Ritomo Miyata discovering the ELMS with COOL Racing… and soon in F2!

COOL Racing continues to reveal its 2024 line-up for the European Series. After the recruitment of Lorenzo Fluxa a few weeks ago, it is the turn of Ritomo Miyata to be made official by the Swiss team. . The Japanese, just crowned champion in Super Formula and Super GT, will discover LM P2 at the wheel of the No. 07 Oreca 37.

Official driver Toyota Gazoo Racing, the 24-year-old Japanese is following a logical path towards the upper echelons ofEndurance. After a first experience in WEC in 2023, with Kessel Racing in Fuji, it is therefore towardsELMS which he is heading, always with the objective of joining the Japanese firm's Hypercar program.

“After winning the Super Formula and Super GT titles, I am very happy to take on this challenge in an international championship, rejoiced Ritomo Miyata. I am delighted to join COOL Racing and participate in the European Le Mans Series this season. COOL Racing has a lot of experience and I can't wait to discover endurance racing in ELMS and the characteristics of an LMP2. I will learn from the staff and my teammates, and I will do my best to make my best contribution to the team. As a member of the TGR Driver Development Program, I would like to thank Morizo-san, the TGR team and all the partners who created this opportunity and supported me to be able to race in Europe this season. I will do my best to meet everyone's expectations. »

. @M_Ritmo join the team for the 2024 #ELMS season. The 24-year-old Japanese will be at the wheel of the #37 ORECA 07. Official #TOYOTAGazooRacing driver, Super Formula & Super GT champion, he'll make his LMP2 debut. Full release => https://t.co/GwG77RW1ry #WECChallengeProgram pic.twitter.com/o7Fd5C3anD

— COOL Racing (@COOLRacing) November 20, 2023

COOL Racing will once again be able to count on a driver from the Toyota fold, like José Maria Lopez in 2023. A recruit warmly welcomed by Nicolas lapierre, co-founder of the Swiss team. “We are happy to continue this relationship and we thank Toyota for the trust placed in the team. Ritomo showed his speed in all the series he raced in, with numerous successes and titles. It's up to us to support him well so that this is also the case in ELMS, a championship that he will discover. This fits well with our philosophy of relying on young people. It's both a certain responsibility and a great opportunity for us to have such a talented driver. »

Miyata reserves for Toyota, and on the Formula 2 grid!

Ritomo Miyata's 2024 program does not stop there since the Japanese has been announced as a reserve driver for parent company Toyota, for its Hypercar program in WEC. In addition to Endurance, the 24-year-old driver will continue his career in car, by joining the FIA ​​championship of Formula 2 !

If the team still remains to be determined, the transition from Super Formula to F2 is not trivial or trivial since as a general rule, it is rather in the opposite direction that things are organized, image of Liam Lawson this season. The last one to first drive in Super Formula before discovering Formula 2 was Dan Ticktum, in 2018-2019.

ALSO READ > Lorenzo Fluxa entered by COOL Racing for the ELMS and the 24 Hours of Le Mans