# Rikuto Kobayashi

Rikuto Kobayashi (小林利徠斗, Kobayashi Rikuto, born 1 July 2005) is a Japanese racing driver and sim racer currently competing in Super Formula Lights and Super GT. A member of the TGR Driver Challenge Program, Kobayashi won the F4 Japanese Championship in 2023.

## 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 He ended up finish 6th in the standings. He continued to compete for the 2023 season, and he won the title ahead of Jin Nakamura and Yusuke Mitsui. On 30 May 2023, Toyota Gazoo Racing announced that Kobayashi took part in 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.

### Super Formula Lights

Following his Formula 4 championship victory, Kobayashi stepped up to Super Formula Lights with TOM'S alongside Jin Nakamura. He managed to be the runner-up in the season, only lose out to the eventual champion Syun Koide, but he beats Seita Nonaka. Kobayashi stayed for another season with TOM'S.

### 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. He was planned to Saitama Green Brave as the team's third driver for 2025 season, but he was announced to compete with the new team, CarGuy MKS Racing which will race with Ferrari 296 GT3 alongside Zak O'Sullivan.

### Esports career

For 2021, Kobayashi raced in TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT Cup where he claimed 3rd in the series. He also competed in Gran Turismo World Series Showdown. He is also part of the Virtual Drivers by TX3 eSport Team, on the Gran Turismo roster.

## Racing record
### Career summary

| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | FLaps | Podiums | Points | Position |
| 2022 | F4 Japanese Championship | TGR-DC Racing School | 14 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 120 | 6th |
| 2023 | F4 Japanese Championship | TGR-DC Racing School | 14 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 221 | 1st |
| 2024 | Super Formula Lights | TOM'S | 18 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 86 | 2nd |
| 2024 | Super GT - GT300 | apr | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2024 | TGR GR86/BRZ Cup | Nine with ARN RACING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2024 | Macau Grand Prix | TOM'S Formula | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 12th |
| 2024 | Super Taikyu - ST-2 | KTMS | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 124‡ | 1st‡ |
| 2025 | Super Formula Lights | TOM'S | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 3rd* |
| 2025 | Super GT - GT300 | CarGuy MKS Racing | | | | | | | |
| 2025 | Super Taikyu - ST-X | apr | | | | | | ‡ | ‡ |
$^*$ Season still in progress. ‡ Team standings

### Complete F4 Japanese Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | DC | Points |
| 2022 | TGR-DC Racing School | FUJ1 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 | 6th | 120 |
| 2023 | TGR-DC Racing School | FUJ1 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 | 1st | 221 |

### 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 | DC | Points |
| 2024 | apr | Toyota GR86 GT300 | GT300 | OKA 23 | FUJ 22 | SUZ 19 | FUJ 18 | SUG 21 | AUT 19 | MOT 19 | SUZ 20 | NC | 0 |
| 2025 | CarGuy MKS Racing | Ferrari 296 GT3 | GT300 | OKA | FUJ | SEP | FUJ | SUZ | SUG | AUT | MOT | | |

### Complete Super Formula Lights results

(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 | 18 | Pos | Points |
| 2024 | TOM'S | AUT 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 | 2nd | 86 |
| 2025 | TOM'S | SUZ 1 3 | SUZ 2 Red | SUZ 3 3 | AUT 1 | AUT 2 | AUT 3 | OKA 1 | OKA 2 | OKA 3 | SUG 1 | SUG 2 | SUG 3 | FUJ 1 | FUJ 2 | FUJ 3 | MOT 1 | MOT 2 | MOT 3 | 3rd* | 10 |
$^*$ Season still in progress.

### Complete Macau Grand Prix results

| Year | Team | Car | Qualifying | Quali Race | Main race |
| 2024 | TOM'S Formula | Tatuus F3 T-318 | 23rd | 21st | 12th |