Natsu Sakaguchi
NationalityJapanese
Birth date8 September 1995 (age 31)
Birth placeFukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Racing licence FIA Silver

Natsu Sakaguchi (坂口 夏月, Sakaguchi Natsu, born 8 September 1995 in Fukuoka Prefecture[1]) is a Japanese racing driver who last competed for JLOC in Super GT.

Career

Sakaguchi made his single-seater debut in 2012, racing in the Super FJ Suzuka Series, finishing fourth in points after winning the season finale.[2] After finishing second in the Japanese Grand Prix-supporting Super FJ Challenge Cup the following year, Sakaguchi was awarded the Honda SRS-F scholarship to compete in JAF Formula 4 in 2014.[3] Following a sixth-place points finish in the overall standings in JAF Formula 4, Sakaguchi made a one-off return to the Super FJ Suzuka Series, winning from pole position for Take First.[4]

Following one year on the sidelines, Sakaguchi made his racing return in 2017 by joining Team Mach in the GT300 class of Super GT alongside Kiyoto Fujinami.[5] At Autopolis, Sakaguchi finished eighth, scoring his first points in the series and the team's first in seven years.[6] Remaining with Team Mach for 2018, Sakaguchi was joined by Yuya Hiraki for his second season in the series.[7] At the penultimate round of the season at Autopolis, Sakaguchi ran as high as second and finished the race a then-career best seventh.[8]

In 2019, Sakaguchi was retained by Team Mach alongside Hiraki.[9] Three rounds into the season, Sakaguchi took his maiden podium in GT300, finishing second at Suzuka and taking Team Mach's best result in Super GT.[10] Sakaguchi remained with Team Mach for 2020, pairing up with Hiraki for the third season in a row.[11] At the opening round of the season at Fuji, Sakaguchi scored his second career podium by finishing third, which enabled him to end the season 14th in the standings.[12]

After spending four seasons with Team Mach, Sakaguchi switched to JLOC for 2021, partnering Kosuke Matsuura.[13] Sakaguchi's best result of the season came at Sugo, where he finished fourth in what was his only points scoring result of the season.[14] During 2021, Sakaguchi also won the Fuji 24 Hours overall.[15] Sakaguchi remained with JLOC and Matsuura for the 2022 season.[16] Having finished in the points three times in the first part of the season, Sakaguchi scored a podium at Motegi, finishing runner-up in the season-finale.[17] In early 2023, JLOC retained both Sakaguchi and Matsuura for that year's Super GT season.[18] At the fifth round of the season at Suzuka, Sakaguchi took his fourth career podium by taking second place behind Team UpGarage.[19]

For the third consecutive season, JLOC retained the Sakaguchi-Matsuura pairing for their number 87 car.[20] Having qualified second for the Fuji 350km race, Sakaguchi finished sixth in his last race with the Huracan Evo before switching to the Evo2 from the fifth round onwards.[21] With the Evo2, Sakaguchi finished fourth in the penultimate round of the season at Motegi and ended the season 11th in the standings.[22] Ahead of the 2025 season, it was announced that Sakaguchi would remain with JLOC and Matsuura as they would drive the Huracan Evo2 for the full season.[23] In his first full season with the Huracan Evo2, Sakaguchi scored a best result of seventh at Okayama as he ended the year 20th in points.[24]

Sakaguchi remained with JLOC for the following year, as he became the team's reserve driver.[25]

Racing record

Racing career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2012Super FJ – Suzuka Series61001504th
2013F1 Grand Prix Super FJ Challenge CupART GP Japan[26]10001N/A2nd
2014JAF Formula 4 East - FCHFDP Racing50–**–**0426th
JAF Formula 4 West - FC60–**–**2555th
JAF Formula 4 Overall - FC110–**–**2976th
2015Super FJ – Suzuka SeriesTake First11001209th
2017Super GT – GT300Team Mach70000323rd
2018Super GT – GT300Team Mach70000420th
2019Super GT – GT300Team Mach700011521st
2020Super GT – GT300Team Mach800011914th
Super Taikyu – ST-XGTNET Motor Sports[27]1000182.5‡3rd‡
2021Super GT – GT300JLOC80000820th
Super Taikyu – ST-XGTNET Motor Sports1100182‡4th‡
2022Super GT – GT300JLOC800012315th
Super Taikyu – ST-XGTNET Motor Sports[28]5104397.5‡4th‡
2023Super GT – GT300JLOC800011915th
Super Taikyu – ST-XGTNET Motor Sports[29]6002289‡5th‡
2024Super GT – GT300JLOC800102611th
Super Taikyu – ST-XGTNET Motor Sports[30]51232107.5‡5th‡
Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup4MINUTES Co., Ltd. R&D800000NC
2025Super GT – GT300JLOC800002920th
Super Taikyu – ST-XGTNET Motor Sports3000026‡5th‡
SRO Japan Cup – GT3Galah Racing With GTNET200000NC
2026Super GT – GT300JLOC
Super Taikyu – ST-XGTNET MotorSports
Sources:[31]

