Photo: Super Formula Lights
Kazuto Kotaka, one of Toyota’s junior drivers, is returning to Super Formula Lights for a second full season with TOM’S.
An unusual scenario not allowing Kotaka to race at the two Okayama rounds meant the 20-year-old finished a distant fifth in the standings last year, with a best finish of second and four other podiums.
The Japanese driver increased his mileage by racing in the Toyota Racing Series, the FIA Motorsport Games Formula 4 Cup (having raced in Japanese F4 for three years) and a few GT300 races, and he take on a triple campaign in 2020.
His priority will be SF Lights, where he is the first confirmed signing for TOM’S and the third driver to commit to the series after F4 South East Asia champion Lucca Allen (Albirex Racing), Honda junior Teppei Natori (Toda Racing) and TOM’S team-mate Ritomo Miyata – who may head to Super Formula.
The series, previously known as Japanese Formula 3, will switch to the new halo-shod lightweight Dallara 320 car this year that is also being used by Euroformula.
Kotaka’s second programme will be in Super GT300 with INGING, which he will dovetail with duties in the Super Tiakyu sportscar series with Toyota team apr.
Shunsuke Kohno, who has raced for RS Fine in SF Lights for the last two years and is also a graduate of Japanese F4, will race for Toyota customer team LM Corsa in Super GT300 in place of GT500-bound Miyata.
Japanese F4 runner-up Atsushi Miyake, who was a Honda junior last year, has also been handed a Super GT300 chance with Toyota. The 20-year-old will race for MAX Racing.