is a Japanese racing driver, known for his successes in single-seater junior categories, including winning the 2013

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 ...

and the 2012 Motegi Championship Formula Super FJ. He currently races in the

Super Formula Championship The Japanese Super Formula Championship is a formula racing series. It is considered as being the top level of single-seater racing in Japan and regional motorsports in Asia. The series is sanctioned by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) and ...

Super GT Super GT (stylized as SUPER GT) is a grand touring car racing series that began in 1993. Launched as the , generally referred to as either the JGTC or the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, the series was renamed to Super GT in 2005. It is ...

and

FIA World Endurance Championship The FIA World Endurance Championship is an auto racing world championship organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The series supersedes the ACO's former Intercont ...

Career

Karting

Yamashita competed in karts before graduating to single-seater cars in 2012.

Formula Super FJ and Formula Challenge Japan

Yamashita began his racing car career in the 2012 Motegi Championship Formula Super FJ, which he won in his first season. In all four starts, he took the pole, fastest lap, and race win. In 2013, he progressed to the

series, which was a racing category intended for drivers between entry level and Formula 3. He scored 7 podiums and in 12 races, including 4 wins, and took the championship title.

All-Japan Formula Three

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

, Yamashita graduated to the

All-Japan Formula Three Championship was a national motor racing championship that takes place in Japan. It is a junior-level feeder formula that uses small single seater Formula Three chassis. As a result of Formula 3 naming regulations by the FIA, on 13 August 2019, series pro ...

with the Petronas Team TOM'S. He finished runner-up in the championship to the more experienced

Nobuharu Matsushita is a Japanese racing driver currently competing in Super GT and Super Formula. He formerly competed in the 2020 FIA Formula 2 Championship for MP Motorsport before being replaced by current Super Formula driver Giuliano Alesi. Early career Kart ...

. In

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...

, Yamashita continued to race in the

, and currently holds the lead of the championship. In addition, he has raced in the GT300 category of the 2015 Super GT season.

Racing record

Career summary

‡ Team standings.

Complete Super GT results

(

key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...

) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap) ^† Driver did not finish the race, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance.
^‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.

Complete Super Formula results

(

) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap) ^‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Yamashita, Kenta 1995 births Living people People from Chiba (city) Sportspeople from Chiba Prefecture Japanese racing drivers Formula Challenge Japan drivers Japanese Formula 3 Championship drivers Super Formula drivers Super GT drivers FIA World Endurance Championship drivers TOM'S drivers T-Sport drivers Kondō Racing drivers Team LeMans drivers Toyota Gazoo Racing drivers