Rintaro Kubo

Rintaro Kubo
久保凜太郎
Nationality Japanese
Born (1993-09-18) 18 September 1993
Racing licence FIA Silver
Championship titles
2020
2020
2013
Super Taikyu – ST-4
Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup
Super FJ Motegi Series

Rintaro Kubo (久保 凜太郎, Kubo Rintarō; born 18 September 1993) is a Japanese racing driver set to compete in the GT300 class of Super GT for Pacific Racing Team.

Career

Kubo made his single-seater debut in 2013, racing in the Super FJ Motegi Series, which he won after scoring three wins.[1] During 2013, Kubo also made one-off appearances in the Super FJ Suzuka and Fuji Series,[2][3] as well as Formula Challenge Japan for Le Beausset Racing Academy.[4]

The following year, Kubo remained with Le Beausset Motorsports to step up to the Japanese Formula 3 Championship.[5] Racing in the National class in his only season in the series, Kubo took five class wins en route to runner-up honors in the standings,[6] 27 points behind Hiroshi Koizumi.[7] Switching to sportscars for 2015, Kubo joined Team KTouch to race in Porsche Carrera Cup Japan,[8] in which he scored a lone win at Suzuka, as well as eight other podiums to end the year third in points.[9]

In 2016, Kubo made his debut in Super GT, as he joined Arnage Racing to compete in the GT300 class alongside Hideto Yasuoka.[10] After scoring a best result of 12th at Fuji, Kubo returned to the series for the following year, as he switched to apr alongside Koki Saga.[11] In his only season with the team, Kubo scored points at Okayama and Sugo, before taking his only podium of the year at Fuji en route to a 16th-place points finish.[12] Continuing in Super GT for 2018, Kubo joined Pacific with Gulf Racing for his third season in the series,[13] in which he scored a best result of sixth at Autopolis to end the year 17th in points.[14]

Switching to Super Taikyu for 2019, Kubo joined C.S.I Racing to race in the ST-4 class alongside Shinya Hosokawa.[15] In his first season in the series, Kubo scored a class win at Suzuka and two other podiums to help the team end the year third in points.[16] Returning to Super GT for 2020, Kubo joined Tsuchiya Engineering-ran Max Racing alongside Atsushi Miyake, with whom he scored a best result of 13th at Fuji.[17] In parallel, Kubo returned to Super Taikyu and C.S.I Racing, taking three class wins and one other podium to secure the ST-4 title at season's end.[18] Kubo also raced in the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup, in which he became the first driver in series history to win the title driving a Subaru BRZ.[19]

Remaining with the team to continue in Super Taikyu the following year, Kubo mainly raced in the ST-Z class, scoring a lone win at Okayama as he helped the team end the year fifth in points.[20] Kubo then primarily raced in the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup the following year as he continued his affiliation with Subaru,[21] as well as racing part-time in Super Taikyu for Tracy Sports, winning at Okayama and Suzuka in ST-3.[22] Remaining in the former for 2023 with team Team Takuty, Kubo scored a lone win at Motegi and rounded out the season sixth in points.[23] During 2023, Kubo also raced part-time in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie for Team HAL.[24]

Continuing in the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup for Team Takuty in 2024, Kubo also raced with Subaru Tecnica International in select rounds of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, as well as the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.[25] In parallel, Kubo raced with Porsche Team Ebi to race in the ST-Z class of Super Taikyu, taking a lone win at Suzuka and helping the team secure third in the ST-Z standings.[26] The following year, Kubo remained with Team Takuty to once again race in the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup, as well as continuing his part-time program with Subaru in the NLS and the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.[27] Alongside that, Kubo remained with Porsche Team Ebi to continue racing in Super Taikyu in the ST-Z class.[28] Kubo scored his first podium by finishing third at Suzuka,[29] before following it up with a third-place finish at the Fuji 24 Hours and a second-place finish at the season-ending race at Fuji to end the year fifth in class.[30][31]

For 2026, Kubo remained in the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup with Team Takuty,[32] as well as racing in the ST-Z class of Super Taikyu for Kokusai Group Sports Team.[33] In addition, Kubo also remained with Subaru Tecnica International to race in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring,[34] as well as select races in the GT300 class of Super GT for Pacific Racing Team.[35]

Karting record

Karting career summary

Season Series Team Position
2009 CIK-FIA Asia-Pacific Championship — KF2 Sugiyama Racing NC
2010 CIK-FIA Asia-Pacific Championship — KF2 Sugiyama Racing 17th
Macau International Karting Grand Prix — SKF Robot Racing 17th
2011 Karting World ChampionshipKF1 Sugiyama Racing 34th
2012 Karting World ChampionshipKF1 Sugiyama Racing 42nd
Sources:[36][37]

