Ohta: “I Want to Show I Can Fight the World’s Best GT3 Drivers”

Factory Honda driver Kaku Ohta says he wants to show himself capable of fighting against the best international drivers in worldwide GT3 racing in this weekend’s Suzuka 1000km, his latest outing for the Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG squad.

Ohta is sharing the No. 77 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo with the brand’s factory drivers Ralf Aron and Maxi Goetz, in one of the Three-Pointed Star’s three Pro lineups tackling the fourth round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge season.

That’s despite the Japanese driver’s status as a factory Honda racer in both Super Formula in Japan and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

However, Ohta is no stranger to Craft-Bamboo, having contested multiple Super Taikyu races for the team, including the Fuji 24 Hours, since last year in a bid to build up his experience of working in an international environment.

The 26-year-old says he is taking inspiration from Kamui Kobayashi, another Japanese driver known for his international exploits with multiple brands, in his quest to gain experience, which he believes will ultimately benefit Honda.

“Kamui-san is kind of an icon for me,” Ohta told Sportscar365. “He is a Toyota driver, but has also raced a Cadillac [in the WeatherTech Championship] and he is also racing a Mercedes here this weekend [for Goodsmile Racing].

“Of course, I am 100 percent a factory Honda driver, and the rest of my program is for Honda. But I want to make myself faster, stronger and more flexible to work in a foreign team, and all this knowledge and experience will also help Honda and Acura.

“It has been great to do this kind of program with Craft-Bamboo. It has been a huge plus. And in the future, I want to make my name more popular in international racing.

“Only a handful of drivers get to race in Hypercar and GTP, but not only there, I want to show also that I can fight against the top foreign drivers in GT3.

“Japanese drivers should challenge themselves to fight against foreign drivers, because the experience is totally different from Japanese racing. Even though the racing is high-level in Japan, the Suzuka 1000km is such a good event.”

While cautious on his chances of fighting for victory this weekend based on practice so far, Ohta said he believes the No. 77 Craft-Bamboo squad is one of the best-balanced lineups on the grid in terms of the experience of each driver.

Aron and Goetz both have previous experience at Suzuka, with Goetz finishing on the podium in the 10 Hours in 2018.

“So far the team has been doing a good job, and the feedback of all three drivers is matching, which is important to improve the car,” said Ohta.

“Both Ralf and Aron are great drivers and have good personalities. It has been very easy working with them. They know the Mercedes-AMG really well, and I know Suzuka very well, so I think this is a strength.

“I am able to share my knowledge of the track with them, and they can share their knowledge of the car. We are able to combine this knowledge to constantly make steps.”

Although any Honda commitments in Super Formula and the WeatherTech Championship would take priority, Ohta expressed a desire to contest more one-off international events next year, such as next February’s Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour.

“As a racer, I want to do it all,” he said. “Like Max Verstappen is racing at the Nürburgring this weekend — this is the pure desire of a driver.

“While I’m racing 100 percent for Honda, but in addition, just for my racing ambition, I want to do as many races as possible, and this helps me a lot.

“It depends on the schedule, but hopefully I can also race at Bathurst, also Macau. I want to do these iconic races all over the world. Any chance I can get, I’ll grab it.”