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Yuya Motojima

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Yūya Motojima
Motojima competing at Suzuka in 2022
NationalityJapan Japanese
Born (1991-04-10) 10 April 1991 (age 33)
Nakama, Fukuoka, Japan
Super GT - GT300 career
Debut season2016
Current teamJLOC
Racing licence FIA Silver
Car number88
Former teamsTeam Taisan SARD, D'station Racing
Starts67
Wins5
Podiums11
Poles2
Best finish1st in 2024
Previous series
2019–20
2014–15
2013–18, 2022–
201011
Asian Le Mans Series
Porsche Carrera Cup Japan
TGR GR86/BRZ Cup
Formula Challenge Japan
Championship titles
2024
2016
2015
2015
Super GT - GT300
Super Taikyū - ST-4
Super Taikyū - ST-X
Porsche Carrera Cup Japan

Yūya Motojima (元嶋佑弥, Motojima Yūya, born 10 April 1991) is a Japanese racing driver who currently competes in Super GT for JLOC and in the Super Taikyū Series for TKRI.[1] He is the reigning champion of Super GT's GT300 class alongside longtime teammate Takashi Kogure, as well as a two-time class champion in Super Taikyū and the 2015 Porsche Carrera Cup Japan champion.[2][3]

Career

[edit]

After graduating from the Honda-operated Suzuka Circuit Racing School [ja] and receiving the manufacturer's SRS-Formula scholarship in 2009, Motojima made his formula racing debut in the 2010 Formula Challenge Japan alongside fellow scholarship awardees Kazuki Hiramine and Shinji Nakamura.[4] After a relatively consistent debut season where he claimed a win at Fuji, finishing fourth in the championship, Motojima remained in the championship for the 2011 season. Although he repeated his Fuji success with a pole-to-win run, Motojima would drop to sixth in the standings and would lose Honda backing at the end of 2011.

Faced with budget struggles after losing manufacturer backing, Motojima moved to race in the local Autopolis series of the entry-level Super FJ class. His domination granted him eligibility to contest the year-ending All-Japan final race at Suzuka, where he would triumph over the likes of Kenta Yamashita despite having to crowdfund his way to the grid.[5]

After spending 2013 in the Toyota-operated 86/BRZ Race one-make series, Motojima shifted to sports car racing, stepping up to the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan with a scholarship for the series.[6]

Personal life

[edit]

Born in Nakama in Fukuoka Prefecture, Motojima now lives in Nagoya.[7] His younger brother Seiya is also a racing driver.[8]

Racing record

[edit]

Career summary

[edit]
Season Series Team Races Wins Poles FLaps Podiums Points Position
2010 Formula Challenge Japan HFDP/SRS Scholarship/Kotira R 12 1 0 2 2 32 4th
2011 Formula Challenge Japan HFDP/SRS Scholarship/Kotira R 13 1 1 3 3 35 6th
2012 Super FJ Kyushu Series MYST [ja] 4 3 4 2 4 75 1st
Super FJ - All-Japan Masters Race 1 1 1 0 1 N/A 1st
2013 GAZOO Racing 86/BRZ Race KOTA-R Rn-sports 7 0 0 0 1 26.5 9th
JAF Formula 4 - East Series Satou Seisakusho EKC MYST [ja] 1 1 1 1 1 20 8th
2014 Porsche Carrera Cup Japan GARMIN PORSCHE 3 4th
GAZOO Racing 86/BRZ Race KOTA-R Rn-sports 10 0 0 0 1 40 10th
Formula Masters China Super License 5 0 0 0 3 37 12th
2015 Super Taikyū - ST-X Endless Sports 6 3 1 5 108‡ 1st‡
Porsche Carrera Cup Japan GARMIN PORSCHE 9 9 7 9 9 180 1st
GAZOO Racing 86/BRZ Race GY Racing 7 1 0 0 1 24 12th
2016 Super GT - GT300 Team Taisan SARD 7 0 0 0 0 12 17th
TGR 86/BRZ Race GY Racing 8 0 0 0 1 42 6th
Super Taikyū - ST-4 Endless Sports 5 3 2 1 5 132‡ 1st‡
2017 Super Taikyū - ST-X Endless Sports 6 0 0 0 4 71‡ 4th‡
Super GT - GT300 D'station Racing 4 0 0 0 1 24 12th
TGR 86/BRZ Race GY Racing 7 0 0 0 0 12 16th
Japanese Formula 3 Championship - National Hanashima Racing 2 2 2 2 2 24 8th
2018 Super GT - GT300 JLOC 7 0 0 0 1 29 11th
Intercontinental GT Challenge 1 0 0 0 0 N/A NC
TGR 86/BRZ Race BRIDE 2 0 0 0 0 4 22nd
2019 Super GT - GT300 JLOC 8 0 0 0 2 36.5 7th
Super Taikyū - ST-X SATO-SS Sports 3 0 0 0 2 65‡ 5th‡
2019–20 Asian Le Mans Series - GT JLOC 4 1 0 2 61 3rd
2020 Super GT - GT300 JLOC 8 0 0 0 1 20 13th
Super Taikyū - ST-Z TKRI 4 0 0 1 0 26‡ 7th‡
Super Taikyū - ST-X D'station Racing 1 0 1 0 0 81‡ 1st‡
2021 Super GT - GT300 JLOC 8 0 0 0 1 34 8th
Super Taikyū - ST-Z TKRI 5 1 0 1 1 41‡ 9th‡
Super Taikyū - ST-X MP Racing 1 0 0 0 0 41‡ 6th‡
2022 Super GT - GT300 JLOC 8 0 0 0 0 25 13th
Super Taikyū - ST-X TKRI 6 0 0 2 3 86.5‡ 5th‡
TGR GR86/BRZ Cup DTEC Team MASTER ONE 6 0 0 0 0 16 14th
2023 Super GT - GT300 JLOC 8 1 0 1 1 40 7th
Super Taikyū - ST-X TKRI 6 1 0 0 5 113‡ 4th‡
TGR GR86/BRZ Cup DTEC Team MASTER ONE 7 0 0 1 1 29 8th
2024 Super GT - GT300 JLOC 8 4 2 0 4 96 1st
Super Taikyū - ST-X TKRI 7 0 0 0 5 125‡ 3rd‡
TGR GR86/BRZ Cup DTEC Team MASTER ONE 8 0 0 0 0 2 18th
Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia - Pro Promotion Racing 2 0 1 0 0 N/A NC†

