Riki Okusa (大草 りき, Ōkusa Riki) (born November 25, 1999) is a Japanese racing driver. He currently competes in the GT500 class in Super GT for Nakajima Racing for the 2024 season and previously in the GT300 class in for GAINER, partnered with Hironobu Yasuda.[1]
| Riki Okusa | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Japanese |
| Born | 25 November 1999 Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan |
| Super GT career | |
| Debut season | 2022 |
| Current team | Nakajima Racing (GT500) |
| Car number | 64 |
| Former teams | GAINER (GT300) |
| Starts | 16 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Podiums | 3 |
| Poles | 1 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Best finish | 3rd in 2022 |
| Super Formula Championship career | |
| Debut season | 2023 |
| Current team | TGM Grand Prix |
| Car number | 53 |
| Starts | 2 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Previous series | |
| 2021 2020-22 2018 | Porsche Carrera Cup Japan Formula Regional Japanese Championship Japanese Formula 3 Championship |
Racing career edit
Early career edit
In 2018, Okusa made his formula racing debut in the final round of the Japanese Formula 3 Championship, finishing fifth in his first race.[2] The following year, he contested the shootout for Honda's Suzuka Circuit Racing School scholarship, but lost out to current Formula 2 driver Ayumu Iwasa. After spending 2019 starring in Super Taikyū, where he claimed the championship title in the ST-3 class, Okusa returned to formula racing in the inaugural season of the Formula Regional Japanese Championship, claiming the first podium of his formula racing career by finishing third in a one-off appearance at Fuji Speedway. In Super Taikyū, he switched to the ST-TCR class, ultimately finishing as championship runner-up alongside Katsumasa Chiyo and mentor Hironobu Yasuda. He returned to the Formula Regional Japanese championship in 2021 with his personal sponsor's eponymous team, PONOS Racing. Although he only competed in three rounds, Okusa managed to clinch third place in the standings, with 2 wins and seven podiums to his name. Okusa made another two cameos again at 2022 Formula Regional Japanese Championship with Sutekina Racing, claiming a win, a pole position, and three podiums.
Super GT edit
Okusa made his debut in Super GT's GT300 class with GAINER, paired up alongside Ryūichiro Tomita and third driver Yūsuke Shiotsu.[3] Okusa made an immediate impact, qualifying in third on debut in Okayama and taking his first win at the next round at Fuji Speedway. He would ultimately take his maiden pole position and two more podiums throughout the season to finish third in the standings, three points behind the championship-winning car of Kondō Racing. In 2023, Okusa paired up with his longtime mentor and 2008 GT300 class champion Hironobu Yasuda.[1]
Okusa will move to GT500, as he moves to Nakajima Racing alongside Takuya Izawa.[4]
Super Formula edit
Okusa makes his Super Formula debut with TGM Grand Prix, replacing the outgoing Toshiki Oyu at Suzuka Circuit.[5] He performed admirably on debut, finishing ahead of full-time teammate Cem Bölükbaşı in both races.
Racing record edit
Career summary edit
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | FLaps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Japanese Formula 3 Championship | Hanashima Racing | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10th |
| Super Taikyu - ST3 | Techno First Racing Team | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 71.5‡ | 6th‡ | |
| 2019 | Super Taikyu - ST3 | Techno First | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 122‡ | 1st‡ |
| 2020 | Formula Regional Japanese Championship | Zap Speed | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 14th |
| Super Taikyu - ST-TCR | Waimarama Kizuna Racing | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 102.5‡ | 2nd‡ | |
| 2021 | Formula Regional Japanese Championship | PONOS Racing | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 140 | 3rd |
| Porsche Carrera Cup Japan | Porsche Japan | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 144 | 4th | |
| Super Taikyu - ST-Z | Porsche Team EBI Waimarama | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 52.5‡ | 7th‡ | |
| 2022 | Super GT - GT300 | GAINER | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 49 | 3rd |
| Formula Regional Japanese Championship | Sutekina Racing | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 63 | 10th | |
| Super Taikyu - ST-Z | Porsche Team EBI Waimarama | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 80‡ | 5th‡ | |
| 2023 | Super GT - GT300 | GAINER | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 17th |
| Super Formula | TGM Grand Prix | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23rd | |
| Super Taikyu - ST-Z | Techno First | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 99‡ | 3rd‡ | |
| 2024 | Super GT | Modulo Nakajima Racing | |||||||
| Super Taikyu - ST-Z | Techno First |
‡ Team standings
Complete Formula Regional Japanese Championship results edit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Zap Speed | FUJ1 1 |
FUJ1 2 |
FUJ1 3 |
SUG 1 |
SUG 2 |
SUG 3 |
FUJ2 1 5 |
FUJ2 2 3 |
MOT 1 |
MOT 2 |
OKA 1 |
OKA 2 |
AUT 1 |
AUT 2 |
14th | 25 | |||
| 2021 | PONOS Racing | OKA 1 |
OKA 2 |
OKA 3 |
MOT 1 1 |
MOT 2 2 |
MOT 3 1 |
FUJ 1 |
FUJ 2 |
FUJ 3 |
SUG 1 2 |
SUG 2 2 |
SUZ 1 2 |
SUZ 2 2 |
3rd | 140 | ||||
| 2022 | Team Sutekina | FUJ1 1 |
FUJ1 2 |
FUJ1 3 |
OKA 1 |
OKA 2 |
OKA 3 |
MOT 1 |
MOT 2 |
MOT 3 |
SUG 1 6 |
SUG 2 Ret |
SUG 3 3 |
FUJ2 1 1 |
FUJ2 2 3 |
FUJ2 3 Ret |
SUZ 1 |
SUZ 2 |
10th | 63 |
Complete Super Formula results edit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | TGM Grand Prix | FUJ | FUJ | SUZ | AUT | SUG | FUJ |
MOT |
SUZ 18 |
SUZ 13 |
23rd | 0 |
Complete Super GT results edit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | DC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | GAINER | Nissan GT-R | GT300 | OKA 6 |
FUJ 1 |
SUZ 15 |
FUJ 22 |
SUZ 2 |
SUG 3 |
AUT 7 |
MOT 8 |
3rd | 49 |
| 2023 | OKA 11 |
FUJ 5 |
SUZ 8 |
FUJ 7 |
SUZ 13 |
SUG 9 |
AUT 10 |
MOT 16 |
17th | 16 | |||
| 2024 | Modulo Nakajima Racing | Honda Civic Type R-GT GT500 | GT500 | OKA |
FUJ |
SUZ |
FUJ |
SUZ |
SUG |
AUT |
MOT |
References edit
- ^ a b "Nissan/NISMO announces teams for 2023 Super GT and GT4 programs". NISMO. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
- ^ "Japanese Formula 3 Championship - Round 18/19 Fuji - Entry List". j-formula3.com. Japanese Formula 3 Championship. 12 October 2018. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ "Gainer Announces 2022 Super GT Drivers". dailysportscar.com. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ O’Connell, RJ (12 December 2023). "Honda Announces 2024 GT500 Drivers". dailysportscar.com. Dailysportscar. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ "TGM signs rookie Okusa for Suzuka Super Formula round". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
External links edit
- Riki Okusa career summary at DriverDB.com