Racing record

Racing career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2013 Super FJ Motegi Series Robot Tochigi Le Beausset PFC 6 3 1 0 6 82 1st
Super FJ Suzuka Series Robot Le Beausset Formula Academy 1 1 0 0 1 20 9th
Super FJ Fuji Series 1 1 1
Formula Challenge Japan Le Beausset Racing Academy 3 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2014 Japanese Formula 3 Championship – National Tochigi Le Beausset Motorsports 15 5 7 5 10 97 2nd
2015 Porsche Carrera Cup Japan Team KTouch Porsche 10 1 0 1 9 166 3rd
2016 Super GT – GT300 Arnage Racing 8 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2017 Super GT – GT300 apr 8 0 0 0 1 17 16th
2018 Super GT – GT300 Pacific with Gulf Racing 8 0 0 0 0 5 17th
2019 Super Taikyu – ST-4 C.S.I Racing 6 1 0 1 3 90.5‡ 3rd‡
2020 Super GT – GT300 Max Racing 7 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Super Taikyu – ST-4 C.S.I Racing 5 3 4 3 4 129‡ 1st‡
2021 Super Taikyu – ST-Z C.S.I Racing 4 1 3 0 2 73.5‡ 5th‡
Super Taikyu – ST-4 1 0 0 1 1 129.5‡ 2nd‡
2022 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup Recaro Racing Team 3 0 0 0 0 1 24th
Team Takuty 3 0 0 0 0
Super Taikyu – ST-1 Tracy Sports 1 0 0 0 0 128‡ 3rd‡
Super Taikyu – ST-3 2 2 2 0 2 99‡ 3rd‡
2023 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup Team Takuty 7 1 0 0 1 36 6th
Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie – SP3 Team HAL 2 0 0 0 1 0 NC
Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie – VT2-R+4WD 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2024 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup Team Takuty 8 0 0 0 0 11 16th
Super Taikyu – ST-Z Porsche Team EBI 7 1 0 0 1 82‡ 3rd‡
Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie – SP4T Subaru Tecnica International 2 1 0 0 2 0 NC
24 Hours of Nürburgring – SP4T 1 1 0 0 1 N/a 1st
2025 Super Taikyu – ST-Z Porsche Team EBI 6 0 0 0 3 76.5‡ 5th‡
Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup Team Takuty 6 0 0 0 0 19 11th
Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie – SP4T Subaru Tecnica International 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
24 Hours of Nürburgring – SP4T 1 0 0 0 1 N/a 2nd
2026 Super Taikyu – ST-Z Kokusai Group Sports Team
Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup Team Takuty
Super GT – GT300 Pacific Racing Team
24 Hours of Nürburgring – SP4T Subaru Tecnica International N/a
Sources:[38][36]

As Kubo was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

Team standings.

Complete Formula Challenge Japan results

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

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DC Pts
2013 Le Beausset Racing Academy FUJ1
1

FUJ1
2

MOT
1

MOT
2

FUJ2
1

FUJ2
2

FUJ2
3

FUJ3
1

FUJ3
2

SUZ
1

Ret
SUZ
2

13
SUZ
3

10
NC 0

Complete Japanese Formula 3 results

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

Year Team Engine Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 DC Pts
2014 Tochigi Le Beausset Motorsports Toyota N SUZ
1

9
SUZ
2

10
MOT
1

9
MOT
2

12
MOT
3

8
OKA
1

10
OKA
2

13
FUJ1
1

8
FUJ1
2

Ret
MOT
1

10
MOT
2

11
SUG
1

Ret
SUG
2

8
FUJ2
1

12
FUJ2
2

Ret
2nd 97

Complete Super GT results

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 DC Points
2016 Arnage Racing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 GT300 OKA
18
FUJ
12
SUG
Ret
FUJ
16
SUZ
16
CHA
15
MOT
26
MOT
19
NC 0
2017 apr Toyota Prius apr GT GT300 OKA
10
FUJ
12
AUT
Ret
SUG
10
FUJ
3
SUZ
Ret
CHA
11
MOT
12
16th 17
2018 Pacific with Gulf Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R GT300 OKA
16
FUJ1
17
BUR
15
FUJ2
16
SUZ
15
AUT
6
SUG
11
MOT
12
17th 5
2020 Max Racing Lexus RC F GT3 GT300 FUJ
16
FUJ
13
SUZ
20
MOT
26
FUJ
19
SUZ
WD
MOT
15
FUJ
24
NC 0
2026 Pacific Racing Team BMW M4 GT3 Evo GT300 OKA FUJ
SEP
FUJ
SUZ
SUG
AUT
MOT

References

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  36. ^ a b "Rintaro Kubo | Racing career profile | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  37. ^ "Kubo Rintaro". kartcom.com. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  38. ^ "Rintaro Kubo Results". motorsportstats.com. Retrieved 9 March 2026.