Miyata is predicted to embark on a full marketing campaign within the 2024 WEC as a part of an anticipated factory-backed Lexus effort within the new LMGT3 class that may change GTE Am.
It’s not but clear which operation will run the programme, however the Toyota-owned Lexus model has been linked with an entry with the RC F GT3 that claimed the IMSA SportsCar Championship’s GTD Professional class title this 12 months.
Miyata, who heads AlphaTauri System 1 stand-in Liam Lawson by eight factors with two races at Suzuka remaining in Tremendous System, is predicted to mix a WEC programme with one other season in Tremendous System with Toyota’s flagship TOM’S squad.
That is facilitated by a scarcity of date conflicts between the 2 championships, which has allowed Toyota WEC drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Ryo Hirakawa to dovetail their very own Tremendous System programmes this 12 months.
However two calendar clashes between the WEC and Tremendous GT means there isn’t any room in Miyata’s schedule to stay in Tremendous GT, which the 24-year-old Japanese driver and TOM’S team-mate Sho Tsuboi lead by seven factors with one race to go.
Which means subsequent month’s Motegi season finale is ready to be Miyata’s final in Tremendous GT for the foreseeable future.
It comes after Miyata was unveiled as an official WEC Problem driver by Toyota initially of the 12 months, which is prone to be a precursor to an eventual spot on the Japanese marque’s Hypercar roster.
He was additionally in a position to make his WEC race debut final month at Fuji driving a Ferrari 488 GTE for the CarGuy-backed Kessel Racing squad, and completed third after being drafted in as a late alternative for Davide Rigon.
#36 au TOM’S GR Supra
Picture by: Masahide Kamio
Miyata’s Tremendous GT exit leaves a significant gap within the #36 TOM’S line-up for the 2024 season alongside Tsuboi, who is ready for his fourth totally different team-mate in as a few years since becoming a member of the group.
Present Rookie Racing Toyota driver Kenta Yamashita is known to be the main candidate to fill the hole.
Yamashita, who received the 2019 GT500 title alongside present team-mate Kazuya Oshima, is not any stranger to TOM’S, having raced for the group in Japanese System 3 in 2014-16. He additionally made two GT500 outings within the #37 TOM’S automobile on the finish of the 2020 season alongside Hirakawa, changing Nick Cassidy.
It is unclear who would change Yamashita alongside Oshima at Rookie Racing at this stage, however paddock hypothesis means that Toyota is eyeing signing a driver from a rival producer as a substitute of playing on a rookie.
There might nonetheless be room on the Toyota roster for a GT500 newcomer in 2024 nevertheless with Yuji Tachikawa’s forthcoming retirement opening up a seat on the Cerumo group.
Sena Sakaguchi has been linked to the Cerumo seat alongside Hiroaki Ishiura, though there may be additionally nonetheless a risk that he’ll stay with Racing Mission Bandoh relying on different driver market actions.