# João Paulo de Oliveira

João Paulo Lima de Oliveira (born 13 July 1981) is a Brazilian professional racing driver currently competing in the Japanese Super GT series and in the FIA World Endurance Championship driving for the Vanwall Racing Team. He won the Super GT GT300 class championship in both 2020 and 2022 and the Formula Nippon championship in 2010.
He is regarded as one of the most successful racing drivers to race in Japan in the last decade. JP, as he is known, has won in every category he competed in. After becoming the German F3 champion in 2003 by far, winning 13 out of 16 races, he arrived in Japan in 2004 and took the Japanese F3 title in next year with 7 wins. After that, he joined Nissan as their official factory driver for the next 13 years in Super GT and Super Formula. He is known for his speed and his in-depth ability for car development.

## Racing career

Born in São Paulo, de Oliveira competed in kart racing only in 1997, then he moved on to Brazilian national Formula Ford and Formula Chevrolet championships in 1998.
Beginning in 1999, he started competing in Formula Three category. He won the 1999 South American Formula Three (Class B), the 2003 German Formula Three, and the 2005 Japanese Formula Three championships.
In 2006, de Oliveira debuted in the Super GT with a Hasemi Nissan Z GT500. The Brazilian continued as a Nissan Super GT driver with Kondo (2007-2010, 2017) and Impul (2011-2016). He won two titles, in 2020 and 2022, was runner-up in 2015, and claimed 9 wins and 19 podiums overall.
Also in 2006, he entered the last round of the Formula Nippon with 5Zigen. He also drove in Formula Nippon for Kondo in 2007 and 2008. After skipping 2009, he returned in 2010 with Impul. He won one title in 2020, was runner-up in 2014, and won 10 races and earned 23 podiums in the category. He retired from formula racing after the 2016 season.
de Oliveira made his World Touring Car Championship debut at the 2009 FIA WTCC Race of Japan for SUNRED Engineering. He drove as a wildcard entry in the finale round of the 2019 World Touring Car Cup at Sepang International Circuit in a Honda Civic Type R TCR run by KCMG. He qualified 13th with a time of 2:14.746. In race one, de Oliveira's experience on the track allowed him to finish the race in 5th overall and set the fastest lap of the track, and even assist championship contender Esteban Guerrieri. He dropped to 18th in race two, which was followed by a retirement in race 3 on lap 10 from 25th on the grid. His fifth place is the best position a wildcard driver had in 2019.
de Oliveira joined the Vanwall Racing Team in June 2023 to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship, replacing the departing Tom Dillmann; he had previously spoken of a desire to drive for the team and hoped to "escape his comfort zone". de Oliveira is scheduled to compete in the Monza and Fuji rounds of the championship; he will not compete at Bahrain due to clashing commitments with Super GT.

