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]
| Yūya Motojima | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Motojima competing at Suzuka in 2022 | |
| Nationality |  Japanese |
| Born | 10 April 1991 Nakama, Fukuoka, Japan |
| Super GT - GT300 career | |
| Debut season | 2016 |
| Current team | JLOC |
| Racing licence |  FIA Silver |
| Car number | 88 |
| Former teams | Team Taisan SARD, D'station Racing |
| Starts | 67 |
| Wins | 5 |
| Podiums | 11 |
| Poles | 2 |
| Best finish | 1st in 2024 |
| Previous series | |
| 2019–20 2014–15 2013–18, 2022– 2010–11 | 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 |
Career
editAfter graduating from the Honda-operated Suzuka Circuit Racing School 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
editBorn in Nakama in Fukuoka Prefecture, Motojima now lives in Nagoya.[7] His younger brother Seiya is also a racing driver.[8]
Racing record
editCareer 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 | 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 | 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
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 | 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- ^ "Profile". 元嶋佑弥 OFFICIAL WEBSITE. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ "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.
- ^ O'Connell, RJ (8 December 2024). "TOM'S & JLOC Crowned SUPER GT Champions In Suzuka". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "元嶋 佑弥". minkara (in Japanese). 17 February 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ "〜元嶋 成弥 選手〜のお話。". Ameba (in Japanese). 2 March 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
External links
edit- Official website
- Yuya Motojima career summary at DriverDB.com