Sena Sakaguchi (阪口晴南, Sakaguchi Sena, born 9 July 1999) is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who is currently competing in Super GT for Racing Project Bandoh and in Super Formula for Cerumo・INGING. He is the champion of the 2020 Formula Regional Japanese Championship.
| Sena Sakaguchi | |
|---|---|
 Sakaguchi at Mobility Resort Motegi in 2024 | |
| Nationality |  Japanese |
| Born | 9 July 1999 Habikino, Osaka, Japan |
| Super GT career | |
| Debut season | 2019 |
| Current team | TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh |
| Car number | 19 |
| Former teams | TGR Team SARD TGR Team KeePer TOM'S K-Tunes Racing (GT300) |
| Starts | 32 |
| Wins | 3 |
| Podiums | 7 |
| Poles | 6 |
| Fastest laps | 3 |
| Best finish | 2nd in 2019 (GT300) |
| Super Formula Championship career | |
| Debut season | 2018 |
| Current team | Cerumo・INGING |
| Car number | 39 |
| Former teams | Kondō Racing Team Mugen |
| Starts | 26 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 2 |
| Poles | 1 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Best finish | 7th in 2021 |
| Previous series | |
| 2020 2020 2019-2021 2016-19 2015-16 | Formula Regional Japanese Championship Super Formula Lights Super GT - GT300 Japanese Formula 3 Championship F4 Japanese Championship |
| Championship titles | |
| 2020 | Formula Regional Japanese Championship |
Career
editEarly Career
edit
Sakaguchi began his senior competition career in 2015, competing for Sutekina Racing Team in the final four rounds of the F4 Japanese Championship. Through eight races that season, he registered a podium at Motegi and finished outside of the points just once, taking 10th in the championship. The following season, he graduated to the Japanese F3 Championship, taking part thanks to the Honda Formula Dream Project.[1] Sakaguchi continued competing in F4 during 2016, tallying his first win in the series at Motegi en route to a second-place point finish.[2] In his maiden F3 season, Sakaguchi would finish 9th in points.[citation needed]
He returned to F3 in 2017 with Honda support, finishing an improved 6th in points, netting his first podium in the series at the penultimate race at Sugo. In 2018, Sakaguchi joined Toda Racing and built upon his previous results, finishing fourth in points off the back of five podium finishes in 17 races.[3] Following the 2018 season, Sakaguchi was released from his junior driver role at Honda.[4]
Sakaguchi raced in F3 2019 season tallying three podiums in five races driving for TOM'S. Following the Japanese F3 split at the end of 2019, Sakaguchi competed in both of the resulting series during 2020. In the Super Formula Lights series, Sakaguchi ran the full season with B-Max Racing.[5] Despite finishing just one race outside of the podium positions, he would finish second in the standings, nearly 40 points behind Ritomo Miyata. In the K2 Planet-promoted Formula Regional Japanese Championship, however, Sakaguchi won all eleven races that he competed in, taking the championship by just over 50 points despite missing the triple-header at Sugo.[6]
Super Formula
editSakaguchi would have been his debut in the Super Formula Championship with Team Mugen, filling in for Nirei Fukuzumi, who was competing in the F2 Championship that weekend.[7] However, the race was canceled due to inclement weather. Later, in 2020, he filled in for Kondo Racing's Kenta Yamashita during the Super Formula Championship round at Okayama.[8] However, Sakaguchi once again was unable to make it to the grid, crashing on the warm-up lap and failing to officially register his Super Formula debut.[4]
For 2021, Sakaguchi secured a full-time ride in Super Formula with P.mu/cerumo・INGING, replacing retiring two-time series champion Hiroaki Ishiura.[9] In his rookie season, Sakaguchi claimed two podium finishes en route to a 7th-place points finish, taking second at the rain-shortened round at Autopolis and the second event at Motegi. Sakaguchi endured a quiet 2023 season in Super Formula, finishing a season-high fifth at Motegi.
