Tsuboi has high hopes for Miyata TOM'S partnership

After a largely forgettable 2022 season, TOM'S has opted to pair 2021 GT500 champion Tsuboi and rising star Miyata in its de facto lead car for next year as it aims to regain the title.

Miyata moves across from the sister #37 car after a season of partnering Sacha Fenestraz, taking the place of Giuliano Alesi.

Tsuboi and Alesi managed only one podium finish last year on their way to a lowly 10th in place in the GT500 standings, as Alesi struggled to adapt to the demands of the top class in his first season.

Speaking during a recent fan event in Tokyo organised by sponsor au, Tsuboi expressed his enthusiasm for sharing a car with Miyata, with whom he shared a garage in All-Japan Formula 3 in 2017-18.

"He’s been very fast since F3," Tsuboi said of Miyata. "I had one more year of experience than him, but there were still times that he beat me. I’ve known he’s fast since then. And the more experience he’s gained in the upper categories, the more polished he’s become.

"Having someone with such speed as my teammate will increase the potential of the #36 car. In pure speed terms, I think we have plenty of chances, so I’m really looking forward to it."

Tsuboi will be looking to regain the crown he won in 2021 with Yuhi Sekiguchi

Photo by: Motorsport.com / Japan

When told that drivers from Toyota's rivals Nissan and Honda have remarked on the strength of the #36 TOM'S line-up, Tsuboi replied: "That makes me happy, but there’s also some pressure!

"If we can’t get good results, there will be people thinking, ‘is that it?’, so I want to work hard to make sure we get the results."

For his part, Miyata says he has confidence that he and Tsuboi are capable of winning the title in 2023, providing that Toyota manages to improve the competitiveness of the GR Supra.

"I think the combination of me and Tsuboi is very fast, and a lot of people told me, ‘you can win the championship’," Miyata told Motorsport.com.

"This [year] was such a tough season. The combination is already good, but we have to improve the car."

After a season of mostly driving the longer second stints in 2022, Tsuboi feels that having two drivers of similar ability sharing the car will give he and Miyata more flexibility in terms of strategy.

"In SUPER GT it’s common for one driver to be fixed as the starting driver, but depending on the race distance and starting position, I think either of us can be the starting driver," he said.

"I think we can just play it by ear and bring out both of our strengths. I think the strategy options will increase, and that will lead to good results."

Tsuboi endured a difficult season sharing a car with Giuliano Alesi this year

Photo by: Masahide Kamio