Toyota Protege Miyata Joins Kessel Ferrari Lineup for Fuji

Toyota protege Ritomo Miyata will make his FIA World Endurance Championship debut at the 6 Hours of Fuji this weekend as part of Kessel Racing’s Ferrari GTE-Am driver lineup.

The 24-year-old Japanese ace, who currently leads the Super Formula open-wheel series, has replaced Daniel Serra in the No. 57 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo according to the latest official entry list.

Kessel team manager Tiziana Borghi told Sportscar365 that Serra traveled part of the way to Japan before needing to return home to Brazil for family reasons.

She also confirmed that the plan is for Serra to return at the season-ending 8 Hours of Bahrain in November.

Kessel’s last-minute substitute Miyata is part of the Toyota Gazoo Racing WEC Challenge program and shadowed the team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as part of his integration.

Toyota has been looking for options to get Miyata into a European series next year, building on recent success in the Japanese scene that has included winning the 2020 Super Formula Lights title and taking two victories in Super GT’s premier GT500 class.

Miyata, who is set to undergo a seat fitting at Fuji on Thursday after concluding a test session elsewhere this week, is sharing the Car Guy-badged Ferrari with fellow Japanese driver Kimura and the Silver-rated American Scott Huffaker.

“I don’t know him, but Toyota have spoken about him,” said Borghi. “He is a young, talented driver.

“I am sad not to have Daniel on the car, but I’m curious to have [Miyata]. I think he can do well.

“We had some other drivers but they are in Europe and the Americas, so it was very difficult [to organize at late notice]. Kimura-san gave us this opportunity.”