Kohta Kawaai
NationalityJapan Japanese
Born (1994-08-07) August 7, 1994
Shizuoka, Japan
Super GT GT300 career
Debut season2020
Current teamSaitama Toyopet GreenBrave
Car number52
Starts31
Championships1
Wins5
Podiums10
Poles1
Fastest laps2
Best finish1st in 2023
Previous series
2022
2016-2019
Super Formula Lights
F4 Japanese Championship
Championship titles
2023
2023
Super GT GT300
Super Taikyu ST-Z

Kohta Kawaai (川合 孝汰, Kōta Kawai) (born August 7, 1994) is a Japanese racing driver. He currently competes for Saitama Toyopet GreenBrave in both the Super GT and Super Taikyu racing series.[1]

Kawaai won the 2023 Super GT Championship in the GT300 class and the 2023 Super Taikyu Championship in the ST-Z class.

Racing career

Early Racing Career

In 2016, Kawaai started his formula racing career in F4 Japanese Championship racing with Le Beausset Motorsports. He raced in the same series till 2019 where he claimed 3rd in the standings behind Ren Sato, and Atsushi Miyake.

Super GT

Kawaai during a pit stop at Suzuka in 2022

Kawaii moves up to Super GT - GT300 with Saitama Toyopet GreenBrave, paired up with Hiroki Yoshida.[2] In his debut season, he managed to get a win and podiums which claimed him, and Yoshida to Second in the standings behind to Kondo Racing of Kiyoto Fujinami & João Paulo de Oliveira. Kawaai continue to race with the same team, claimed 9th in the standings and missed 1 race after he tested positive for COVID-19 where he replaced by Taku Bamba.[3][4] in 2022, with the same team Kawaai managed to clinch a win at Autopolis with also another podium, and gets 4th in the standings.[5]

In 2023 Saitama Toyopet GreenBrave retained both Kawaai & Hiroki Yoshida and they claimed 2 wins and 4 podiums.[1] Kawaai went on to win the 2023 Super GT Championship in the GT300 class alongside Yoshida.

Super Formula Lights

Kawaai returned to formula racing in 2022, competed in Super Formula Lights for Rn-Sports.[6] He claimed his first pole in the series, and competed only 3 rounds where he claimed 8th in the final standings.

Racing record

Career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles FLaps Podiums Points Position
2016 F4 Japanese Championship Le Beausset Motorsports 14 0 0 0 1 56 11th
2017 F4 Japanese Championship Le Beausset Motorsports 14 0 0 0 0 78 8th
2018 F4 Japanese Championship Le Beausset Motorsports 14 0 0 1 2 135 4th
2019 F4 Japanese Championship Le Beausset Motorsports 14 0 0 1 4 131 3rd
2020 Super GT - GT300 Saitama Toyopet GreenBrave 8 2 2 1 2 62 2nd
Super Taikyu - ST-3 5 2 1 1 4 114‡ 2nd‡
2021 Super GT - GT300 Saitama Toyopet GreenBrave 7 0 0 0 2 34 9th
Super Taikyu - ST-3 6 2 1 4 4 95.5‡ 4th‡
2022 Super GT - GT300 Saitama Toyopet GreenBrave 8 1 0 0 2 48 4th
Super Taikyu - ST-3 6 3 2 2 4 134‡ 2nd‡
Super Formula Lights Rn-Sports 12 0 1 0 0 10 8th
2023 Super GT - GT300 Saitama Toyopet GreenBrave 8 2 0 1 4 74 1st
Super Taikyu - ST-Z 7 4 2 0 7 174‡ 1st‡

‡ Team standings

Complete Super Formula Lights results

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

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos Points
2022 Rn-Sports FUJ
1

Ret
FUJ
2

4
FUJ
3

6
SUZ
1
SUZ
2
SUZ
3
AUT
1

9
AUT
2

Ret
AUT
3

9
SUG
1

Ret
SUG
2

8
SUG
3

Ret
MOT
1

5
MOT
2

6
MOT
3

5
OKA
1

OKA
2

OKA
3

8th 10

Complete Super GT results

(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 DC Pts
2020 Saitama Toyopet GreenBrave Toyota GR Supra GT300 GT300 FUJ
1
FUJ
6
SUZ
12
MOT
25
FUJ
4
SUZ
Ret
MOT
4
FUJ
1
2nd 62
2021 OKA
3
FUJ
27
MOT
3
SUZ
SUG
21
AUT
3
MOT
9
FUJ
9
9th 34
2022 OKA
Ret
FUJ
9
SUZ
4
FUJ
14
SUZ
4
SUG
18
AUT
1
MOT
3
4th 48
2023 OKA
5
FUJ
3
SUZ
3
FUJ
9
SUZ
Ret
SUG
1
AUT
1
MOT
7
1st 74

References

  1. 1 2 "How SUPER GT's 2023 GT300 field is shaping up". motorsport.com. 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  2. "Toyota GR Supra GT300 In Development – Set For 2020 Launch". dailysportscar.com. 26 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  3. "Saitama Toyopet GreenBrave Announces 2021 Racing Activities". dailysportscar.com. 17 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  4. "SUPER GT: Saitama Toyopet's Kohta Kawaai to miss Suzuka race". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
  5. "SUPER GT announces 43-car entry list for 2022". motorsport.com. 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  6. "Fuji Speedway | 2022年 SFL シリーズカレンダー | superformula lights en". superformula-lights.com. Retrieved 2022-04-04.
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