Super GT
edit
2019 marked Sakaguchi's first experience with sports car racing, as he joined K-Tunes Racing for the 2019 Super GT Series season, competing alongside veteran Morio Nitta in the GT300 class. The drive came about thanks to Sakaguchi's uncle, Ryōhei Sakaguchi a racing driver who was competing in the series and had connections with the K-Tunes team.[4] Sakaguchi and Nitta would take two class victories that season; the rain-shortened season-opener at Okayama and Round 3 at Suzuka, finishing 2nd in points. During 2020, Sakaguchi also played the role of substitute on two occasions, initially replacing Heikki Kovalainen in TGR Team SARD's GT500 class entry at Fuji in July.[10]
For 2021, Visa issues for Frenchman Sacha Fenestraz enabled Sakaguchi to add a part-time campaign in the GT500 class of the Super GT series.[11] He would pair with Ryo Hirakawa for the first five rounds of the season, taking pole at the opening round alongside two podium finishes, before finishing the season with K-Tunes Racing in the GT300 class.
Ahead of 2022, Sakaguchi moved to the GT500 class full-time, pairing with Yuji Kunimoto in the #19 TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh entry.[12] Despite Sakaguchi himself claiming three individual poles and the entry scoring four total,[13] the team would only finish 11th in the championship, finishing no higher than fifth in any given race. At the conclusion of the season, sports car racing publication Sportscar365 named Sakaguchi as an honorable mention for their GT500 Driver of the Year.[14] Sakaguchi would return to the team in 2023, paired once again with Kunimoto.[15] The duo would claim the first GT500-class victory for Bandoh since 2016 in a red-flag shortened event at Suzuka,[16] concluding the season 12th in the overall championship.
Racing record
editCareer summary
edit| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | F4 Japanese Championship | Sutekina Racing Team | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 41 | 10th |
| Super-FJ Okayama Series | Drago Corse Toda Power | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 6th | |
| Super-FJ - Japan Finals | Nakanihon Automotive College Toda Wako's | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1st | |
| 2016 | F4 Japanese Championship | Honda Formula Dream Project | 13 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 138 | 2nd |
| Japanese Formula 3 Championship | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 9th | ||
| 2017 | Japanese Formula 3 Championship | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 6th | |
| 2018 | Japanese Formula 3 Championship | Toda Racing | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 52 | 4th |
| Macau Grand Prix | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18th | ||
| Super Formula | Team Mugen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | |
| 2019 | Super GT - GT300 | K-tunes Racing | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 58 | 2nd |
| Japanese Formula 3 Championship | Corolla Chukyo Kuo TOM'S | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 8th | |
| 2020 | Formula Regional Japanese Championship | Sutekina Racing Team | 11 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 275 | 1st |
| Super Formula Lights | B-Max Racing | 17 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 116 | 2nd | |
| Super GT - GT300 | K-tunes Racing | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 16th | |
| Super GT - GT500 | TGR Team SARD | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 18th | |
| Super Formula | Kondō Racing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | |
| Super Taikyū - ST-1 | ADVICS Muta Racing | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 50‡ | 2nd‡ | |
| 2021 | Super Formula | P.mu/cerumo・INGING | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 35.5 | 7th |
| Super GT - GT500 | TGR Team KeePer TOM'S | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 14th | |
| Super GT - GT300 | K-tunes Racing | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 16th | |
| Super Taikyū - ST-1 | Tracy Sports | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 124‡ | 2nd‡ | |
| 2022 | Super GT | TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 28.5 | 11th |
| Super Formula | P.mu/cerumo・INGING | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 18th | |
| Super Taikyu - ST-3 | Tracy Sports | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 99‡ | 3rd‡ | |
| 2023 | Super GT | TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 12th |
| Super Formula | P.mu/cerumo・INGING | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 12th | |
| 2024 | Super GT | TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh | |||||||
| Super Formula | Vertex Partners Cerumo・INGING | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 12th |
* Season still in progress.
‡ Team standings.