## Racing record
### Career summary

| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
| 1999 | Formula 3 Sudamericana | Cesário Fórmula | 18 | ? | ? | ? | ? | 26 | 12th |
| 1999 | Formula 3 Sudamericana - Light | Cesário Fórmula | 18 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 244 | 1st |
| 2000 | Formula 3 Sudamericana | Cesário F3 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 228 | 2nd |
| 2001 | German Formula 3 Championship | Swiss Racing Team | 20 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 116 | 7th |
| 2001 | Masters of Formula 3 | Swiss Racing Team | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 13th |
| 2001 | Korea Super Prix | Swiss Racing Team | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 18th |
| 2001 | FIA European Formula Three Cup | Swiss Racing Team | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | NC |
| 2001 | Macau Grand Prix | Swiss Racing Team | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | NC |
| 2001 | Formula 3 Sudamericana | Cesário Fórmula | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0† | NC† |
| 2002 | German Formula 3 Championship | Team Kolles Racing | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 12th |
| 2002 | German Formula 3 Championship | JB Motorsport | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 12th |
| 2002 | Masters of Formula 3 | JB Motorsport | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 16th |
| 2003 | German Formula 3 Championship | JB Motorsport | 16 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 329 | 1st |
| 2003 | Austria Formula 3 Cup | JB Motorsport | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 9th |
| 2003 | Masters of Formula 3 | JB Motorsport | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 12th |
| 2003 | British Formula 3 Championship | Alan Docking Racing | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2004 | Japanese Formula 3 Championship | Dome Project | 19 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 211 | 2nd |
| 2005 | Japanese Formula 3 Championship | TOM'S | 20 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 300 | 1st |
| 2005 | Macau Grand Prix | TOM'S | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 4th |
| 2006 | Super GT - GT500 | Hasemi Motorsport | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 15th |
| 2006 | Formula Nippon | 5Zigen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2007 | Super GT - GT500 | Kondo Racing | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 10th |
| 2007 | Formula Nippon | Kondo Racing | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 8th |
| 2008 | Super GT - GT500 | Kondo Racing | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 14th |
| 2008 | Formula Nippon | Kondo Racing | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 6th |
| 2009 | Super GT - GT500 | Kondo Racing | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 48 | 8th |
| 2009 | World Touring Car Championship | SUNRED | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2010 | Super GT - GT500 | Kondo Racing | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 32 | 10th |
| 2010 | Formula Nippon | Team Impul | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 47.5 | 1st |
| 2011 | Super GT - GT500 | Team Impul | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 49 | 5th |
| 2011 | Formula Nippon | Team Impul | 7 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 28 | 3rd |
| 2011 | IndyCar Series | Conquest Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 44th |
| 2012 | Super GT - GT500 | Team Impul | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 45 | 4th |
| 2012 | Formula Nippon | Team Impul | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 34.5 | 5th |
| 2013 | Super GT - GT500 | Team Impul | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 9th |
| 2013 | Super Formula | Team Impul | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 5th |
| 2014 | Super GT - GT500 | Team Impul | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 60 | 6th |
| 2014 | Super Formula | Team Impul | 9 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 39.5 | 2nd |
| 2015 | Super GT - GT500 | Team Impul | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 74 | 2nd |
| 2015 | Super Formula | Team Impul | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 34 | 4th |
| 2016 | Super GT - GT500 | Team Impul | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 8th |
| 2016 | Super Formula | Team Impul | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15.5 | 7th |
| 2017 | Super GT - GT500 | Kondo Racing | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 16th |
| 2018 | Super GT - GT500 | Kondō Racing | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 14th |
| 2018 | Super Formula | Vantelin Team TOM'S | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23rd |
| 2018 | Stock Car Brasil | Eurofarma RC | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | NC† |
| 2019 | Super GT - GT300 | D'station Racing AMR | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2019 | World Touring Car Cup | KCMG | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | NC† |
| 2019 | Intercontinental GT Challenge | KCMG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2019 | 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 | KCMG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
| 2020 | Super GT - GT300 | Kondo Racing | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 71 | 1st |
| 2020 | Super Taikyu - ST-Z | SS/YZ Studie | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 84‡ | 4th‡ |
| 2021 | Super GT - GT300 | Kondo Racing | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 55 | 2nd |
| 2021 | Super Taikyu - ST-Z | SS/YZ Racing with Studie | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 74‡ | 4th‡ |
| 2022 | Super GT - GT300 | Kondo Racing | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 52 | 1st |
| 2023 | Super GT - GT300 | Kondō Racing | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 3rd |
| 2023 | FIA World Endurance Championship - Hypercar | Floyd Vanwall Racing Team | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22nd |
| 2024 | Super GT - GT300 | Kondo Racing | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 32 | 7th |
| 2024 | GT World Challenge Asia | Craft-Bamboo Racing | 2 | 0 | 0 | ? | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2024 | Super Taikyu - ST-X | Craft-Bamboo Racing | 1 | | | | | | |
| 2025 | Super GT - GT300 | Kondo Racing | | | | | | | |
$^†$ As de Oliveira was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points. As de Oliveira was a wildcard entry in the WTCR, he was not eligible for points. ‡ Team standings.

