Rikuto Kobayashi
NationalityJapanese
Birth date1 July 2005 (age 21)
Birth placeYamagata Prefecture, Japan
Current seriesSuper GT - GT500
First year2025
Current teamToyota Gazoo Racing Cerumo
Car number38
Former teamsCarGuy Racing
Starts8
Wins1
Podiums2
Best finish3rd
Year

2025

Rikuto Kobayashi
Current seriesSuper Formula
First year2025
Current teamTGMGP
Former teamsTeam Impul
Car number28
Starts2
Wins0
Podiums0
Poles0
Fastest laps0
Best finish24th
Year2025
Prev seriesSuper Formula Lights
F4 Japanese Championship
Prev series years2024–2025
2022–2023
TitlesF4 Japanese Championship
Title years2023

Rikuto Kobayashi (小林利徠斗, Kobayashi Rikuto, born 1 July 2005) is a Japanese racing driver and sim racer currently competing in the Super Formula Championship for TGM Grand Prix, and in the Super GT class for Toyota Gazoo Racing. A member of the TGR Driver Challenge Program, Kobayashi won the F4 Japanese Championship in 2023.[1] He is not related to the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and fellow Super Formula driver Kamui Kobayashi.

Single-seater career

Formula 4

Kobayashi started his formula racing in 2022 at F4 Japanese Championship with TGR-DC Racing School as a part from he got TGR-DC RS Scholarship Driver.[2] He finished sixth in the standings. Kobayashi continued to compete for the 2023 season.[3] In a close F4 title battle with Jin Nakamura, Kobayashi claimed the title by winning the season finale at Motegi.[4] On 30 May 2023, Toyota Gazoo Racing announced that Kobayashi would take part in the WEC Challenge Program training session for young drivers who are deemed to have a future in the Le Mans 24 Hours. He participated and experienced firsthand how WEC drivers and engineers take on the challenge of Le Mans.[5]

Super Formula Lights

2024

Following his F4 championship victory, Kobayashi stepped up to Super Formula Lights with TOM'S alongside Jin Nakamura in 2024.[6] After scoring a lone podium each in the opening rounds at Autopolis and Sugo,[7][8] Kobayashi scored his maiden series win from pole position at Fuji.[9] He finished third twice at Okayama but also retired from race 2 due to contact caused by Seita Nonaka.[10] Kobayashi scored two podiums again at Suzuka, which included an inherited victory in race 2 following a penalty for Nonaka.[11] A strong final round at Motegi, which saw him claim a pair of runner-up finishes and victory in race 2, allowed Kobayashi to vault to second in the championship standings.[12][13]

2025

Kobayashi stayed for another season with TOM'S in 2025.[14] The season opener at Suzuka yielded mixed results, as a pair of third places sandwiched a transmission failure in race 2.[15] Sixth and fourth followed at Autopolis, causing Kobayashi to have only a third of championship leader Yuki Sano's points.[16] A trio of podiums at Okayama brought him closer to the title fight, but with only two podiums from the four Sugo races, Kobayashi fell far behind a dominant Yuto Nomura.[17][18] Contact with Sano spun Kobayashi out of the points in race 1 at Fuji, and although Kobayashi won race 2 in commanding fashion and finished third in race 3, another strong round confirmed Nomura as the champion.[19] Kobayashi finished second in all three races at the season-ending Motegi event and ended up third in the standings.[20]

Super Formula

Kobayashi sampled his first test of a Super Formula car in December 2024, taking over from series champion Sho Tsuboi on the final day of the rookie test at Suzuka.[21] In 2025, Kobayashi made his Super Formula debut, driving for Itochu Enex Wecars Team Impul at Motegi.[22]

In 2026, Kobayashi will make his full-season debut with KDDI TGMGP TGR-DC along with Kamui Kobayashi.[23]

Sportscar career

Super GT

GT300

Kobayashi also will make his debut to compete in Super GT - GT300 with apr, as he partnered with Hiroaki Nagai and Manabu Orido.[24] He was planned to become the third driver of Saitama Green Brave for the 2025 season, but Kobayashi instead went on to compete with CarGuy MKS Racing, which raced a Ferrari 296 GT3, alongside Zak O'Sullivan.[25][26] The pair missed out on the GT300 championship by 2.5 points.[27]