Complete Japanese Formula 3/Super Formula Lights results
edit| Year | Team | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | DC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | HFDP Racing | Mugen | SUZ 1 9 |
SUZ 2 7 |
FUJ 1 8 |
FUJ 2 7 |
OKA 1 6 |
OKA 2 4 |
SUZ 1 7 |
SUZ 2 7 |
FUJ 1 5 |
FUJ 2 8 |
MOT 1 6 |
MOT 2 6 |
OKA 1 6 |
OKA 2 2 |
SUG 1 7 |
SUG 2 5 |
SUG 3 5 |
9th | 20 | ||||
| 2017 | HFDP Racing | Toda Racing | OKA 1 6 |
OKA 2 5 |
OKA 3 7 |
SUZ 1 4 |
SUZ 2 4 |
FUJ 1 4 |
FUJ 2 Ret |
OKA 1 6 |
OKA 2 9 |
SUZ 1 7 |
SUZ 2 16 |
FUJ 1 4 |
FUJ 2 6 |
MOT 1 7 |
MOT 2 6 |
MOT 3 6 |
AUT 1 5 |
AUT 2 6 |
SUG 1 3 |
SUG 2 9 |
6th | 27 | |
| 2018 | Toda Racing | Toda Racing | SUZ 1 3 |
SUZ 2 3 |
SUG 1 4 |
SUG 2 3 |
FUJ 1 2 |
FUJ 2 4 |
OKA 1 6 |
OKA 2 4 |
OKA 3 C |
MOT 1 5 |
MOT 2 5 |
MOT 3 9 |
OKA 1 Ret |
OKA 2 4 |
OKA 3 C |
SUG 1 8 |
SUG 2 5 |
SUG 3 Ret |
SUG 4 4 |
FUJ 1 2 |
FUJ 2 6 |
4th | 52 |
| 2019 | Corolla Chukyo Kuo TOM'S | Toyota | SUZ 1 |
SUZ 2 |
AUT 1 |
AUT 2 |
AUT 3 |
OKA 1 5 |
OKA 2 3 |
OKA 3 4 |
SUG 1 |
SUG 2 |
FUJ 1 |
FUJ 2 |
SUG 1 |
SUG 2 |
SUG 3 |
MOT 1 |
MOT 2 |
MOT 3 |
OKA 1 3 |
OKA 2 3 |
8th | 20 | |
| 2020 | B-Max Racing Team | VW | MOT 1 2 |
MOT 2 3 |
MOT 3 2 |
OKA 1 2 |
OKA 2 1 |
SUG 1 2 |
SUG 2 1 |
SUG 3 2 |
AUT 1 2 |
AUT 2 1 |
AUT 3 2 |
SUZ 1 8 |
SUZ 2 1 |
SUZ 3 2 |
FUJ 1 2 |
FUJ 2 2 |
FUJ 3 2 |
2nd | 116 |
Complete Formula Regional Japanese Championship results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Sutekina Racing Team | FUJ1 1 1 |
FUJ1 2 1 |
FUJ1 3 1 |
SUG 1 |
SUG 2 |
SUG 3 |
FUJ2 1 1 |
FUJ2 2 1 |
MOT 1 1 |
MOT 2 1 |
OKA 1 1 |
OKA 2 1 |
AUT 1 1 |
AUT 2 1 |
1st | 275 |
Complete Super Formula results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Team Mugen | SUZ | AUT C |
SUG | FUJ | MOT | OKA | SUZ | NC | 0 | |||
| 2020 | Kondō Racing | MOT | OKA DNS |
SUG | AUT | SUZ | SUZ | FUJ | NC | 0 | |||
| 2021 | P.mu cerumo・INGING | FUJ 9 |
SUZ 11 |
AUT 2‡ |
SUG 8 |
MOT 5 |
MOT 2 |
SUZ 13 |
7th | 35.5 | |||
| 2022 | FUJ 12 |
FUJ 17 |
SUZ 12 |
AUT 8 |
SUG 19 |
FUJ 12 |
MOT 16 |
MOT 9 |
SUZ 10 |
SUZ 14 |
18th | 6 | |
| 2023 | FUJ 17 |
FUJ 10 |
SUZ 6 |
AUT Ret3 |
SUG 10 |
FUJ 10 |
MOT 5 |
SUZ 14 |
SUZ 11 |
12th | 15 | ||
| 2024 | Vertex Partners Cerumo・INGING | SUZ 71 |
AUT |
SUG |
FUJ |
MOT |
FUJ |
FUJ |
SUZ |
SUZ |
5th | 7 |
* Season still in progress.
