Miki Onaga

Miki Onaga races a VITA sportscar in Japan, in both the all-female Kyojo Cup and in the mixed Inter Proto series for which that car is eligible. 

Born in 1997, she comes from Okinawa province, the most southerly island of Japan.

She is one of the Kyojo Cup’s leading drivers, finishing second in the 2019 championship having joined for the second round. On the pace from the start, she won straight away. This was the start of a championship battle with Hinako Muramatsu, which lasted until the final round. Muramatsu won. 

The same year, she used her Vita prototype for the Suzuka Race of Asia, competing in the Vita one-make race. This is the mixed counterpart of the Kyojo Cup.

She entered the Kyojo Cup again in 2020 and was second overall, as well as competing in the Super Taikyu Championship in a Toyota GT86, driving for a Toyota-supported junior team. The Kobe Toyopet Motorsports car made its debut in October at the 3 Hours of Okuyama, where the three-driver team was fourth in class.

She returned to Super Taikyu in 2021, racing a Toyota Yaris, as well as finishing second in the Kyojo Cup again. The Yaris was a GR model run by the Kobe Toyopet team again. Early in the season, Miki and her two team-mates won their class at Motegi, the first of three class victories.

The Kyojo Cup title went back her way in 2022 with three out of four race wins. The fourth resulted in a penalty, otherwise she would have won that too.

In 2023 she was announced as a driver in the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ one-make cup, but no results seem to be forthcoming. Returning to the Kyojo Cup at the end of the summer season, she was second again, with one win.

Her senior career began in 2019, but she was both active and successful in karting for two years before that, competing in the All Japan Regional Championship and the Dunlop Next Cup. She was the first driver chosen for the Exgel Race Car First Challenge, a programme for karters transitioning to cars. It used the Vita prototype, giving her an advantage for her Suzuka debut.

(Image copyright Exgel Motorsport)