Kakunoshin Ohta Bio
Kakunoshin “Kaku” Ohta is a Japanese racing driver competing internationally for Honda Motor Company. Born on 16 June 1999 in Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan, Ohta has progressed from single-seater categories into top-flight prototype and GT racing across Japan and the United States. He currently races in the Super GT championship for Astemo Real Racing, in the Super Formula Championship for docomo Team Dandelion Racing, and in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for Acura Meyer Shank Racing. Over a career that began in 2018, he has emerged as one of the most versatile young Japanese drivers of his generation.
Early Life and Background
Kakunoshin Ohta was born and raised in Shimogyō-ku, a district in the historic city of Kyoto, Japan. Growing up in Japan provided him with early access to a deep karting and junior formula culture nurtured by domestic manufacturers and specialist teams. Like many of his countrymen, Ohta began his competitive life in karting before moving into single-seater racing as a teenager.
His formative years were shaped by the Japanese motorsport ladder, a tightly connected system of regional and national formulas. Ohta’s progression reflected the typical path of a Honda-affiliated junior, combining local competition with selective appearances in international events to build experience. These early years established the technical grounding and race craft that would later support his move into senior categories.
Path to Racing
Ohta made his single-seater racing debut in 2018, contesting a single round of the F4 Japanese Championship with MYST. The following year he launched a full-time campaign in the 2019 F4 Japanese Championship with backing from the Honda Formula Dream Project, recording two wins and finishing sixth in the standings. That same season included a guest appearance in the French F4 championship alongside Honda stablemate Ren Satō, where he secured a podium, and an end-of-year outing in Japan Formula 4 that he won in the All-Japan Deciding Race.
In 2020 Ohta returned to the F4 Japanese Championship without manufacturer backing before rejoining the Honda Formula Dream Project for 2021, when he finished fifth overall. His 2021 performances earned him a step up to Super Formula Lights for 2022 with Toda Racing, where he claimed four wins and twelve podiums to finish second in the championship behind Kazuto Kotaka. That result sealed his reputation as a leading Japanese single-seater talent and opened the door to the top tier of domestic racing.
Kakunoshin Ohta Career
Early Career (2018-2021)
Ohta’s early career was built within the F4 Japanese Championship, where he developed a reputation for consistency and improving race pace. His 2019 campaign, supported by the Honda Formula Dream Project, included two victories and valuable exposure through a French F4 guest program. By 2021 he had matured into a top-five regular in the category, finishing fifth in the standings with Honda’s backing.
The 2022 season marked a clear turning point. Driving for Toda Racing in Super Formula Lights, Ohta delivered four wins and twelve podiums across the year, finishing as championship runner-up. The result demonstrated his ability to adapt to a faster, more demanding car and positioned him as a candidate for promotion to Super Formula.
Super GT Breakthrough (2022-Present)
Ohta began his Super GT career in 2022 in the GT300 class with Team UpGarage, paired with veteran Takashi Kobayashi. He claimed a podium on debut at Okayama, added a second podium later in the year, and ended the season eighth in the standings, an impressive return for a rookie.
For the 2023 season, Ohta was promoted to the GT500 class with Modulo Nakajima Racing alongside Takuya Izawa. After a promising campaign, he moved to Real Racing for 2024, replacing Nobuharu Matsushita and racing with Koudai Tsukakoshi. He continues to compete in Super GT with Real Racing under the Astemo banner, with the #17 entry tied to his car number.
Super Formula Breakthrough (2023-Present)
Ohta joined the Super Formula Championship in 2023 with docomo Dandelion Racing, partnering Tadasuke Makino. After a difficult first half, he surged after the summer break, qualifying in the top four for each of the final four rounds. He scored his first podium in a rain-shortened round at Suzuka and then converted that momentum into his first Super Formula victory in the season finale, holding off Liam Lawson and championship winner Ritomo Miyata.
