ
9		 MOT
11		 FUJ
10		 17th 10
2021 TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh Toyota GR Supra GT500 GT500 OKA
12		 FUJ
7		 MOT
2		 SUZ
13		 SUG
Ret		 AUT
13		 MOT
2		 FUJ
13		 11th 36
2022 TGR Team KeePer TOM'S Toyota GR Supra GT500 GT500 OKA
11		 FUJ
14		 SUZ
3		 FUJ
1		 SUZ
8		 SUG
9		 AUT
9		 MOT
6		 6th 43
2023 TGR Team au TOM'S Toyota GR Supra GT500 GT500 OKA
15		 FUJ
1		 SUZ
2		 FUJ
4		 SUZ
10		 SUG
7		 AUT
1		 MOT
1		 1st 89

Complete Super Formula Lights results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Pos Points
2020 TOM'S MOT
1
1		 MOT
2
1		 MOT
3
1		 OKA
1
1		 OKA
2
2		 SUG
1
1		 SUG
2
2		 SUG
3
1		 AUT
1
1		 AUT
2
3		 AUT
3
1		 SUZ
1
1		 SUZ
2
Ret		 SUZ
3
1		 FUJ
1
1		 FUJ
2
3		 FUJ
3
1		 1st 153

Complete Super Formula results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 DC Points
2020 Vantelin Team TOM'S MOT OKA
9		 SUG AUT
8		 SUZ SUZ FUJ 17th 7
2021 Kuo Vantelin Team TOM'S FUJ
7		 SUZ
6		 AUT
4‡		 SUG
7		 MOT
8		 MOT
9		 SUZ
14		 10th 22
2022 Kuo Vantelin Team TOM'S FUJ
5		 FUJ
3		 SUZ
18		 AUT
5		 SUG
6		 FUJ
4		 MOT
8		 MOT
14		 SUZ
5		 SUZ
3		 4th 64
2023 Vantelin Team TOM’S FUJ
5		 FUJ
4		 SUZ
1		 AUT
2		 SUG
1		 FUJ
3		 MOT
4		 SUZ
2‡		 SUZ
3		 1st 114.5

‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Class Car Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rank Points
2023 Kessel Racing LMGTE Am Ferrari 488 GTE Evo Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 SEB ALG SPA LMS MNZ FUJ
3		 BHR 20th 15

Complete FIA Formula 2 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 DC Points
2024 Rodin Motorsport BHR
SPR
 BHR
FEA
 JED
SPR
 JED
FEA
 MEL
SPR
 MEL
FEA
 IMO
SPR
 IMO
FEA
 MON
SPR
 MON
FEA
 CAT
SPR
 CAT
FEA
 RBR
SPR
 RBR
FEA
 SIL
SPR
 SIL
FEA
 HUN
SPR
 HUN
FEA
 SPA
SPR
 SPA
FEA
 MNZ
SPR
 MNZ
FEA
 BAK
SPR
 BAK
FEA
 LSL
SPR
 LSL
FEA
 YMC
SPR
 YMC
FEA
 TBD TBD

* Season still in progress.

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Class Car Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rank Points
2024 VasserSullivan GTD Lexus RC F GT3 Toyota 2UR 5.0 L V8 DAY SEB LBH LGA WGL MOS ELK VIR IMS PET

Complete European Le Mans Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rank Points
2024 Cool Racing LMP2 Oreca 07 Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 CAT LEC IMO SPA MUG ALG

* Season still in progress.

References

  1. ↑ "TGR Team au TOM'S Clinches GT500 Championship With Dramatic Motegi Victory". 5 November 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Profile - 宮田莉朋公式ウェブサイト". 6 March 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  3. ↑ 目白黒 (14 September 2018). "F3レーサーでゲーマー！ 宮田莉朋選手に「F1 2018」の魅力を聞く". GAME Watch. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "https://twitter.com/SUPERFORMULA_En/status/1699709100005695690". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2 October 2023. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  5. ↑ "bürosüd". www.buerosued.de. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  6. ↑ Wood, Ida (6 December 2020). "Miyata wins Super Formula Lights title at Suzuka with a round to spare". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  7. ↑ "Rd.6 決勝GT300：終盤の猛追撃！SYNTIUM LMcorsa RC F GT3が大逆転で勝利を掴む | SUPER GT OFFICIAL WEBSITE". supergt.net. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  8. ↑ "Miyata completes Fuji GT300 Sprint Cup double". us.motorsport.com. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  9. ↑ Klein, Jamie (22 November 2023). "Hirakawa joins Miyata, Lawson in Super Formula exodus". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  10. 1 2 Thukral, Rachit (20 November 2023). "Toyota star Miyata gets dual F2, ELMS programme in 2024". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "Rodin Carlin confirm 2024 lineup with Zane Maloney and Ritomo Miyata". FIA_F2® - The Official F2® Website. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  12. ↑ CORPORATION, TOYOTA MOTOR. "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WEC Challenge Program: | RELEASE | WEC". TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  13. ↑ "Ritomo Miyata To Make WEC Debut At 6h Fuji In Place Of Serra". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  14. ↑ Lloyd, Daniel (11 September 2023). "Miyata Keen for More Chances in WEC After Debut Podium – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  15. ↑ "Audi Team Hitotsuyama 鈴鹿10時間に川端伸太朗と宮田莉朋を起用 - Hitotsuyama Racing | NEWS". Hitotsuyama Racing (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 October 2023.
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