Kakunoshin Ohta Explained

Kakunoshin Ohta
Nationality: Japanese
Birth Date:22 June 1999
Birth Place:Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan
Current Series:Super GT
First Year:2022
Current Team:Real Racing
Car Number:17
Former Teams:
Starts:16
Wins:0
Podiums:3
Poles:0
Fastest Laps:0
Best Finish:14th
Year:2023
Embed:yes
Current Series:Super Formula
First Year:2023
Current Team:Docomo Team Dandelion Racing
Car Number:6
Starts:10
Wins:1
Podiums:2
Poles:0
Fastest Laps:0
Best Finish:7th
Year:2023
Prev Series:Super GT - GT300
Super Formula Lights
Super Taikyū
French F4 Championship
F4 Japanese Championship
Prev Series Years:2022
2022
2021-22
2019
2018-21
Titles:Super Taikyū - ST-Z
Title Years:2022

is a Japanese racing driver for Honda Motor Company who currently competes in Super GT for Astemo Real Racing and in Super Formula for docomo Team Dandelion Racing.

Career

Early career

Ohta made his single-seater racing debut in 2018, racing at a single round of the F4 Japanese Championship with . The following season, he made his full-time debut in the 2019 championship with backing from the Honda Formula Dream Project,[1] claiming 2 wins but finishing 6th in the standings. That year, Ohta also made a guest appearance in the French F4 championship alongside Honda stablemate Ren Satō, where he finished in the top ten in the three races he competed in and secured one podium. He would also make an appearance in Japan Formula 4 at the end of the year, winning the "All-Japan Deciding Race" over the likes of Satō, Atsushi Miyake, and Riki Ōkusa.

In 2020, Ohta returned to the F4 Japanese Championship, albeit having lost his manufacturer backing. He regained support from Honda and rejoined the Honda Formula Dream project for 2021 to contest his third season in the championship, eventually finishing fifth in the standings.

Ohta stepped up to Super Formula Lights for the 2022 season, driving for Toda Racing.[2] Belying his past record, he impressed immediately, claiming four wins and twelve podiums to finish second in the championship, behind only the returning Kazuto Kotaka.

Super GT

Ohta began his Super GT career in GT300 with Team UpGarage, paired with veteran driver Takashi Kobayashi.[2] Ohta claimed his maiden podium on debut at the first round in Okayama, and would go on to finish on the podium once more to end the season eighth in the standings. For the 2023 season, Ohta was promoted to the GT500 class, driving for Modulo Nakajima Racing alongside series veteran Takuya Izawa.[3] After promising season, Ohta moves to Real Racing as he replaces Nobuharu Matsushita, and race along with Koudai Tsukakoshi.[4]

Super Formula

Following his performance in Super Formula Lights, Ohta was promoted to a top-level drive in the Super Formula Championship for 2023, racing for docomo Dandelion Racing alongside Tadasuke Makino and in place of Hiroki Ōtsu.[3] Ohta struggled during the first half of the season but proved to be a revalation following the summer break, qualifying in the top ten for the first time at the fifth round at Sportsland SUGO and proceeding to qualify in the top four in each of the season's four remaining rounds. He claimed his first podium in the championship in a shortened penultimate round at Suzuka, and followed it up by fending off the challenge of heavily favored championship contender Liam Lawson and eventual series champion Ritomo Miyata to claim his first race victory in the season finale.[5] He continues to compete with Dandelion Racing for 2024.[4]

Racing record

Career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2018F4 Japanese ChampionshipMYST 20000047th
2019F4 Japanese ChampionshipHonda Formula Dream Project1423241256th
French F4 ChampionshipFFSA Academy300010NC†
2020F4 Japanese ChampionshipVegaplus 90012687th
2021F4 Japanese ChampionshipHonda Formula Dream Project1400161505th
Formula Regional Japanese ChampionshipRn-sports200012714th
Super Taikyu - ST-ZTeam 5Zigen4000280.5‡3rd‡
2022Super Formula LightsToda Racing18467121082nd
Super GT - GT300Team UpGarage80002348th
Super Taikyu - ST-ZTeam 5Zigen62334131.5‡1st‡
2023Super FormulaDocomo Team Dandelion Racing9100235.57th
Super GTModulo Nakajima Racing800011914th
2024Super GTAstemo Real Racing
Super FormulaDocomo Team Dandelion Racing10000104th
Super Taikyu - ST-XCraft-Bamboo Racing Japan
† As he was a guest driver, Ohta was ineligible to score points.

‡ Team standings.

Complete F4 Japanese Championship results

YearTeam1234567891011121314DCPoints
2018MYSTOKA
1
OKA
2
FUJ1
1
FUJ1
2
SUZ
1
SUZ
2
FUJ2
1

FUJ2
2

SUG
1
SUG
2
AUT
1
AUT
2
MOT
1
MOT
2
47th0
2019nowrapHonda Formula Dream ProjectOKA
1

OKA
2

FUJ1
1

FUJ1
2

SUZ
1

SUZ
2

FUJ2
1

FUJ2
2

AUT
1

AUT
2

SUG
1

SUG
2

MOT
1

MOT
2

6th125
2020VegaplusFUJ1
1
FUJ1
2
FUJ1
3
SUZ
1

SUZ
2

SUZ
3

MOT
1

MOT
2

MOT
3

FUJ2
1

FUJ2
2

FUJ2
3

7th68
2021nowrapHonda Formula Dream ProjectFUJ1
1

FUJ1
2

SUZ
1

SUZ
2

MOT1
1

MOT1
2

MOT1
3

SUG
1

SUG
2

SUG
3

MOT2
1

MOT2
2

FUJ2
1

FUJ2
2

5th150

Complete Super Formula Lights results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete Super Formula results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrant123456789DCPoints
2023Docomo Team Dandelion RacingFUJ
FUJ
SUZ
AUT
SUG
FUJ
MOT
SUZ
SUZ
7th35.5
2024SUZ
AUT
SUG
FUJ
MOT
FUJ
FUJ
SUZ
SUZ
4th10

Complete Super GT results

YearTeamCarClass12345678DCPts
2022nowrapTeam UpGaragenowrapHonda NSX GT3 EvoGT300OKA
FUJ
SUZ
FUJ
SUZ
SUG
AUT
MOT
8th34
2023nowrapModulo Nakajima RacingnowrapHonda NSX-Type S GT500GT500OKA
FUJ
SUZ
FUJ
SUZ
SUG
AUT
MOT
14th19
2024nowrapAstemo Real RacingnowrapHonda Civic Type R-GT GT500GT500OKA
FUJ
SUZ
FUJ
SUZ
SUG
AUT
MOT

Notes and References

  1. Web site: HFDP Drivers' Documentary SFL Vol.2 ~Kakunoshin Ohta~. 2022-05-02. honda.racing. en.
  2. Web site: Honda outlines Super Formula driver roster for 2022 . 2022-01-14 . www.motorsport.com . en.
  3. Web site: 12 December 2022 . Honda 2023 Motorsports Program Overview . 12 December 2022 . Honda Racing.
  4. Web site: Honda 2024 Motorsports Program Overview. 19 January 2024. Honda Racing. 19 January 2024.
  5. Web site: 29 September 2023 . Suzuka Super Formula: Miyata beats Lawson to title, Ota wins finale . 29 September 2023 . motorsport.com.