Rikuto Kobayashi

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.^[2] He finished sixth in the standings. Kobayashi continued to compete for the 2023 season.^[3] In a close F4 title battle with Jin Nakamura, Kobayashi claimed the title by winning the season finale at Motegi.^[4] On 30 May 2023, Toyota Gazoo Racing announced that Kobayashi would take part in the 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.^[5]

Following his F4 championship victory, Kobayashi stepped up to Super Formula Lights with TOM'S alongside Jin Nakamura in 2024.^[6] After scoring a lone podium each in the opening rounds at Autopolis and Sugo,^[7][8] Kobayashi scored his maiden series win from pole position at Fuji.^[9] He finished third twice at Okayama but also retired from race 2 due to contact caused by Seita Nonaka.^[10] Kobayashi scored two podiums again at Suzuka, which included an inherited victory in race 2 following a penalty for Nonaka.^[11] A strong final round at Motegi, which saw him claim a pair of runner-up finishes and victory in race 2, allowed Kobayashi to vault to second in the championship standings.^[12][13]

Kobayashi stayed for another season with TOM'S in 2025.^[14] The season opener at Suzuka yielded mixed results, as a pair of third places sandwiched a transmission failure in race 2.^[15] Sixth and fourth followed at Autopolis, causing Kobayashi to have only a third of championship leader Yuki Sano's points.^[16] A trio of podiums at Okayama brought him closer to the title fight, but with only two podiums from the four Sugo races, Kobayashi fell far behind a dominant Yuto Nomura.^[17][18] Contact with Sano spun Kobayashi out of the points in race 1 at Fuji, and although Kobayashi won race 2 in commanding fashion and finished third in race 3, another strong round confirmed Nomura as the champion.^[19] Kobayashi finished second in all three races at the season-ending Motegi event and ended up third in the standings.^[20]

Kobayashi sampled his first test of a Super Formula car in December 2024, taking over from series champion Sho Tsuboi on the final day of the rookie test at Suzuka.^[21] In 2025, Kobayashi made his Super Formula debut, driving for Itochu Enex Wecars Team Impul at Motegi.^[22]

In 2026, Kobayashi will make his full-season debut with KDDI TGMGP TGR-DC along with Kamui Kobayashi.^[23]

Kobayashi also will make his debut to compete in Super GT - GT300 with apr, as he partnered with Hiroaki Nagai and Manabu Orido.^[24] He was planned to become the third driver of Saitama Green Brave for the 2025 season, but Kobayashi instead went on to compete with CarGuy MKS Racing, which raced a Ferrari 296 GT3, alongside Zak O'Sullivan.^[25][26] The pair missed out on the GT300 championship by 2.5 points.^[27]

Kobayashi then made a step up to the GT500 with Cerumo, as he replaces Hiroaki Ishiura.^[23]

For 2021, Kobayashi raced in TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT Cup where he claimed third in the series.^[28] He also competed in Gran Turismo World Series Showdown.^[29] He is also part of the Virtual Drivers by TX3 eSport Team, on the Gran Turismo roster.^{[citation needed]}