# Kohei Hirate

Kohei Hirate (平手 晃平, Hirate Kōhei, born 24 March 1986 in Komaki, Aichi) is a Japanese race car driver. Hirate has won the Super GT series twice.

## Career

Hirate began karting in 1999 when he was 13. After winning the All Japan Junior Kart Championship, coming third and fifth in the All Japan Kart Championship and coming third in the FIA Oceania Championship, he moved on to Formula Toyota, where he raced for the Tom's Spirit team and came second with four wins to his name.
In 2003, he moved to Formula Renault, at the Prema Power team. In his two-year spell here he won 7 races and came second in the 2004 season. In 2004 he also raced for Prema Power's Formula Three Euroseries team twice, and in 2005 made the decision to race here. After coming twelfth for Team Rosberg, he was made a Toyota F1 test driver in 2006 and came third in the Formula Three Euroseries. In 2007 he continued as a Toyota test driver and also drove for GP2 team Trident Racing.
Hirate returned to Japan in 2008, where he competed in both Formula Nippon and Super GT. He finished fourth in the 2008 Formula Nippon season and fifth in 2009, both times driving for Team Impul.

## Racing record
### Career summary

| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
| 2002 | Formula Toyota | TOM'S Spirit | ? | 4 | 2 | ? | ? | ? | 2nd |
| 2003 | Formula Renault 2000 Italia | Prema Powerteam | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 113 | 8th |
| 2003 | Formula Renault 2000 Masters | Prema Powerteam | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 21st |
| 2003 | Formula Renault 2000 Germany | Franken Racing | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 24th |
| 2003 | Formula Renault 2000 Netherlands | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 15 | 21st |
| 2004 | Formula 3 Euro Series | Prema Powerteam | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28th |
| 2004 | Bahrain Superprix | Prema Powerteam | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 12th |
| 2004 | Formula Renault 2000 Italia | Prema Powerteam | 15 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 266 | 2nd |
| 2004 | Formula Renault 2000 Germany | Prema Powerteam | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 25th |
| 2004 | Asian Formula Renault Challenge | Asia Racing Team | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2005 | Formula 3 Euro Series | Team Rosberg | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 11th |
| 2005 | Masters of Formula 3 | Team Rosberg | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 5th |
| 2005 | Macau Grand Prix | Team Rosberg | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | NC |
| 2006 | Formula 3 Euro Series | Manor Motorsport | 20 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 61 | 3rd |
| 2006 | Masters of Formula 3 | Manor Motorsport | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 4th |
| 2006 | Macau Grand Prix | Manor Motorsport | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 27th |
| 2006 | Formula One | Panasonic Toyota Racing | Test driver | Test driver | Test driver | Test driver | Test driver | Test driver | Test driver |
| 2007 | GP2 Series | Trident Racing | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 19th |
| 2007 | Formula One | Panasonic Toyota Racing | Test driver | Test driver | Test driver | Test driver | Test driver | Test driver | Test driver |
| 2008 | Formula Nippon | Team Impul | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 42 | 4th |
| 2008 | Super GT - GT300 | apr | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 15th |
| 2009 | Formula Nippon | Team Impul | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 32 | 5th |
| 2009 | Super GT - GT500 | Lexus Team SARD | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 14th |
| 2010 | Formula Nippon | Team Impul | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25.5 | 5th |
| 2010 | Super GT - GT500 | Lexus Team SARD | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 12th |
| 2011 | Formula Nippon | Team Impul | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 8th |
| 2011 | Super GT - GT500 | Lexus Team Cerumo | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 6th |
| 2012 | Formula Nippon | Project μ/cerumo・INGING | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 9th |
| 2012 | Super GT - GT500 | Lexus Team Cerumo | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 74 | 2nd |
| 2013 | Super Formula | P.mu/cerumo・INGING | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 9th |
| 2013 | Super GT - GT500 | Lexus Team Cerumo | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 69 | 1st |
| 2014 | Super GT - GT500 | Lexus Team Cerumo | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 8th |
| 2015 | Super GT - GT500 | Lexus Team SARD | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 13th |
| 2016 | Super GT - GT500 | Lexus Team SARD | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 82 | 1st |
| 2017 | Super GT - GT500 | Lexus Team SARD | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 44 | 8th |
| 2018 | Super GT - GT300 | apr | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 61 | 3rd |
| 2018 | Suzuka 10 Hours | ARN Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 16th |
| 2019 | Super GT - GT500 | NDDP Racing with B-Max | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 6th |
| 2020 | Super GT - GT500 | NDDP Racing with B-Max | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 13th |
| 2021 | Super GT - GT500 | NDDP Racing with B-Max | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 10th |
| 2022 | Super GT - GT500 | Kondo Racing | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 30.5 | 9th |
| 2022 | Super Taikyu - ST-Q | NISMO | | | | | | | |
| 2023 | Super GT - GT500 | Kondo Racing | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 16th |
| 2023 | Super Taikyu - ST-Q | NISMO | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | N/A‡ | NC‡ |
| 2024 | Super GT - GT300 | HELM Motorsports | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20th |
| 2024 | Super Taikyu - ST-Q | NISMO | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | N/A‡ | NC‡ |
| 2025 | Super GT - GT300 | Kondo Racing | | | | | | | |
* * Season still in progress.