GT500

Kobayashi then made a step up to the GT500 with Cerumo, as he replaces Hiroaki Ishiura.[23]

Esports career

Kobayashi has previously competed in the Gran Turismo World Series.[28] In 2021, he won the semi-final in Group B, and claimed 3rd overall in the final round of the Toyota Gazoo Racing GT Cup.[29]

Racing record

Career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesFLapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2022F4 Japanese ChampionshipTGR-DC Racing School1412121206th
2023F4 Japanese ChampionshipTGR-DC Racing School1455392211st
2024Super Formula LightsTOM'S1832311862nd
Super GT – GT300apr800000NC
TGR GR86/BRZ CupNine with ARN RACING200000NC
Macau Grand PrixTOM'S Formula10000N/A12th
Super Taikyu – ST-2KTMS53114124‡1st‡
2025Super Formula LightsTOM'S1811212853rd
Super GT – GT300CarGuy MKS Racing8121283.53rd
Super Taikyu – ST-Xapr71103114‡3rd‡
Super FormulaItochu Enex Wecars Team Impul20000024th
2026Super FormulaKDDI TGMGP TGR-DC
Super GT - GT500TGR Team KeePer Cerumo
Super Taikyu - ST-4Endless Sports

* Season still in progress.
‡ Team standings

Complete F4 Japanese Championship results

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

YearTeam1234567891011121314DCPoints
2022TGR-DC Racing SchoolFUJ1
1
8		FUJ1
2
5		SUZ1
1
15		SUZ1
2
8		FUJ2
1
7		FUJ2
2
5		SUZ2
1
4		SUZ2
2
5		SUG
1
3		SUG
2
7		AUT
1
5		AUT
2
DNS		MOT
1
1		MOT
2
6		6th120
2023TGR-DC Racing SchoolFUJ1
1
1		FUJ1
2
3		SUZ1
1
2		SUZ1
2
4		FUJ2
1
1		FUJ2
2
1		SUZ2
1
33		SUZ2
2
5		SUG
1
6		SUG
2
22		AUT
1
1		AUT
2
3		MOT
1
2		MOT
2
1		1st221

Complete Super GT results

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

YearTeamCarClass123456789DCPoints
2024aprToyota GR86 GT300GT300OKA
23		FUJ
22		SUZ
19		FUJ
18		SUG
21		AUT
19		MOT
19		SUZ
20		NC0
2025CarGuy MKS RacingFerrari 296 GT3GT300OKA
17		FUJ
4		SEP
FS1
4		FS2
17		SUZ
1		SUG
8		AUT
2		MOT
7		3rd83.5
2026TGR Team KeePer CerumoToyota GR Supra GT500GT500OKA
FUJ
SEP
FUJ
SUZ
SUG
AUT
MOT

‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.
(Number) Driver did not take part in this sprint race, points are still awarded for the teammate's result.
* Season still in progress.

Complete Super Formula Lights results

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

YearEntrant123456789101112131415161718PosPoints
2024TOM'SAUT
1
2		AUT
2
8		AUT
3
3		SUG
1
7		SUG
2
3		SUG
3
5		FUJ
1
6		FUJ
2
1		FUJ
3
5		OKA
1
3		OKA
2
Ret		OKA
3
3		SUZ
1
3		SUZ
2
1		SUZ
3
4		MOT
1
2		MOT
2
1		MOT
3
2		2nd86
2025TOM'SSUZ
1
3		SUZ
2
Ret		SUZ
3
3		AUT
1
6		AUT
2
4		OKA
1
2		OKA
2
3		OKA
3
2		SUG
1
3		SUG
2
4		SUG
3
3		SUG
4
5		FUJ
1
11		FUJ
2
1		FUJ
3
3		MOT
1
2		MOT
2
2		MOT
3
2		3rd85

* Season still in progress.