### Complete Formula Nippon / Super Formula results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | DC | Points |
| 2006 | Team 5Zigen | Honda | FUJ | SUZ | MOT | SUZ | AUT | FUJ | SUG | MOT | SUZ 8 | | | NC | 0 |
| 2007 | Kondo Racing | Toyota | FUJ Ret | SUZ 14 | MOT 8 | OKA 4 | SUZ 7 | FUJ 6 | SUG Ret | MOT 8 | SUZ 3 | | | 8th | 18 |
| 2008 | Kondo Racing | Toyota | FUJ Ret | SUZ Ret | MOT 9 | OKA 11 | SUZ 4 | SUZ 5 | MOT 3 | MOT 3 | FUJ 1 | FUJ 8 | SUG 6 | 6th | 33 |
| 2010 | Team Impul | Toyota | SUZ 2 | MOT 1 | FUJ 3 | MOT 6 | SUG 11 | AUT 2 | SUZ 4 | SUZ 1 | | | | 1st | 47.5 |
| 2011 | Team Impul | Toyota | SUZ 6 | AUT 4 | FUJ 4 | MOT 1 | SUZ C | SUG DSQ | MOT 9 | MOT 3 | | | | 3rd | 28 |
| 2012 | Team Impul | Toyota | SUZ 3 | MOT 2 | AUT Ret | FUJ 6 | MOT 1 | SUG 6 | SUZ 4 | SUZ Ret | | | | 5th | 34.5 |
| 2013 | Lenovo Team Impul | Toyota | SUZ 6 | AUT 4 | FUJ 6 | MOT 4 | SUG Ret | SUZ 3 | SUZ 17 | | | | | 5th | 19 |
| 2014 | Lenovo Team Impul | Toyota | SUZ 7 | FUJ 1 | FUJ 2 | FUJ 14 | MOT 1 | AUT 3 | SUG Ret | SUZ 1 | SUZ 4 | | | 2nd | 39.5 |
| 2015 | Lenovo Team Impul | Toyota | SUZ 4 | OKA 5 | FUJ 1 | MOT 3 | AUT 5 | SUG 7 | SUZ Ret | SUZ 3 | | | | 4th | 34 |
| 2016 | Itochu Enex Team Impul | Toyota | SUZ 10 | OKA 19 | FUJ 1 | MOT Ret | OKA 8 | OKA 5 | SUG Ret | SUZ 8 | SUZ 4 | | | 7th | 15.5 |
| 2018 | Vantelin Team TOM'S | Toyota | SUZ | AUT | SUG | FUJ | MOT 18 | OKA | SUZ | | | | | 23rd | 0 |