He remained at Dandelion Racing in 2024, where he added two more wins at Suzuka in the closing rounds of the year to finish fourth in the standings. Ohta continued with Dandelion Racing for the 2025 Super Formula season, building on a string of strong qualifying performances and race wins.
IMSA SportsCar Championship (2025-Present)
In late 2024, Ohta tested the Acura ARX-06 at a sanctioned IMSA test at Daytona International Speedway, signaling a planned expansion into North American prototype racing. In December 2024, Acura Meyer Shank Racing confirmed that he would contest three 2025 IMSA SportsCar Championship rounds in the #93 Acura ARX-06, sharing driving duties with Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly, and Alex Palou for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The schedule also includes the Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen and the Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ohta is recognized for calm race management, strong qualifying pace, and a particular strength on twisty road courses and technical circuits. He has shown an ability to extract performance from tires through long stints, while his recent Super Formula results reflect consistent top-four qualifying pace. His partnership with experienced teammates such as Tadasuke Makino, Koudai Tsukakoshi, and Takuya Izawa has helped him refine his strategic awareness and wheel-to-wheel race craft.
Notable Races and Milestones
Signature moments include his maiden Super Formula victory in the 2023 season finale at Suzuka, a dominant Suzuka double in late 2024 that included pole position and two consecutive wins, and a podium on his Super GT debut at Okayama in 2022. His 2025 Rolex 24 at Daytona outing with Acura Meyer Shank Racing marks a major step into international endurance racing.
Kakunoshin Ohta Career Wins
Kakunoshin Ohta has built a multi-category win ledger that spans single-seaters, Super Formula, and international endurance competition. His victories have come in the F4 Japanese Championship, Super Formula Lights, the Super Formula Championship, and selected IMSA SportsCar Championship rounds.
Super Formula Highlights
Ohta has three verified Super Formula victories, beginning with the 2023 finale at Suzuka. He added two more wins at Suzuka in 2024, claiming pole and dominating race one before defending against Sho Tsuboi to win race two. These results helped him finish fourth in the 2024 Super Formula standings.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside Super Formula, Ohta recorded four wins in the 2022 Super Formula Lights season and two wins in the 2019 F4 Japanese Championship. He also won the All-Japan Deciding Race in 2019 and added a podium in French F4 that same year, reflecting his international pedigree within the Honda junior structure.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Formula | 3 | N/A | 1 |
| Super Formula Lights | 4 | N/A | N/A |
| F4 Japanese Championship | 2 | N/A | N/A |
Kakunoshin Ohta Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Ohta rose through Japan’s tightly knit Honda junior system, drawing on support from the Honda Formula Dream Project during his early single-seater years. Publicly available information about his immediate family is limited, and no widely verified racing lineage has been documented.
Personal Life
Kakunoshin Ohta is a Japanese national based in Japan while balancing an increasingly international racing schedule that now includes events in the United States. Public details about his marital status, spouse, and children are not broadly documented at this time.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season is shaping up as Ohta’s busiest and most international campaign to date. He continues with docomo Team Dandelion Racing in the Super Formula Championship, where a strong run of late 2024 form, including consecutive Suzuka wins, has carried into the new year. With teammate Tadasuke Makino alongside him, the Dandelion pairing remains one of the most closely watched driver combinations in the paddock.
In Super GT, Ohta races in the GT500 class with Real Racing alongside Koudai Tsukakoshi, transitioning fully into the Astemo Real Racing program. His experience in GT300 with Team UpGarage and his 2023 GT500 debut with Modulo Nakajima Racing provide a solid foundation for championship contention.
Ohta’s 2025 program also includes three IMSA SportsCar Championship rounds in the #93 Acura ARX-06 with Acura Meyer Shank Racing, starting with the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Sharing the car with Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly, and Alex Palou offers a steep learning curve in GTP machinery, and his prior Daytona test in late 2024 is expected to accelerate his adaptation. The combined Super Formula, Super GT, and IMSA schedule positions Ohta as a leading Japanese driver bridging domestic and international racing.