Miki Koyama becomes first woman signed to the Toyota GR Young driver programme

W Series graduate Miki Koyama has become the first ever woman to join the Toyota GR driver development programme and will enter the Formula Regional Japan championship with Super License Team

Photo by: Racers - Behind the Helmet

Miki Koyama, 24, has been signed to the young driver programme of Toyota Gazoo Racing, a first for a woman in the Japanese manufacturer's stable.

Koyama raced on home soil from 2015 and 2018, competing in the Japanese F4 championship before being selected for the first ever season of W Series.

She scored four points-scoring results out of the six rounds in 2019, placing seventh in the drivers standings and thus gained automatic entry to the following season.

With the W Series return to the track in 2021, Koyama raced for the Sirin Team but was unlucky with technical issues on several occasions and ended her second campaign in 14th position, with a best result of 5th at the opening round in Austria.

Alongside her W Series commitments, Koyama entered selected races of Formula Regional Japan and SuperFormula Lights.

The young Japanese racer will now return to the F3-based Formula Regional Japan series for a full campaign with team Super License, with support from Toyota.

Miki Koyama will likely aim to succeed Tatiana Calderon as the latest woman in the Japanese premiere single seater championship, Super Formula.