Zen Mitani
| Zen Mitani | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | Japanese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 27 March 2007 Sakuragawa, Ibaraki, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current team | Honda Team Asia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bike number | 32 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Zen Mitani (Japanese: 三谷 然[1], Hepburn: Mitani Zen; born 27 March 2007) is a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle racer who competes in the 2026 Moto3 World Championship with Honda Team Asia. He is the 2024 Asia Talent Cup champion.
Mitani made his Grand Prix debut at the 2025 Indonesian motorcycle Grand Prix, acting as a replacement rider.
Career
Early career
Mitani was born in Iwase in Sakuragawa, Japan.[2] He rode a motorbike for the first time at the age of three.[3] After performing well in national junior categories, finishing runner-up in the Tsukuba Road Race Championship's J-GP3 class in 2021, he was selected to compete in the 2023 Asia Talent Cup at the age of 15.[4][5][6] Mitani completed his first Cup season with six podium finishes, placing fifth in the final standings.
In his second Asia Talent Cup season in 2024, Mitani won seven of the twelve total races on the calendar, and finished on the podium in all but two.[7][8] This would crown him champion with still one more round to go.[9][10] He also participated in the TVS class of the 2024 Asia Road Racing Championship as a wildcard entry at the Motegi round, where he set pole position and finished both races in second place, behind Hiroki Ono.[11][12]
After his successful stint in the Asia Talent Cup, Mitani was promoted to both the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and FIM JuniorGP World Championship for the 2025 season.[13][14] He started his Rookies Cup spell with consistent results, building momentum and climbing the order as the rest of the season unfolded, clinching two podium finishes in total, with a second place at Sachsenring and a third place in Race 1 of the final round at Misano, barely missing out on a third podium in Race 2.[15][16]
Moto3 World Championship
Rivacold Snipers Team (2025)
On 2 October 2025, Rivacold Snipers Team announced Mitani would be making his Grand Prix debut at the 2025 Indonesian motorcycle Grand Prix, acting as a replacement rider for injured Nicola Carraro.[17] On Saturday, Mitani qualified 24th and, despite running as high as 17th during the Sunday race, he crashed out on lap 11 and retired.[18][19]
Honda Team Asia (2025–)
One month after making his Grand Prix debut, Mitani was announced to make his full-time debut in the 2026 Moto3 World Championship with Honda Team Asia, alongside Veda Pratama.[20] Ahead of the 2025 Portuguese Grand Prix, Honda Team Asia announced Mitani would race in the final two rounds of the 2025 season, effectively making an early debut with the team as he replaced the injured Tatchakorn Buasri.[21]
Career statistics
All Japan Road Race Championship
Races by year
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Class | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Pos | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | J-GP3 | Honda | MOT 15 |
SUG 8 |
TSU 10 |
AUT 8 |
OKA 7 |
SUZ | 10th | 32 |
| 2023 | J-GP3 | Honda | MOT 13 |
SUG 7 |
TSU | AUT | OKA | SUZ | 18th | 12 |
| 2024 | J-GP3 | Honda | MOT | SUG 4 |
TSU 7 |
AUT | OKA | SUZ | 13th | 24 |
Asia Talent Cup
Races by year
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Pos | Pts | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | ||||
| 2023 | Honda | MAL 3 |
MAL 3 |
JPN 2 |
JPN Ret |
INA 3 |
INA 2 |
THA 4 |
THA Ret |
SEP Ret |
SEP 2 |
QAT 6 |
QAT 6 |
5th | 141 |
| 2024 | Honda | QAT 1 |
QAT 2 |
MAL 1 |
MAL 1 |
INA 1 |
INA 2 |
JPN 1 |
JPN 2 |
THA 5 |
THA 4 |
SEP 1 |
SEP 1 |
1st | 259 |
ARRC TVS Asia One Make Championship
Races by year
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Pos | Pts | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | ||||
| 2024 | TVS | CHA | CHA | ZHU | ZHU | MOT 2 |
MOT 2 |
MAN | MAN | SEP | SEP | CHA | CHA | 14th | 40 |
FIM JuniorGP World Championship
Races by year
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Honda | MIS1 17 |
MIS2 18 |
EST | CAT1 | CAT2 | ALG1 | ALG2 | JER1 | JER2 | ARA | EST1 | EST2 | 34th | 0 |
| 2025 | Honda | EST 8 |
JER1 14 |
JER2 11 |
MAG 9 |
ARA1 12 |
ARA2 9 |
MIS1 8 |
MIS2 9 |
CAT1 7 |
CAT2 9 |
