Hiroaki Nagai, driver of the number 30 Toyota GR Sport Prius PHV apr GT for apr Racing, has won the 2021 Super GT World Awards Clubman Driver of the Year, given annually to the most outstanding amateur driver in the GT300 ranks.
Eligible drivers would hold an FIA Bronze Categorisation, or an equivalent Gentleman driver categorisation from the Super Taikyu Organisation (S.T.O), with no previous GT500, Japanese Top Formula, or other top-level professional racing experience.
We would like to thank the panel of five accredited motorsports journalists who took part in selecting the finalists for each award (including, of course, myself).
All finalists listed in alphabetical order
GT500 Driver of the Year: Tomoki Nojiri (#8 ARTA NSX), Yuhi Sekiguchi (#36 au Supra), Naoki Yamamoto (#1 Stanley NSX)
GT300 Driver of the Year: Takuto Iguchi (#61 Subaru BRZ), João Paulo de Oliveira (#56 Realize GT-R GT3), Hideki Yamauchi (#61 Subaru BRZ)
Team Director of the Year: Kazuhiro Kojima (#1 Stanley NSX), Masahiro Ozawa (#61 Subaru BRZ), Aguri Suzuki (#8 ARTA NSX)
International Driver of the Year: Bertrand Baguette (#17 Astemo NSX), João Paulo de Oliveira (#56 Realize GT-R GT3), Ronnie Quintarelli (#23 Motul GT-R)
Shingo Tachi Memorial Award / GT500 Rookie of the Year: Nobuharu Matsushita (#12 Calsonic GT-R), Toshiki Oyu (#16 Red Bull NSX), Sena Sakaguchi (#37 KeePer Supra)
Shingo Tachi Memorial Award / GT300 Rookie of the Year: Teppei Natori (#18 UPGarage NSX), Ren Sato (#55 ARTA NSX GT3), Takuro Shinohara (#21 Hitotsuyama R8)
Shinichi Yamaji Memorial Award / Comeback Driver of the Year: Sacha Fenestraz (#37 KeePer Supra), Tadasuke Makino (#1 Stanley NSX), Hiroki Yoshimoto (#60 Syntium Supra)
Most Improved Driver of the Year: Katsumasa Chiyo (#3 CraftSports GT-R), Kazuki Hiramine (#12 Calsonic GT-R), Shunsuke Kohno (#60 Syntium Supra)
Clubman Driver of the Year: Takeshi Kimura (#9 CarGuy Ferrari), Hiroaki Nagai (#30 Toyota Prius), Tomohide Yamaguchi (#7 Studie M6)
GT500クラス最優秀選手: 関口雄飛 (36番), 野尻智紀 (8番), 山本尚貴 (1番)
GT300クラス最優秀選手: 井口卓人 (61番), ジョアオ・パオロ・デ・オリベイラ (56番), 山内英輝 (61番)
最優秀チーム監督: 小澤正弘 (61番), 小島一浩 (1番), 鈴木亜久里 (8番)
最優秀国際ドライバー: ロニー・クインタレッリ(23番), ジョアオ・パオロ・デ・オリベイラ (56番), ベルトラン・バゲット (17番)
舘信吾記念賞 (GT500最優秀新人): 大湯都史樹 (16番), 阪口晴南 (37番), 松下信治 (12番)
舘信吾記念賞 (GT300最優秀新人): 佐藤蓮 (55番), 篠原拓朗 (21番), 名取鉄平 (18番)
山路慎一記念賞 (カムバック賞): サッシャ・フェネストラズ (37番), 牧野任祐 (1番), 吉本大樹 (60番)
最成長選手賞: 河野駿佑 (60番), 千代勝正 (3番), 平峰一貴 (12番)
最優秀クラブマンドライバー: 木村武史 (9番), 永井宏明 (30番), 山口智英 (7番)
Every year, Super GT World honours the most outstanding performers in the Autobacs Super GT Series with the Super GT World Awards.
The Gentleman Driver of the Year award, introduced this year, honours the best amateur racing driver in the GT300 class – which has its roots as a strictly pro-am category. Even as all-pro teams have now come to dominate the class, the gentleman racers of the grid still have a presence as drivers, financial benefactors, and unique characters in their own right.
Toyota Gazoo Racing announced their global motorsports activities for the 2018 season in a press release on Thursday, and with it, outlined their participation for the Autobacs Super GT Series.
Super GT series is the top category of Japanese car racing, and in 2018, Lexus Gazoo Racing will continue to enter the Lexus LC 500. Lexus Gazoo Racing will support 6 teams and 6 vehicles through TRD. In the GT300 class, Toyota Gazoo Racing will enter 2 Toyota Prius and 3 Lexus RC F GT3 models.
Super GT World