TGR Driver Challenge Program

TGR Driver Challenge Program
Founded2001 (2001) (as Toyota Drivers Academy in 2003)[1]
BaseCologne, Germany & Japan
Team principal(s)Kazuki Nakajima
Current drivers Rikuto Kobayashi
Miki Koyama
Yuzuki Miura
Ritomo Miyata
Masana Muto
Jin Nakamura
Kalle Rovanperä
Yuki Sano
Tokiya Suzuki
Kiyoshi Umegaki
Charlie Wurz
Oscar Wurz

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, hoping to find 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.

The program was launched in 2001 when Toyota entered Formula 1, and wants to promote young drivers from Japan, and other countries that are able to reach F1.

Current drivers

TGR-DC drivers

Driver Years Current Series Titles as TGR-DC driver
Ritomo Miyata[2][3] 2017–2021,
2025– 		Formula 2 Championship F4 Japanese Championship (2017)
Super Formula Lights (2020)
Miki Koyama[4] 2022– Super GT – GT300 Formula Regional Japanese Championship (2022)
Rikuto Kobayashi[5] 2024– Super Formula Championship
Super GT – GT500 		None
Jin Nakamura[5] 2024– Formula Regional Oceania Trophy
FIA Formula 3 Championship
GB3 Championship 		None
Yuki Sano[3] 2025– Formula Regional Middle East Trophy
Formula Regional European Championship 		None
Tokiya Suzuki[3] 2025– Super Formula Lights
Super GT – GT300 		F4 Japanese Championship (2025)
Kiyoshi Umegaki[3] 2025– Super Formula Lights
Super GT – GT300 		Formula Regional Japanese Championship (2025)
Yuzuki Miura[6] 2026– Formula Regional Japanese Championship
Super Formula Lights
F4 Japanese Championship 		None
Masana Muto[6] 2026– Formula Regional Japanese Championship
F4 Japanese Championship 		None
Kalle Rovanperä[6] 2026– Formula Regional Oceania Trophy None
Charlie Wurz[6] 2026– Super Formula Championship
Super GT – GT300 		None
Oscar Wurz[6] 2026– Super Formula Lights None
  • Championship titles highlighted in bold.

Former drivers

TGR-DC drivers

Driver Years Series competed
Takashi Kogure 2001 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2001)
Norihiko Tasaki 2001 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2001)
Ryan Briscoe[7][8][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)
Katsuyuki Hiranaka[8] 2001–2005 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2002)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2003–2004)
Formula Nippon (2005)
Super GT – GT300 (2005)
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)
Franck Perera[7][8][1] 2001–2006 Formula Renault 2000 Italia (2002–2003)
Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup (2002)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2004–2005)
GP2 Series (2006)
Alexander Storckenfeldt[7] 2002 Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup (2002)
Hiroki Yoshimoto 2002–2003 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2002–2003)
Naoki Yokomizo 2002–2004 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2002–2004)
Taku Bamba 2002–2005 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2003–2005)
Wataru Kobayakawa 2002–2004 Formula Toyota (2002)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2003–2004)
Kohei Hirate[8][1][9] 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)
Roberto Streit[8] 2003–2004 Formula Renault 2000 Italia (2003)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2004)
Kamui Kobayashi[8][10][9] 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)
Kazuki Nakajima[11][10][9] 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)
Ben Clucas 2004 Formula Renault 2000 Italia (2004)
Daisuke Ikeda 2004–2005 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2004–2005)
Yuhi Sekiguchi[12] 2004–2005,
2007 		Formula Toyota (2004–2005)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2007)
Kazuya Oshima[10][9] 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)
Hideto Yasuoka[10] 2005–2006 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2005-2006)
Hideki Yamauchi[9] 2005, 2008 Formula Toyota (2005)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2008)
Tsubasa Abe[10] 2006 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2006)
Yoshifumi Kubota[10] 2006 Formula Challenge Japan (2006)
Sadaomi Masuda[10][9] 2006 Formula Challenge Japan (2006)
Martin Plowman[10][9] 2006–2007 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2006–2007)
Formula Renault 2.0 Italia (2006–2007)
Henkie Waldschmidt[10][9] 2006–2008 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2006–2007)
Formula Renault 2.0 Italia (2006–2007)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2008)
Keisuke Kunimoto[10][9] 2006–2009 Formula Toyota (2006–2007)
Formula Challenge Japan (2006–2007)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2008–2009)
Super GT – GT300 (2008)
Macau Grand Prix (2008)
Formula Nippon (2009)
Takuto Iguchi[10][9] 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)
Takamitsu Matsui[12] 2007 Formula Toyota (2007)
Formula Challenge Japan (2007)
Andrea Caldarelli[12][9][13][14] 2007–2008 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2007–2008)
Formula Renault 2.0 WEC (2008)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2008)
Hiroaki Ishiura[12][9] 2007–2011 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2007–2009)
Super GT – GT300 (2007)
Super GT – GT500 (2008–2011)
Formula Nippon (2009–2011)
Kei Cozzolino[9] 2008 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2008)
Yuji Kunimoto[9] 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)
Naoya Gamou[9][15] 2008,
2010–2011 		Formula Challenge Japan (2008)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2010–2011)
Yuichi Nakayama[9][16] 2008,
2011–2016 		Formula Challenge Japan (2008)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2011–2013)
Super GT – GT300 (2013–2016)
Super Formula Championship (2014–2016)
Takamoto Katsuta[17] 2012–2014 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2012–2014)
Ryo Hirakawa[2] 2013–2017 Super Formula Championship (2013–2015)
Super GT – GT500 (2014–2017)
European Le Mans Series - LMP2 (2016–2017)
Kenta Yamashita[2][18] 2014–2020 Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2014–2016)
Super GT – GT300 (2015–2017)
Super GT – GT500 (2018–2019)
Super Formula Championship (2017–2020)
FIA World Endurance Championship (2019–20)
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)
Kazuto Kotaka[18] 2019–2025 Toyota Racing Series (2019)
Japanese Formula 3 Championship (2019)
Super GT – GT300 (2019–2024)
Super Formula Lights (2020, 2022)
Super Formula Championship (2021, 2023–2025)
GT World Challenge Asia (2025)
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup (2025)
Super GT – GT500 (2025)
Hibiki Taira[20] 2021–2025 Super Formula Lights (2021–2023)
Super GT – GT300 (2021–2025)
Super Formula Championship (2021, 2024–2025)
Super GT – GT300
Seita Nonaka[4] 2022–2025 Super Formula Lights (2022–2025)
Super GT – GT300 (2022–2025)
GT World Challenge Asia (2023)
SRO Japan Cup – GT4 (2024–2025)
Esteban Masson[3] 2025 Super Formula Lights (2025)
European Le Mans Series – LMP2 (2025)
FIA World Endurance Championship – LMGT3 (2025)
  • Championship titles highlighted in bold.

