Riki Okusa(大草 りき, Ōkusa Riki) (born November 25, 1999) is a Japanese racing driver. He currently competes in the GT500 class in Super GT for Nakajima Racing for the 2024 season and previously in the GT300 class in for GAINER, partnered with Hironobu Yasuda.

Racing career

Early career

In 2018, Okusa made his formula racing debut in the final round of the Japanese Formula 3 Championship, finishing fifth in his first race. The following year, he contested the shootout for Honda's Suzuka Circuit Racing School[ja] scholarship, but lost out to current Formula 2 driver Ayumu Iwasa. After spending 2019 starring in Super Taikyū, where he claimed the championship title in the ST-3 class, Okusa returned to formula racing in the inaugural season of the Formula Regional Japanese Championship, claiming the first podium of his formula racing career by finishing third in a one-off appearance at Fuji Speedway. In Super Taikyū, he switched to the ST-TCR class, ultimately finishing as championship runner-up alongside Katsumasa Chiyo and mentor Hironobu Yasuda. He returned to the Formula Regional Japanese championship in 2021 with his personal sponsor's eponymous team, PONOS Racing. Although he only competed in three rounds, Okusa managed to clinch third place in the standings, with two wins and seven podiums to his name. Okusa made another two cameos again at 2022 Formula Regional Japanese Championship with Sutekina Racing, claiming a win, a pole position, and three podiums.

Super GT

Okusa made his debut in Super GT's GT300 class with GAINER, paired up alongside Ryūichiro Tomita and third driver Yūsuke Shiotsu. Okusa made an immediate impact, qualifying in third on debut in Okayama and taking his first win at the next round at Fuji Speedway. He would ultimately take his maiden pole position and two more podiums throughout the season to finish third in the standings, three points behind the championship-winning car of Kondō Racing. In 2023, Okusa paired up with his longtime mentor and 2008 GT300 class champion Hironobu Yasuda.

In 2024, Okusa moved to GT500, as he moved to Nakajima Racing alongside Takuya Izawa.

Super Formula

In 2023, Okusa made his Super Formula debut with TGM Grand Prix, replacing the outgoing Toshiki Oyu at Suzuka Circuit. He performed admirably on debut, finishing ahead of full-time teammate Cem Bölükbaşı in both races.

Racing record

Career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesFLapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2018Japanese Formula 3 ChampionshipHanashima Racing20000210th
Super Taikyu - ST3Techno First Racing Team6000171.5‡6th‡
2019Super Taikyu - ST3Techno First62002122‡1st‡
2020Formula Regional Japanese ChampionshipZap Speed200012514th
Super Taikyu - ST-TCRWaimarama Kizuna Racing52024102.5‡2nd‡
2021Formula Regional Japanese ChampionshipPONOS Racing724271403rd
Porsche Carrera Cup JapanPorsche Japan1100021444th
Super Taikyu - ST-ZPorsche Team EBI Waimarama6100152.5‡7th‡
2022Super GT - GT300GAINER81103493rd
Formula Regional Japanese ChampionshipSutekina Racing612136310th
Super Taikyu - ST-ZPorsche Team EBI Waimarama6113280‡5th‡
2023Super GT - GT300GAINER800001617th
Super FormulaTGM Grand Prix20000023rd
Super Taikyu - ST-ZTechno First7110299‡3rd‡
2024Super GT - GT500Modulo Nakajima Racing801001113th
Super Taikyu - ST-ZTechno First
2025Super GT - GT500Modulo Nakajima Racing8000123.513th
Super Taikyu - ST-ZTechno First
2026Super GT - GT500Modulo Nakajima Racing
Super Taikyu - ST-ZTechno First

‡ Team standings

Complete Japanese Formula 3 Championship results

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

YearTeamEngine123456789101112131415161718192021PosPoints
2018Hanashima RacingToyota TOM'SSUZ 1SUZ 2SUG1 1SUG1 2FUJ1 1FUJ1 2OKA1 1OKA1 2OKA1 3MOT 1MOT 2MOT 3OKA2 1OKA2 2OKA2 3SUG2 1SUG2 2SUG2 3SUG2 4FUJ2 1 5FUJ2 2 910th2

Complete Formula Regional Japanese Championship results

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

YearEntrant1234567891011121314151617PosPoints
2020Zap SpeedFUJ1 1FUJ1 2FUJ1 3SUG 1SUG 2SUG 3FUJ2 1 5FUJ2 2 3MOT 1MOT 2OKA 1OKA 2AUT 1AUT 214th25
2021PONOS RacingOKA 1OKA 2OKA 3MOT 1 1MOT 2 2MOT 3 1FUJ 1FUJ 2FUJ 3SUG 1 2SUG 2 2SUZ 1 2SUZ 2 23rd140
2022Team SutekinaFUJ1 1FUJ1 2FUJ1 3OKA 1OKA 2OKA 3MOT 1MOT 2MOT 3SUG 1 6SUG 2 RetSUG 3 3FUJ2 1 1FUJ2 2 3FUJ2 3 RetSUZ 1SUZ 210th63

Complete Super GT results

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

YearTeamCarClass123456789DCPts
2022GAINERNissan GT-RGT300OKA 6FUJ 1SUZ 15FUJ 22SUZ 2SUG 3AUT 7MOT 83rd49
2023GAINERNissan GT-RGT300OKA 11FUJ 5SUZ 8FUJ 7SUZ 13SUG 9AUT 10MOT 1617th16
2024Modulo Nakajima RacingHonda Civic Type R-GT GT500GT500OKA 10FUJ 12SUZ 13FUJ 6SUG 14AUT RetMOT 10SUZ 1313th11
2025Modulo Nakajima RacingHonda Civic Type R-GT GT500GT500OKA 9FUJ 13SEP 10FS1 (14)FS2 8SUZ 7SUG RetAUT 2MOT 1213th23.5
2026Modulo Nakajima RacingHonda Prelude-GTGT500OKAFUJSEPFUJSUZSUGAUTMOT

‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed. (Number) Driver did not take part in this sprint race, points are still awarded for the teammate's result. * Season still in progress.

Complete Super Formula results

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

YearTeamEngine123456789DCPoints
2023TGM Grand PrixHondaFUJFUJSUZAUTSUGFUJMOTSUZ 18SUZ 1323rd0

External links

  • career summary at DriverDB.com