Complete Macau Grand Prix results

YearTeamCarQualifyingQuali RaceMain race
2024TOM'S FormulaTatuus F3 T-31823rd21st12th

Complete Super Formula results

YearTeamEngine123456789101112DCPoints
2025Itochu Enex Wecars Team ImpulToyotaSUZ
SUZ
MOT
16		MOT
Ret		AUT
FUJ
FUJ
SUG
FUJ
SUZ
SUZ
SUZ
24th0
2026KDDI TGMGP TGR-DCToyotaMOT
MOT
AUT
SUZ
SUZ
FUJ
FUJ
SUG
FUJ
FUJ
SUZ
SUZ

References

  1. ^ "Kobayashi beats fellow Toyota junior Nakamura to Japanese F4 title". formulascout.com. 5 November 2023.
  2. ^ "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing announced its 2022 motorsport team setups". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  3. ^ "参戦台数は過去最多の46台。2023年FIA-F4選手権 第1戦・第2戦富士 エントリーリスト" (in Japanese). AUTO SPORT web. 2023-05-02.
  4. ^ Muschlien, Finjo (2023-12-30). "Kobayashi comes out on top in close title battle: 2023 Japanese F4 in review". Feeder Series. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  5. ^ CORPORATION, TOYOTA MOTOR. "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WEC Challenge Program: | RELEASE | WEC". TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  6. ^ "Honda confirms Iori Kimura’s place on 2024 Super Formula grid". formulascout. 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  7. ^ Wood, Ida (2024-06-23). "Koide, Nakamura and Nonaka win at Sugo in Super Formula Lights". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  8. ^ Wood, Ida (2024-05-19). "Toyota junior Nonaka on top in SF Lights' season opener at Autopolis". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  9. ^ Wood, Ida (2024-07-21). "Kobayashi and Koide share Super Formula Lights wins at Fuji Speedway". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  10. ^ Wood, Ida (2024-09-15). "Syun Koide grows Super Formula Lights lead with two wins at Okayama". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  11. ^ Wood, Ida (2024-11-10). "Nonaka wins twice but SF Lights title fight stays wide open at Suzuka". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  12. ^ Allen, Peter (2 December 2024). "Koide seals Super Formula Lights title in convincing fashion". Formula Scout. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  13. ^ Allen, Peter (2024-12-02). "Koide seals Super Formula Lights title in convincing fashion". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  14. ^ "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Presents its 2025 motorsport team setups in Japan". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 25 December 2024. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  15. ^ Wood, Ida (2025-03-09). "Super start at Suzuka for Sano in Super Formula Lights". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  16. ^ Wood, Ida (2025-05-18). "Dense fog disrupts Super Formula Lights' second round at Autopolis". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  17. ^ Wood, Ida (2025-06-23). "Nomura goes unbeaten at Okayama to level SF Lights title race". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
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  19. ^ Wood, Ida (2025-09-07). "Honda junior Yuto Nomura wraps up Super Formula Lights title at Fuji". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  20. ^ Wood, Ida (2025-11-30). "Nomura brings win tally up to 12 in Super Formula Lights' Motegi finale". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  21. ^ Allen, Peter (2024-12-09). "Antonelli and Bearman to take part in Super Formula test at Suzuka". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  22. ^ Muschlien, Finjo (2025-04-22). "How Rikuto Kobayashi’s strong Super Formula cameo still left him unsatisfied". Feeder Series. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  23. ^ "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Presents its 2026 motorsport team setups in Japan". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 19 December 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  24. ^ "Saitama Toyopet Gets New Lineup Amid Toyota Reshuffle". sportscar365.com. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  25. ^ Klein, Jamie (21 January 2025). "Rasmussen Lands Lexus GT300 Drive After JOTA Exit". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  26. ^ Hirano, Ryuji (16 March 2025). "CARGUY MKS RACINGが2025年スーパーGT参戦体制を発表。オサリバン＆小林利徠斗の超強力体制に". AutoSport Web. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  27. ^ "TOM’S Toyota Clinches Title in Thrilling Motegi Decider – Sportscar365". 2025-11-02. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  28. ^ O’Connell, R. J. (2025-03-18). "CarGuy MKS Racing's Debut Season For O'Sullivan, Kobayashi". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
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