TGR-DC Racing School drivers

The TGR-DC Racing School is a team for young Toyota drivers who compete in F4 Japanese Championship.

Driver Years in F4 Japan
Hibiki Taira 2020
Seita Nonaka 2020–2021
Jiei Okuzumi 2020–2021
Eijiro Shimizu 2020–2021
Rin Arakawa 2021–2022
Rikuto Kobayashi 2022–2023
Jin Nakamura 2022–2023
Ryoma Henzan 2022
Shunji Okumoto 2023
Yuki Sano 2023–2024
Kazuhisa Urabe 2024
Tokiya Suzuki 2024–2025
Kiyoshi Umegaki 2024–2025
Yuzuki Miura 2025–2026
Masana Muto 2025–2026
Takahiro Kikuchi 2025
Megumu Suzuki 2025
Masaki Hamabe 2026
Buntaro Igarashi 2026
Ryo Sakai 2026
Tomoki Terashima 2026
  • Championship title highlighted in bold.
  • Promoted to TGR-DC drivers highlighted in italic.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Toyota Young Drivers Programme Ready for 2005". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 25 February 2005. Retrieved 25 February 2005.
  2. ^ a b c d "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Outlines 2017 Motorsports Activities". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Presents its 2025 motorsport team setups in Japan". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 25 December 2024. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing announced its 2022 motorsport team setups". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b "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.
  6. ^ a b c d e "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Presents its 2026 motorsport team setups in Japan". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 19 December 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  7. ^ a b c "Toyota Finalise Young Drivers' Programme". atlasf1.com. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Toyota launches 'Drivers Academy'". Crash.net. 25 February 2003. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Toyota Outlines Motorsports Activities for 2008". Toyota. 7 March 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Toyota Outlines Motorsports Activities for 2006". Toyota. 3 March 2006. Retrieved 3 March 2006.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ a b c d "Toyota Outlines Motorsports Activities for 2007". Toyota. 12 March 2007. Retrieved 12 March 2007.
  13. ^ "Teen tests Toyota". eurosport. 17 December 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
  14. ^ "Toyota give Caldarelli maiden test". autosport. 17 December 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
  15. ^ "TMC Outlines Motorsports Activities for 2010". Toyota. 15 March 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  16. ^ "Toyota GAZOO Racing Outlines 2016 Motorsports Activities" (PDF). Toyota Gazoo Racing. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  17. ^ "Toyota Outlines Its Motorsports Activities for CY2014". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  18. ^ a b "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Outlines 2019 Motorsports Activities". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  19. ^ "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Outlines 2020 Motorsports Activities". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  20. ^ "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Outlines 2021 Motorsports Activities". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
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