### Complete Formula 3 Euro Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Pts |
| 2005 | Team Rosberg | Opel | HOC 1 12 | HOC 2 11 | PAU 1 10 | PAU 2 16 | SPA 1 5 | SPA 2 4 | MON 1 16 | MON 2 Ret | OSC 1 Ret | OSC 2 9 | NOR 1 Ret | NOR 2 Ret | NÜR 1 3 | NÜR 2 7 | ZAN 1 Ret | ZAN 2 DSQ | LAU 1 17 | LAU 2 8 | HOC 1 12 | HOC 2 10 | 12th | 18 |
| 2006 | Manor Motorsport | Mercedes | HOC 1 1 | HOC 2 4 | LAU 1 18 | LAU 2 11 | OSC 1 4 | OSC 2 2 | BRH 1 DNS | BRH 2 17 | NOR 1 4 | NOR 2 Ret | NÜR 1 5 | NÜR 2 Ret | ZAN 1 3 | ZAN 2 13 | CAT 1 2 | CAT 2 4 | LMS 1 5 | LMS 2 3 | HOC 1 5 | HOC 2 7 | 3rd | 61 |

### Complete GP2 Series 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 | 19 | 20 | 21 | DC | Points |
| 2007 | Trident Racing | BHR FEA 18 | BHR SPR Ret | CAT FEA 13 | CAT SPR 10 | MON FEA 12 | MAG FEA Ret | MAG SPR 11 | SIL FEA 18 | SIL SPR Ret | NÜR FEA 5 | NÜR SPR 2 | HUN FEA 11 | HUN SPR 10 | IST FEA Ret | IST SPR Ret | MNZ FEA Ret | MNZ SPR 10 | SPA FEA Ret | SPA SPR 13 | VAL FEA Ret | VAL SPR 16 | 19th | 9 |

### 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 |
| 2008 | Team Impul | Toyota | FUJ Ret | SUZ 2 | MOT 6 | OKA 3 | SUZ1 5 | SUZ2 1 | MOT1 Ret | MOT2 DNS | FUJ1 | FUJ2 | SUG 5 | 4th | 42 |
| 2009 | Team Impul | Toyota | FUJ 3 | SUZ 4 | MOT Ret | FUJ 5 | SUZ 5 | MOT 8 | AUT 4 | SUG 3 | | | | 5th | 32 |
| 2010 | Team Impul | Toyota | SUZ 4 | MOT 7 | FUJ 1 | MOT 3 | SUG 12 | AUT 8 | SUZ1 9 | SUZ2 6 | | | | 5th | 25.5 |
| 2011 | Team Impul | Toyota | SUZ 9 | AUT 8 | FUJ 2 | MOT 5 | SUZ C | SUG 8 | MOT1 7 | MOT2 Ret | | | | 8th | 15 |
| 2012 | P.mu/cerumo・INGING | Toyota | SUZ 10 | MOT NC | AUT 7 | FUJ 7 | MOT 8 | SUG 8 | SUZ1 9 | SUZ2 5 | | | | 9th | 8 |
| 2013 | P.mu/cerumo・INGING | Toyota | SUZ 12 | AUT Ret | FUJ 2 | MOT 15 | SUG Ret | SUZ1 5 | SUZ2 7 | | | | | 9th | 11 |