### Complete Super GT results

(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 | 9 | DC | Points |
| 2006 | Hasemi Motorsport | Nissan Z | GT500 | SUZ 9 | OKA 4 | FUJ 12 | SEP 7 | SUG 13 | SUZ 8 | MOT 11 | AUT 8 | FUJ 8 | 15th | 32 |
| 2007 | Kondo Racing | Nissan Z | GT500 | SUZ Ret | OKA 15 | FUJ Ret | SEP 1 | SUG 10 | SUZ 10 | MOT 5 | AUT Ret | FUJ 5 | 10th | 34 |
| 2008 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R | GT500 | SUZ 5 | OKA 8 | FUJ 11 | SEP 1 | SUG 8 | SUZ 7 | MOT 14 | AUT 16 | FUJ 15 | 14th | 34 |
| 2009 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R | GT500 | OKA 1 | SUZ 8 | FUJ 4 | SEP 5 | SUG 13 | SUZ 11 | FUJ 13 | AUT 3 | MOT 11 | 8th | 48 |
| 2010 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R | GT500 | SUZ 1 | OKA 12 | FUJ 8 | SEP 9 | SUG 5 | SUZ Ret | FUJ C | MOT 10 | | 10th | 32 |
| 2011 | Team Impul | Nissan GT-R | GT500 | OKA 1 | FUJ 14 | SEP 15 | SUG 13 | SUZ 3 | FUJ 2 | AUT 10 | MOT 9 | | 5th | 49 |
| 2012 | Team Impul | Nissan GT-R | GT500 | OKA 10 | FUJ 5 | SEP 5 | SUG Ret | SUZ 4 | FUJ 1 | AUT 10 | MOT 10 | | 4th | 45 |
| 2013 | Team Impul | Nissan GT-R | GT500 | OKA 6 | FUJ 5 | SEP 1 | SUG Ret | SUZ 4 | FUJ 6 | AUT Ret | MOT 13 | | 9th | 46 |
| 2014 | Team Impul | Nissan GT-R | GT500 | OKA 3 | FUJ 1 | AUT 3 | SUG 9 | FUJ 8 | SUZ 10 | BUR 3 | MOT 13 | | 6th | 60 |
| 2015 | Team Impul | Nissan GT-R | GT500 | OKA 7 | FUJ 2 | CHA 4 | FUJ 3 | SUZ 3 | SUG 11 | AUT 2 | MOT 4 | | 2nd | 74 |
| 2016 | Team Impul | Nissan GT-R | GT500 | OKA 5 | FUJ 11 | SUG Ret | FUJ 1 | SUZ Ret | CHA 4 | MOT 7 | MOT 8 | | 8th | 43 |
| 2017 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R | GT500 | OKA 10 | FUJ 12 | AUT 9 | SUG Ret | FUJ 13 | SUZ 5 | CHA Ret | MOT 12 | | 16th | 12 |
| 2018 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R | GT500 | OKA 6 | FUJ 13 | SUZ 9 | CHA Ret | FUJ 6 | SUG 6 | AUT 7 | MOT 10 | | 14th | 23 |
| 2019 | D'station Racing AMR | Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 | GT300 | OKA Ret | FUJ 27 | SUZ Ret | CHA 19 | FUJ 11 | AUT 18 | SUG 24 | MOT 17 | | NC | 0 |
| 2020 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | GT300 | FUJ 4 | FUJ 5 | SUZ 9 | MOT 20 | FUJ 1 | SUZ 16 | MOT 1 | FUJ 2 | | 1st | 71 |
| 2021 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | GT300 | OKA 1 | FUJ 7 | SUZ 26 | MOT 8 | SUG 3 | AUT 11 | MOT 3 | FUJ 5 | | 2nd | 55 |
| 2022 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | GT300 | OKA 1 | FUJ 7‡ | SUZ 3 | FUJ 6 | SUZ 13 | SUG 4 | AUT 5 | MOT 19 | | 1st | 52 |
| 2023 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | GT300 | OKA 10 | FUJ 1 | SUZ 4 | FUJ 4 | SUZ Ret | SUG 10 | AUT 5 | MOT 6 | | 3rd | 50 |
| 2024 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | GT300 | OKA 15 | FUJ 2 | SUZ 16 | FUJ 3 | SUG 11 | AUT 12 | MOT 8 | SUZ Ret | | 7th | 32 |
| 2025 | Kondo Racing | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | GT300 | OKA | FUJ | SEP | FUJ | SUZ | SUG | AUT | MOT | | | |
$^‡$ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.

### Complete World Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | DC | Points |
| 2009 | SUNRED Engineering | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | BRA 1 | BRA 2 | MEX 1 | MEX 2 | MAR 1 | MAR 2 | FRA 1 | FRA 2 | ESP 1 | ESP 2 | CZE 1 | CZE 2 | POR 1 | POR 2 | GBR 1 | GBR 2 | GER 1 | GER 2 | ITA 1 | ITA 2 | JPN 1 23 | JPN 2 19 | MAC 1 | MAC 2 | NC | 0 |

### American open–wheel racing results

(key)

#### IndyCar Series

| Year | Team | Chassis | No. | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Rank | Points | Ref |
| 2011 | Conquest Racing | Dallara | 34 | Honda | STP | ALA | LBH | SAO | INDY | TXS | TXS | MIL | IOW | TOR | EDM | MDO | NHM | SNM | BAL | MOT 26 | KTY | LVS | 44th | 10 | |

### Complete World Touring Car Cup results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | DC | Points |
| 2019 | KCMG | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | MAR 1 | MAR 2 | MAR 3 | HUN 1 | HUN 2 | HUN 3 | SVK 1 | SVK 2 | SVK 3 | NED 1 | NED 2 | NED 3 | GER 1 | GER 2 | GER 3 | POR 1 | POR 2 | POR 3 | CHN 1 | CHN 2 | CHN 3 | JPN 1 | JPN 2 | JPN 3 | MAC 1 | MAC 2 | MAC 3 | MAL 1 5 | MAL 2 18 | MAL 3 Ret | NC‡ | 0‡ |
$^‡$ As de Oliveira was a Wildcard entry, he was ineligible to score points.

### Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Rank | Points |
| 2023 | Floyd Vanwall Racing Team | Hypercar | Vanwall Vandervell 680 | Gibson GL458 4.5 L V8 | SEB | ALG | SPA | LMS | MNZ 12 | FUJ 11 | BHR | 22nd | 0 |