Yuji_Kunimoto

Yuji Kunimoto

Yuji Kunimoto

Japanese racing driver


Yuji Kunimoto (国本雄資, Kunimoto Yūji, born 12 September 1990) 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.[1] He is the champion of the 2016 Super Formula Championship and the 2010 Japanese Formula 3 Championship.[2]

Quick Facts Nationality, Born ...

He is the younger brother of 2008 Macau Grand Prix winner Keisuke Kunimoto.

Kunimoto en route to his fourth successive victory of the 2010 All-Japan Formula Three season at Motegi.

Early Career highlights

  • 2008 Formula Challenge Japan, Series Champion; Formula BMW, Macau GP Support race, 5th position
  • 2007 Formula Toyota, 10th Overall; Formula Challenge Japan, 4th Overall
  • 2006 All Japan Kart Championship, FA Class, 8th Overall
  • 2005 All Japan Kart Championship, ICA Class, 3rd Overall
  • 2004 All Japan Kart Championship, ICA Class, 7th Overall; F-ARTA Arta Challenge Series
  • 2003 All Japan Kart Championship, ICA Class; F-ARTA Arta Challenge Series
  • 2002 All Japan Junior Kart Championship, 4th Overall
  • 2001 All Japan Junior Kart Championship, 12th Overall

Career

From 2009, 2010 Kunimoto competed in Japanese Formula 3 Championship with TOM'S where he clinched third place, and as a champion the next year.

Super GT

Kunimoto made his debut in the series' GT300 Class with apr on 2009 with Takuto Iguchi. the next 2 seasons he paired with Morio Nitta. The latter pair clinch 1 win and 4 podium during 2 season in 2010 & 2011.

Kunimoto then step up to GT500 with Kraft in 2012 with Andrea Caldarelli new to the series, as the pair clinch 1 podiun in the season. Kunimoto then moves to Team LeMans partnering Kazuya Oshima for three seasons. Both pair only won once from 2013, and five podiums. For 2016, Kunimoto moves to WedsSport Bandoh alongside Yuhi Sekiguchi.[3] He won only once on that season. After that he is the main driver for Bandoh for four seasons, with Kenta Yamashita, Sho Tsuboi, Ritomo Miyata, and Sena Sakaguchi as his teammate.[4][5][6][7] Kunimoto wins again with Sakaguchi in 2-23 at Suzuka Circuit. For 2024, he stays with the same team and teammate.[1]

Super Formula

Kunimoto made his debut in Formula Nippon in 2011 with CerumoINGING as a single car entry.[8] Kunimoto then won the series title in 2016 with his maiden two wins and four podiums, as he beats Andre Lotterer by three points. After that he did not win another title, and race till now. After eight seasons with Cerumo INGING, he moves to Kondo Racing in 2019, then KCMG.[6] For 2024, Kunimoto moves to Team Impul with Theo Pourchaire.[1]

Le Mans 24

Kunimoto made a wildcard debut with Toyota Gazoo Racing for 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans. He paired with Jose Maria Lopez, and Nicolas Lapierre. The car only completed 160 laps, and did not finish the race.[9]

Racing record

Career summary

More information Season, Series ...

‡ Team standings

Complete Super GT results

More information Year, Team ...

Complete Formula Nippon/Super Formula results

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

More information Year, Entrant ...

* Season still in progress.

24 Hours of Le Mans results

More information Year, Team ...

References

  1. "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Presents its 2024 motorsport team setups in Japan". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  2. "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing announced its 2023 motorsport team setups". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  3. "Toyota GAZOO Racing Outlines 2016 Motorsports Activities". Toyota Global Newsroom. Toyota. February 4, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  4. "Toyota Gazoo Racing Announces Super GT Programmes For 2018". dailysportscar.com. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  5. "Toyota Gazoo Racing Announces 2019 Super GT Programmes". dailysportscar.com. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  6. "Toyota Gazoo Racing Announces 2020 Super GT Programmes". dailysportscar.com. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  7. "Toyota Announces 2022 Sportscar Racing Activities". dailysportscar.com. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  8. "2011 Media Information" (PDF). Formula Nippon. Japan Race Promotion Company, Ltd. 7 March 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.[permanent dead link]
  9. "Lapierre & Kunimoto Complete 2017 Toyota LMP1 Lineup". dailysportscar.com. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
More information Sporting positions ...

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