Yorikatsu Tsujiko | |
|---|---|
辻子 依旦 | |
Tsujiko in 2024 | |
| Born | Yorikatsu Tsujiko (1984-01-07) 7 January 1984 Kyoto Prefecture, Japan |
| Nationality | |
| Racing licence | |
Yorikatsu Tsujiko (辻子 依旦, Tsujiko Yorikatsu; born 7 January 1984) is a Japanese businessman and racing driver.
Business career
[edit]Born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1984, Tsujiko moved to the United Kingdom after high school to study mechanical engineering, but returned to Japan a year later after his father fell ill.[1] Following two years working in a car dealership, Tsujiko joined PONOS, which was founded by his father in 1990.[1] One month later his father passed away, and in January 2012 Tsujiko became the company's CEO.[1]
Under his leadership, PONOS released The Battle Cats in November of that year,[2] and also sponsored Williams Racing and Red Bull Racing in Formula One between 2020 and 2022.[3][4] In 2021, Tsujiko founded Ponos Racing in order to begin his career in motorsports as a driver.[5]
Racing career
[edit]Tsujiko made his car racing debut in 2021, racing for Ponos Racing in select rounds of the Formula Regional Japanese Championship.[6] Racing at Okayama and Suzuka, Tsujiko scored a best result of 12th in both rounds.[7][8] During 2021, Tsujiko also participated in the season-opening round of the Super Taikyu Series at Motegi with Comet Racing in the ST-Z class.[9]
The following year, Tsujiko returned to Formula Regional Japan with Ponos Racing,[10] whilst also entering GT World Challenge Asia with Comet Racing.[11] In the former, Tsujiko scored a best result of seventh in race one at Okayama and finished 12th in points.[12] In the latter, Tsujiko scored an overall win at Suzuka and five class podiums to secure third in the Am standings.[13]
Remaining with Comet Racing for 2023, Tsujiko raced with the team in both GT World Challenge Asia and the SRO Japan Cup, whilst also returning to Ponos Racing for a part-time schedule in Formula Regional Japan.[14] In GTWC Asia, Tsujiko scored an Am class win at Fuji and once again finished third in the class standings, whereas in Japan Cup, Tsujiko secured seventh in the overall standings with a best result of fourth in the same race.[15] In Formula Regional Japan, Tsujiko scored a best result of fifth in race two at Fuji and ended the year 13th in points.[16] During 2023, Tsujiko also made his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut, racing in the LMGTE Am class for Kessel Racing alongside Kei Cozzolino and Naoki Yokomizo.[17] In the race, the trio finished ninth in class.[18]
For 2024, Tsujiko remained with Ponos Racing to race in both the Formula Regional Japanese Championship and Porsche Carrera Cup Japan,[19][20] whilst also continuing in the SRO Japan Cup with Comet Racing.[21] In the former, Tsujiko took his maiden series podium by finishing third in race three at Okayama,[22] whereas in Carrera Cup Japan, he scored a best result of ninth at the same venue.[23] Racing in the Am class in Japan Cup, Tsujiko won both races at Suzuka in class and scored one more overall podium to finish runner-up in the Am standings.[24]
In 2025, Tsujiko remained in the SRO Japan Cup as Ponos Racing entered the series and also partook in the Suzuka 1000 km with the same team.[25] In Japan Cup, Tsujiko won at Okayama and Suzuka on his way to runner-up in both the GT3 overall and Pro-Am standings.[26][27]
Tsujiko will remain with Ponos Racing, which will run in a collaboration with K2 R&D,[28] to race in the 2025–26 Asian Le Mans Series for his debut in endurance prototypes, in which he will compete in the LMP2 class.[29]
Racing record
[edit]Racing career summary
[edit]| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Formula Regional Japanese Championship | PONOS Racing | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21st |
| Super Taikyu Series – ST-Z | Comet Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1‡ | 16th‡ | |
| 2022 | Formula Regional Japanese Championship | TOM'S Formula | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 12th |
| GT World Challenge Asia – Am | Comet Racing | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 130 | 3rd | |
| 2023 | Formula Regional Japanese Championship | PONOS Racing | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 13th |
| GT World Challenge Asia – Am | Comet Racing | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 130 | 3rd | |
| SRO Japan Cup – GT3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 7th | ||
| 24 Hours of Le Mans – LMGTE Am | Kessel Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/a | 38th | |
| 2024 | Formula Regional Japanese Championship | PONOS Racing | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 11th |
| Porsche Carrera Cup Japan – Am | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 79 | 6th | ||
| SRO Japan Cup – GT3 Am | Comet Racing | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 149 | 2nd | |
| 2025 | SRO Japan Cup – GT3 Pro-Am | Ponos Racing | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 108 | 2nd |
| Intercontinental GT Challenge | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | ||
| 2025–26 | Asian Le Mans Series – LMP2 | PONOS Racing | |||||||
| Sources:[30][31] | |||||||||
‡ Team standings
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 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | PONOS Racing | OKA 1 13 |