### Complete Super GT results

| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | DC | Pts |
| 2008 | apr | Toyota MR-S | GT300 | SUZ 13 | OKA 12 | FUJ 1 | SEP 9 | SUG 6 | SUZ | MOT | AUT 9 | FUJ Ret | 15th | 33 |
| 2009 | Lexus Team SARD | Lexus SC430 | GT500 | OKA 15 | SUZ 10 | FUJ 10 | SEP 13 | SUG 2 | SUZ 7 | FUJ 11 | AUT 12 | MOT 5 | 14th | 27 |
| 2010 | Lexus Team SARD | Lexus SC430 | GT500 | SUZ 5 | OKA 10 | FUJ Ret | SEP 10 | SUG 10 | SUZ 8 | FUJ C | MOT 11 | | 12th | 12 |
| 2011 | Lexus Team Cerumo | Lexus SC430 | GT500 | OKA 8 | FUJ 5 | SEP 5 | SUG 11 | SUZ 14 | FUJ 1 | AUT 3 | MOT 10 | | 6th | 47 |
| 2012 | Lexus Team Cerumo | Lexus SC430 | GT500 | OKA 1 | FUJ 8 | SEP 2 | SUG 5 | SUZ 9 | FUJ 8 | AUT 7 | MOT 1 | | 2nd | 74 |
| 2013 | Lexus Team Cerumo | Lexus SC430 | GT500 | OKA 4 | FUJ 2 | SEP 14 | SUG 11 | SUZ 11 | FUJ 1 | AUT 2 | MOT 3 | | 1st | 69 |
| 2014 | Lexus Team Cerumo | Lexus RC F | GT500 | OKA 14 | FUJ 2 | AUT 12 | SUG 1 | FUJ 14 | SUZ 8 | BUR 11 | MOT 7 | | 8th | 43 |
| 2015 | Lexus Team SARD | Lexus RC F | GT500 | OKA 5 | FUJ 5 | CHA 7 | FUJ 9 | SUZ 11 | SUG Ret | AUT 13 | MOT 6 | | 13th | 23 |
| 2016 | Lexus Team SARD | Lexus RC F | GT500 | OKA 7 | FUJ 2 | SUG 2 | FUJ 8 | SUZ 8 | CHA 7 | MOT 2 | MOT 1 | | 1st | 82 |
| 2017 | Lexus Team SARD | Lexus LC500 | GT500 | OKA 3 | FUJ 7 | AUT 14 | SUG 1 | SUZ 10 | FUJ 13 | CHA 6 | MOT 8 | | 8th | 44 |
| 2018 | apr | Toyota Prius | GT300 | OKA Ret | FUJ 2 | SUZ 9 | CHA 2 | FUJ 3 | SUG 25 | AUT 10 | MOT 2 | | 3rd | 61 |
| 2019 | NDDP Racing | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT500 | GT500 | OKA 4‡ | FUJ 6 | SUZ 9 | CHA 6 | FUJ 11 | AUT 11 | SUG 1 | MOT DNS | | 9th | 36 |
| 2020 | NDDP Racing | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT500 | GT500 | FUJ 7 | FUJ 8 | SUZ 6 | MOT 7 | FUJ Ret | SUZ 4 | MOT 15 | FUJ 6 | | 13th | 29 |
| 2021 | NDDP Racing | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT500 | GT500 | OKA 9 | FUJ 5 | SUZ 6 | MOT 2 | SUG Ret | AUT 4 | MOT 14 | FUJ 8 | | 10th | 39 |
| 2022 | Kondo Racing | Nissan Z GT500 | GT500 | OKA 14 | FUJ 8 | SUZ 6 | FUJ 3 | SUZ 10 | SUG 14 | AUT 3 | MOT Ret | | 9th | 30.5 |
| 2023 | Kondo Racing | Nissan Z GT500 | GT500 | OKA 14 | FUJ 15 | SUZ 8 | FUJ 10 | SUZ 13 | SUG 5 | AUT 12 | MOT 14 | | 16th | 11 |
| 2024 | HELM Motorsports | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | GT300 | OKA 18 | FUJ 10 | SUZ 11 | FUJ 13 | SUG 13 | AUT 17 | MOT 17 | SUZ 16 | | 20th | 1 |
| 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. $^*$ Season still in progress.