F1: Toro Rosso confirm Yamamoto’s Japanese GP outing

Japanese Super Formula and Super GT Champion Naoki Yamamoto will make his Formula 1 debut by driving the Toro Rosso-Honda at this weekend’s Japanese GP.

The 31-year old is gunning for his second consecutive Super Formula title, and by replacing fellow Super Formula graduate Pierre Gasly in Free Practice for this weekend’s race, he will have his first on-track experience in a F1 car.

He has driven Toro Rosso’s simulator and spent time with the team at European races earlier this year to acclimatise himself with the Italian outfit ahead of his maiden outing for the team.

Yamamoto is delighted to have the chance to drive a Formula 1 car, adding:

“To get this chance at Suzuka – a very important circuit for all Japanese racing drivers – in front of such a big crowd of Japanese fans, will make the experience even more special.” – Naoki Yamamoto

The Japanese racer drove alongside 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button in Super GT last year where the pair went onto win the title. The Brit said afterwards that;

“I personally feel this guy should be in F1. Whether he wants to or not, that’s my opinion.” – Jenson Button

Now he will get his chance to show off his skills to F1 audiences who will be watching this weekend’s action and will allow Honda to see if Naoki will be a potential candidate to race in F1 full-time.

The Japanese manufacturer want to have a Japanese driver to race in one of their cars, but neither of their junior drivers have yet acquired the necessary superlicence points to race in F1. While this is not seriously seen as a step for Yamamoto to make a transition to F1, it will be an interesting prospect.

Honda’s brand communication boss said:

“We are pleased that Japanese fans will now get the opportunity to see Yamamoto, a Honda-supported Japanese driver at the wheel of a current F1 car at our own Suzuka circuit, as part of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.

I would like to thank Toro Rosso and Red Bull for giving Yamamoto this great opportunity. We hope Naoki makes the most of this opportunity, that he learns from it and that it helps him as a racing driver.

We also hope that seeing Yamamoto on track, will serve as an inspiration to young Japanese drivers, so that in the near future, we can once again have Japanese drivers competing in Formula 1.” – Katsuhide Moriyama

Gasly, the driver he’s replacing, was runner-up in Super Formula in 2017, after the final weekend at Suzuka was cancelled due to poor weather. Both drivers were teammates at Team Mugen that season, with Yamamoto clinching the title last year. He’s also leading the 2019 standings for Team Dandelion Racing with one round to go. He also won the Super GT title last season for Team Kunimitsu in the Honda NSX-GT.