‡ Team standings.

Complete Super GT results

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(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 Pos. Points
2016 Team Taisan SARD Audi R8 LMS ultra GT300 OKA
20
FSW
15
SUG
19
FSW
8
SUZ
20
CHA
WD
MOT
6
MOT
7
17th 12
2017 JLOC Lamborghini Huracán GT3 GT300 OKA FSW
4
AUT SUZ
3
CHA MOT 13th 21
D'station Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (991) SUG
15
FSW
8
2018 JLOC Lamborghini Huracán GT3 GT300 OKA
12
FSW
16
SUZ
12
CHA
5
FSW
Ret
SUG
13
AUT
2
MOT
4
11th 29
2019 GT300 OKA
10
FSW
3
SUZ
19
CHA
5
FSW
5
7th 36.5
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO AUT
3
SUG
20
MOT
11
2020 GT300 FSW
25
FSW
15
SUZ
27
MOT
2
FSW
6
SUZ
13
MOT
Ret
FSW
Ret
13th 20
2021 GT300 OKA
9
FSW
6
MOT
24
SUZ
2
SUG
7
AUT
12
MOT
4
FSW
23
8th 34
2022 GT300 OKA
17
FSW
5
SUZ
5
FSW
9
SUZ
17
SUG
13
AUT
4
MOT
5
13th 25
2023 GT300 OKA
24
FSW
6
SUZ
21
7th 40
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 FSW
8
SUZ
4
SUG
14
AUT
7
MOT
1
2024 GT300 OKA
8
FSW
11
SUZ
20
FSW
5
SUG
10
AUT
1
MOT
1
SUZ
11
1st 96

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Profile". 元嶋佑弥 OFFICIAL WEBSITE. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  2. ^ "JLOCが30年目で悲願の初戴冠。元嶋の快走と小暮のオーバーテイクで逆転王者に輝く【最終戦GT300決勝レポート】". auto sport web (in Japanese). 8 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  3. ^ O'Connell, RJ (8 December 2024). "TOM'S & JLOC Crowned SUPER GT Champions In Suzuka". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  4. ^ "2009年度 SRS-F(鈴鹿サーキットレーシングスクール フォーミュラ)スカラシップ決定のご案内" [2009 SRS-F (Suzuka Circuit Racing School Formula Scholarship) decision announcement] (PDF). Honda Mobilityland (in Japanese). 10 September 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  5. ^ "元嶋佑弥スーパーFJ日本一決定戦参戦支援プロジェクト". CAMPFIRE (in Japanese). 28 October 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  6. ^ "PCCJ、今季スカラシップに元嶋佑弥を選出" [PCCJ: this season's scholarship awarded to Yuya Motojima]. auto sport web. Porsche Japan, Ltd. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  7. ^ "元嶋 佑弥". minkara (in Japanese). 17 February 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  8. ^ "〜元嶋 成弥 選手〜のお話。". Ameba (in Japanese). 2 March 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
[edit]
Sporting positions
Preceded by Super GT
GT300 Champion

2024
With: Takashi Kogure
Succeeded by
TBD