Complete Super GT results
edit| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | K-tunes Racing | Lexus RC F GT3 | GT300 | OKA 1 |
FUJ 16 |
SUZ 1 |
BUR 14 |
FUJ 15 |
AUT 5 |
SUG 3 |
MOT 3 |
2nd | 58 |
| 2020 | FUJ 11 |
SUZ 28 |
MOT 4 |
FUJ 26 |
SUZ 5 |
MOT 17 |
FUJ 22 |
16th | 15 | ||||
| TGR Team SARD | Toyota GR Supra GT500 | GT500 | FUJ 6 |
18th | 5 | ||||||||
| 2021 | TGR Team KeePer TOM'S | OKA 3 |
FUJ 3 |
MOT 7 |
SUZ 10 |
SUG 11 |
14th | 28 | |||||
| K-tunes Racing | Lexus RC F GT3 | GT300 | AUT 2 |
MOT 14 |
FUJ 19 |
16th | 15 | ||||||
| 2022 | TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh | Toyota GR Supra GT500 | GT500 | OKA 13 |
FUJ 6 |
SUZ 5 |
FUJ 9 |
SUZ 7 |
SUG 15 |
AUT 5 |
MOT 7 |
11th | 28.5 |
| 2023 | OKA 9 |
FUJ 12 |
SUZ 1 |
FUJ 12 |
SUZ 9 |
SUG 8 |
AUT 13 |
MOT 8 |
12th | 30 | |||
| 2024 | OKA 13 |
FUJ |
SUZ |
FUJ |
SUZ |
SUG |
AUT |
MOT |
NC* | 0* |
* Season still in progress.
References
edit- ^ "Honda takes Makino and Ohtsu from F4 to F3". formulascout.com. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ^ "2016 International Formula 4 Season Reviews". thecheckeredflag.co.uk. 4 January 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ^ "Sena Sakaguchi moves to Motopark in Super Formula Lights". formulascout.com. 18 February 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
A move to Toda Racing for 2018 resulted in another five podiums and fourth in the points,
- ^ a b c Klein, Jamie (12 June 2021). "The junior driver Honda (probably) regrets letting go of". motorsport.com. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "Super Formula Lights attracts 12-car entry for opener". motorsport.com. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ^ "Sakaguchi wins inaugural Formula Regional Japan title at Autopolis". formulascout.com. 12 December 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ^ "Race was canceled due to the bad weather conditions". mugen-power.com. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ^ "Toyota calls up Super Formula rookies to race at Okayama". motorsport.com. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ^ "Miyata and Sakaguchi earn Super Formula and Super GT seats for 2021". formulascout.com. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ^ "SARD calls up new driver to replace absent Kovalainen". motorsport.com. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ^ Klein, Jamie (25 May 2021). "Super GT: Sena Sakaguchi may stay at TOM'S for full season". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ^ O'Connell, RJ (6 December 2021). "Toyota Announces 2022 Sportscar Racing Activities". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ O'Connell, RJ (17 September 2022). "Sakaguchi Soars In Sugo, TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh Grab Fourth Pole Of 2022". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- ^ "Sportscar365's GT Drivers of the Year". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
Honorable mentions... Sena Sakaguchi (three pole positions for Toyota)
- ^ O'Connell, RJ (25 November 2022). "Toyota Gazoo Racing Confirms Core SUPER GT Lineups For 2023". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- ^ O'Connell, RJ (20 June 2023). "It's Official, TGR Team WedsSport Bandoh Wins At Suzuka". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
External links
edit- Sena Sakaguchi at Motorsport.com