TCR Japan’s team Hitotsuyama Racing will make a one off appearance in the WTCR event at Suzuka, fielding two Audi RS 3 LMS cars for Ryuichiro Tomita and Ritomo Miyata.
The team was established back in 1990 by the Hitotsuyama brothers (Yasushi and Mikio) and ran BMW cars in the Japanese Touring Car Championship. By the end of the decade they switched to Sportscar racing, becoming an Audi customer team from 2011. Their most important achievements were titles in the Japan Le Mans Challenge (2006 and 2007) and Super Taikyu (2011).
They are competing in TCR Japan’s inaugural season with two Audi RS 3 LMS cars for Takuro Shinohara (who is currently placed sixth in the standings) and Hideki Nakahara.
As for the two drivers who will race in Suzuka, the 30-year old Tomita is a regular in the Japanese Super GT, while Miyata (20) has proved already successful in single seaters claiming twice the national Formula 4 title (2016 and 2017) and finishing twice runner up in the Japanese Formula 3 championship (2018 and 2019).
“I know how strong the opposition is in WTCR, but despite we have to carry an extra 20 kilos of ballast, I have set myself a target to be among the top ten. I had the chance to test the Audi RS 3 LMS from Audi Team Hitotsuyama at Fuji recently. Last year, I raced it at Motegi and I really like it. Compared to other front-wheel drive cars that I’ve raced earlier in my career, a TCR is much more powerful and fun to drive,” said Tomita.
And Miyata echoed: “It’s a pleasure and honor to be part of an FIA World Cup. I like the Suzuka track and in April I set pole position and won the race in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship.”
“I had tested the Audi RS 3 LMS at Fuji with the team. I had never driven a front-wheel drive car before, but I really have to say that I liked the TCR category instantly. The TCR cars are fairly quick, and the Audi RS 3 LMS likes high-speed corners. I want to do my best, and I know it won’t be easy at all against so many high-level drivers.”