Ryuji Yamamoto (born 17 October 1988) is a Japanese racing driver who last competed in the Japanese Formula 3. He was runner-up for the

Formula Challenge Japan Formula Challenge Japan was an open wheel racing series based in Japan. The first season was in 2006 and carried on from the defunct Formula Dream series. It is promoted as a young driver development project jointly by Honda, Toyota and Nissan a ...

in its debut year, 2006, before moving to Europe to compete in the

Formula Renault Formula Renault are classes of formula racing popular in Europe and elsewhere. Regarded as an entry-level series to auto racing, motor racing, it was founded in 1971, and was a respected series where drivers can learn advanced racecraft before mov ...

championships. He signed with the Nissan Driver Development Program.

Career

Karting

In Asia, Ryuji Yamamoto had a successful career in karting, winning the Asian-Pacific Championship in 2004., his sophomore year in the competition. He remained in kart until 2005.

Open wheel

After a successful career in kart, Yamamoto changed to open wheel categories in 2006. He participated in the first season of the

, achieving the 2nd place in the season, and in the World Cup Formula A, alongside drivers like

Riki Christodoulou Riki James Christodoulou (born 15 July 1988) is a British racing driver, born in Sutton Coldfield. His cousin Adam Christodoulou is also a British Racing Driver. Career Karting Christodoulou began racing in 1996, and has raced karts in the ...

, Alexander Sims, Alvaro Parente and

Jules Bianchi Jules Lucien André Bianchi (; 3 August 1989 – 17 July 2015) was a French racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to . Born and raised in Nice, Bianchi was the grandson of endurance racing driver Mauro Bianchi and the great-nephew ...

. In 2007, Yamamoto moved to Europe and joined the

, competing in France and England for the

Fortec Motorsports Fortec Motorsport Ltd. is a motor-racing team that races in the GB3 Championship, GB4 Championship, and F4 British Championship. The team was bought in 1995 by current owner Richard Dutton. Past drivers for the team include Juan Pablo Montoya, ...

and CR Scuderia as part of the Nissan Driver Development Program. After two years in the European Formula Renault, 42 races, no wins and only two podiums, Yamamoto returned to Japan and joined the Japanese Formula 3 for the AIM Sports team. He participated in only two races.

References

1988 births Japanese Formula 3 Championship drivers Living people Japanese racing drivers Formula Challenge Japan drivers French Formula Renault 2.0 drivers British Formula Renault 2.0 drivers CRS Racing drivers {{Japan-autoracing-bio-stub