Hana Burton returns to Kyojo Cup as TGR-backed driver

Hana Burton will return to the all-female Kyojo Cup in 2025, which transitions to a Formula 4 series, marking her formula racing debut as a TGR-backed driver, following Toyota's increased support of the series.

Photo credits: Hana Burton

Hana Burton is set to return to the all-female Kyojo Cup championship in Japan in 2025, which will transition into a Formula 4 series, effectively marking her formula racing debut as a TGR-backed driver.

Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) has in fact announced its increased support for the all-female series, originally launched in 2017, with nine TGR-affiliated drivers confirmed for the upcoming season.

The Japanese-American driver therefore aims to continue the steady development she demonstrated in 2023 and 2024; unlike most racers, who start competing in karting at the age of 5 or 6, Burton’s journey to motorsport has been unconventional. She began racing only a few years ago in her twenties but has shown extraordinary determination in carving her own path in the sport.

Burton is passionate about making motorsports more accessible - and has done so by sharing her racing journey, which has garnered her a growing social media following.

Before her racing career, she worked in marketing for a Japan-based company specializing in aftermarket automotive parts and accessories, which sparked her interest and built her knowledge.

Her passion evolved from track days to competitive racing in Japan, where she worked hard to network, explore opportunities, and secure her own budget. From her first on-track experiences, Burton quickly impressed. She made her full-time debut in 2022 in the Toyota Gazoo Yaris Cup, earning the 2022 Toyota Gazoo Rookie of the Year Award.

In 2023, she progressed further, competing for the first time in the Inter Proto Series Kyojo Cup, at the wheel of the VITA-01 single-seater prototype. Burton made a strong debut in the competitive series, finishing the year with a top ten.

By 2024, Burton showed even greater growth. She returned to the Kyojo Cup with higher ambitions and also competed in the Fuji Championship Series. Demonstrating rapid learning and consistent improvement, she placed eighth in the season opener, achieved a personal best of fourth in Round 3, and secured another top-five finish in the following round. She concluded her second season in the Kyojo Cup with a top-ten finish, placing ninth in the championship standings.

Now, Burton will return to the Kyojo Cup as the series enters a new era with the introduction of hybrid Formula 4 cars, allowing her to make her formula racing debut. She has already begun testing F4 machinery and is preparing extensively for the challenge ahead.

Toyota Gazoo Racing has also announced its expanded support for the series, backing nine female drivers to promote diversity and sustainability in motorsport. “TGR aims to make motorsport sustainable by increasing the number of competitors and motorsport fans and promoting diversity", the press release states. "Starting in 2025, TGR will work to create an environment where female drivers can thrive in motorsport, supporting each team while promoting the activities of affiliated female drivers.”

Joining Hana Burton among the TGR-backed drivers will be Mako Hirakawa, 2024 champion Aimi Saito—who will join Burton at Team TOM'S—Rio Shimono, Miki Onaga, Rami Sasaki, Riona Tomishita, Kokoro Sato, and Itsumo Shiraishi.