VAL1 13 |
VAL2 16 |
11th | 68 |
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Races by year
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Pos | Pts | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | ||||
| 2025 | KTM | JER 7 |
JER 19 |
LMS 11 |
LMS Ret |
ARA 6 |
ARA 15 |
MUG 8 |
MUG 12 |
SAC 5 |
SAC 2 |
RBR Ret |
RBR 9 |
MIS 3 |
MIS 4 |
7th | 104 |
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
By season
| Season | Class | Motorcycle | Team | Race | Win | Podium | Pole | FLap | Pts | Plcd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Moto3 | Honda | Rivacold Snipers Team | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38th |
| Honda Team Asia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2026 | Moto3 | Honda | Honda Team Asia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0* | 22nd* |
| Total | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
By class
| Class | Seasons | 1st GP | 1st pod | 1st win | Race | Win | Podiums | Pole | FLap | Pts | WChmp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moto3 | 2025–present | 2025 Indonesia | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 2025–present | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Races by year
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Class | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | Pos | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Moto3 | Honda | THA | ARG | AME | QAT | SPA | FRA | GBR | ARA | ITA | NED | GER | CZE | AUT | HUN | CAT | RSM | JPN | INA Ret |
AUS | MAL | POR 19 |
VAL Ret |
38th | 0 |
| 2026 | Moto3 | Honda | THA 22 |
BRA | AME | SPA | FRA | CAT | ITA | HUN | CZE | NED | GER | GBR | ARA | RSM | AUT | JPN | INA | AUS | MAL | QAT | POR | VAL | 22nd* | 0* |
* Season still in progress.
References
- ^ "三谷 然 32" honda.racing (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 September 2025.
- ^ "まちの話題". マイ広報紙 (in Japanese). 1 April 2025. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "三谷然（ミタニゼン）" global-wifi.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "2021 筑波ロードレース選手権シリーズ 第4戦" tsukuba-circuit.jp (in Japanese), 9 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
- ^ "Zen Mitani". redbull.com. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "Riders 2023". asiatalentcup.com. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "イデミツ・アジア・タレントカップ開幕戦優勝!" tng.ac.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "Seventh heaven: Mitani masters Malaysia in final race of 2024". asiatalentcup.com. 3 November 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "Mitani clinches ATC crown as Ramadhipa and Ogiwara take race wins". motogp.com. 28 October 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "三谷然が2024チャンピオンに輝く｜イデミツ・アジア・タレントカップ第5戦" pmfansite.com (in Japanese), 2 November 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "Hiroki Made Japan Proud". asiaroadracing.com. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
- ^ "6月9日（日）レポート" jrr.jp (in Japanese), 9 June 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
- ^ "Mitani and Ramadhipa promoted to Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup". motogp.com. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "Entry List" (PDF). fimjuniorgp.com. 24 February 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "Red Bull Rookies Cup recap from Sachsenring". mcnews.com.au. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
- ^ "Brian Uriarte takes stunning Misano Race win and Red Bull Rookies Cup 2025". bikerhub.co.uk. 14 September 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
- ^ @juniorgp; (2 October 2025). "Zen Mitani will make his World Championship debut at the Indonesian GP, stepping in for Nicola Carraro". Retrieved 2 October 2025 – via Instagram.
- ^ "Moto3インドネシア予選｜古里太陽が5番手タイムで2列目を確保。代役でデビュー三谷はQ1突破ならず" jp.motorsport.com (in Japanese), 5 October 2025. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
- ^ "Mitani replaces Carraro for the Indonesian weekend". snipersteam.com. 6 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "Honda Team Asia announces exciting new Moto3 line-up for 2026: Veda Ega Pratama and Zen Mitani join the team". honda.racing. 31 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ @honda_team_asia; (6 November 2025). "Zen Mitani to replace Tatchakorn Buasri for the Final 2 Rounds of the Moto3 World Championship". Retrieved 6 November 2025 – via Instagram.
External links