‡ Team standings

** The FC class was a class using modified Formula Challenge Japan's FC106 chassis and running with the JAF Formula 4's "C" class, an upper grade class. So, there were neither pole position nor fastest lap.[32]

Complete Super GT results

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

YearTeamCarClass123456789DCPts
2017Team MachToyota 86 MCGT300OKA
17		FSW
19		AUT
8		SUG
12		FSW
28		SUZ
22		CHATRM
15		23rd3
2018Team MachToyota 86 MCGT300OKA
Ret		FUJ
12		SUZ
Ret		CHA
FUJ
19		SUG
22		AUT
7		MOT
18		20th4
2019Team MachToyota 86 MC GT300GT300OKA
Ret		FUJ
Ret		SUZ
2		CHA
FUJ
17		AUT
17		SUG
18		MOT
14		21st15
2020Team MachToyota 86 MC GT300GT300FUJ
3		FUJ
11		SUZ
29		MOT
23		FUJ
15		SUZ
4		MOT
Ret		FUJ
Ret		14th19
2021JLOCLamborghini Huracán GT3 EvoGT300OKA
21		FSW
15		TRM
Ret		SUZ
16		SUG
4		AUT
25		TRM
Ret		FSW
15		20th8
2022JLOCLamborghini Huracán GT3 EvoGT300OKA
8		FSW
12		SUZ
16		FSW
8		SUZ
9		SUG
19		AUT
11		TRM
2		15th23
2023JLOCLamborghini Huracán GT3 EvoGT300OKA
7		FSW
Ret		SUZ
23		FSW
16		SUZ
2		SUG
19		AUT
19		TRM
21		15th19
2024JLOCLamborghini Huracán GT3 EvoGT300OKA
7		FSW
8		SUZ
21		FSW
62		11th26
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2SUG
7		AUT
13		MOT
4		SUZ
Ret
2025JLOCLamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2GT300OKA
7		FUJ
25		SEP
9		FS1
(21)		FS2
14		SUZ
16		SUG
18		AUT
9		MOT
11		20th29

References

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  2. ^ "2012年 スーパーFJ 鈴鹿シリーズ レースリザルト" (in Japanese). jss-org.com. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  3. ^ "今年のSRS-Fスカラシップは坂口、福住が獲得" (in Japanese). as-web.jp. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
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  5. ^ "GT300 Season Preview: Mother Chassis". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  6. ^ O'Connell, RJ (22 May 2017). "Victory For Lexus Team Au TOM’s In Autopolis". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
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  12. ^ O'Connell, RJ (19 July 2020). "Toyota GR Supras Sweep Super GT Opener On Debut". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
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  15. ^ O'Connell, RJ (23 May 2021). "GTNET Motor Sports Wins Fuji 24 Hours For The Third Time". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
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  17. ^ O'Connell, RJ (6 November 2022). "Calsonic Team Impul & Kondo Racing Secure Championship Double For Nissan". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  18. ^ "42 Cars Entered For 2023 SUPER GT Series". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  19. ^ O'Connell, RJ (27 August 2023). "ARTA Leads Honda Double Victory At Suzuka Summer 450km". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  20. ^ O'Connell, RJ (21 February 2024). "2024 SUPER GT Entry List Revealed". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  21. ^ O'Connell, RJ (4 August 2024). "ARTA Secures Honda Civic Type R-GT’s First Victory In Fuji". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  22. ^ "GT300 OFFICIAL RESULT 1/2". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  23. ^ O'Connell, RJ (17 February 2025). "SUPER GT Reveals 43 Car Capacity Grid For 2025 Season". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  24. ^ O'Connell, RJ (13 April 2025). "TOM’S Reigning Champions Cruise To Win In Wet Okayama Opener". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  25. ^ O'Connell, RJ (20 February 2026). "JLOC Announces 2026 Driver Line-Ups". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  26. ^ "SFJ:F1日本GP鈴鹿S-FJチャレンジカップレース決勝結果". fmotor.jp. 13 October 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  27. ^ "スーパー耐久：GTNETが新体制を発表。Team DAISHINとコラボレーションし、大八木親子が参戦". as-web.jp. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  28. ^ O'Connell, RJ (21 March 2022). "GTNET Motor Sports Wins Dramatic Suzuka 5 Hour Race". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  29. ^ "TEAM DAISHINがMP Racingとコラボ！ ニッサンGT-RニスモGT3でスーパー耐久ST-Xクラスに参戦へ". as-web.jp. 1 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  30. ^ "実は“薄氷の勝利”だったDAISHIN GT-R。スーパー耐久第4戦もてぎで後半戦に繋げる優勝に". as-web.jp. 7 September 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  31. ^ "Natsu Sakaguchi | Racing career profile | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
  32. ^ "Result". 日本フォーミュラー・フォー協会 (Japan Formula 4 Forum). Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 2025-03-16.