OKA 2 12 |
OKA 3 13 |
MOT 1 |
MOT 2 |
MOT 3 |
FUJ 1 14 |
FUJ 2 14 |
FUJ 3 12 |
SUG 1 |
SUG 2 |
SUZ 1 |
SUZ 2 |
21st | 0 | ||||
| 2022 | PONOS Racing | FUJ1 1 9 |
FUJ1 2 9† |
FUJ1 3 9 |
OKA 1 7 |
OKA 2 Ret |
OKA 3 8 |
MOT 1 |
MOT 2 |
MOT 3 |
SUG 1 |
SUG 2 |
SUG 3 |
FUJ2 1 10 |
FUJ2 2 9 |
FUJ2 3 8 |
SUZ 1 |
SUZ 2 |
12th | 23 |
| 2023 | PONOS Racing | FUJ1 1 6 |
FUJ1 2 5 |
FUJ1 3 7 |
SUZ 1 |
SUZ 2 |
OKA 1 |
OKA 2 |
OKA 3 |
MOT 1 |
MOT 2 |
MOT 3 |
FUJ2 1 6 |
FUJ2 2 9 |
SUG 1 |
SUG 2 |
SUG 3 |
13th | 34 | |
| 2024 | PONOS Racing | SUZ 1 7 |
SUZ 2 9 |
SUZ 3 7 |
SUG 1 |
SUG 2 |
OKA 1 Ret |
OKA 2 5 |
OKA 3 3 |
MOT 1 |
MOT 2 |
FUJ1 1 Ret |
FUJ1 2 DNS |
FUJ2 1 12 |
FUJ2 2 11 |
11th | 39 | |||
Complete GT World Challenge Asia results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Comet Racing | Honda NSX GT3 Evo22 | Am | SEP 1 |
SEP 2 |
SUZ 1 14 |
SUZ 2 1 |
FUJ 1 13 |
FUJ 2 13 |
SUG 1 14 |
SUG 2 8 |
OKA 1 12 |
OKA 2 11 |
3rd | 130 | ||
| 2023 | Comet Racing | Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 | Am | BUR 1 |
BUR 2 |
FSW 1 3 |
FSW 2 1 |
SUZ 1 3 |
SUZ 2 2 |
MOT 1 4 |
MOT 2 3 |
OKA 1 3 |
OKA 2 3 |
SEP 1 |
SEP 2 |
3rd | 130 |
24 Hours of Le Mans results
[edit]| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Ferrari 488 GTE Evo | GTE Am |
303 | 38th | 9th |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "みんなでつくるを大事にする。働きながら遊ぶ、遊ぶように働く". kyoto-iju.com (in Japanese). 22 November 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "PONOS The Batlle cats". ponos.net. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "Williams Racing Announce Partnership Extension with PONOS". williamsf1.com. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "Red Bull Announce Battle Cats Mobile Game Collaboration For Japanese GP". thecheckeredflag.co.uk. 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "Member". ponos-racing.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "FRJ:第1戦岡山公式予選結果". fmotor.jp (in Japanese). 26 June 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "FRJ:第2戦岡山決勝結果". fmotor.jp (in Japanese). 27 June 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "FRJ:第9戦富士決勝結果". fmotor.jp (in Japanese). 26 September 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "実業家4名がメルセデスAMG GT4で挑む。COMET RACINGが2021年のスーパー耐久参戦体制を発表". as-web.jp (in Japanese). 18 March 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "Your season guide to the 2022 Formula Regional Japanese Championship". feederseries.net. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "GT World Challenge Asia: Japanische Teams Comet und GTO bestätigen Teilnahme". gt-place.com (in German). 21 March 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "Miki Koyama earns first single-seater wins at Okayama in FRJC". formulascout.com. 26 June 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "GTWCアジア第4戦はSC続出の荒れた展開に。コメット・レーシングのNSXがAmクラスで初の総合優勝". as-web.jp (in Japanese). 17 July 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "Weekly Racing Roundup (4.3.23)". sportscar365.com. 3 April 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "14th Place Triple Eight JMR Mercedes Wins Race 2 At Fuji". dailysportscar.com. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "Sota Ogawa takes FRegional Japan lead in round one at Fuji Speedway". formulascout.com. 2 April 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "ポノス・レーシング活動開始! ル・マン24時間レースにも日本人トリオで参戦へ". jp.motorsport.com (in Japanese). 23 May 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "ル・マンで"目標達成"のコッツォリーノ/辻子/横溝組「チェッカーを受けた瞬間に景色が変わった」". as-web.jp (in Japanese). 14 June 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "Formula Regional Japan: 2024 season guide". feederseries.net. 9 March 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "ポルシェカレラカップジャパン 2024 第1戦(鈴鹿)予選レポート". 8speed.net (in Japanese). 6 April 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "Comet Racing Enters Japan Cup with Ferrari 296 GT3". sportscar365.com. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "Sauter takes two more wins at Okayama to grow FRegional Japan lead". formulascout.com. 30 May 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "ポルシェカレラカップジャパン2024 第5戦(岡山)決勝レポート". 8speed.net (in Japanese). 30 June 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ "Perfect Suzuka Weekend For K-tunes Racing". dailysportscar.com. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "PONOS Racing Announces SUPER GT & SRO Programmes". dailysportscar.com. 19 February 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ "Bingo & PONOS Ferraris Split Japan Cup Victories". dailysportscar.com. 31 August 2025. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "SROジャパンカップ鈴鹿レース2はPONOS RACINGの辻子/コッツォリーノ組がポール・トゥ・ウイン。チャンピオンは都筑/川端組に". as-web.jp (in Japanese). 14 September 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ "PONOS, K2 R&D Join Forces to Field LMP2 Entry". sportscar365.com. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ "Un point sur les équipages Asian Le Mans Series 2025/2026". endurance-info.com (in French). 12 September 2025. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "Yorikatsu Tsujiko Results". motorsportstats.com. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ "Yorikatsu Tsujiko | Racing career profile | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
External links
[edit]- Yorikatsu Tsujiko career summary at DriverDB.com