Takeshi Kimura (racing driver)

Takeshi Kimura (木村 武史, Kimura Takeshi; born 22 October 1970 in Matsudo) is a Japanese racing driver who is set to compete in the 2026 European Le Mans Series for Kessel Racing. He is an Asian Le Mans Series class champion and also won 2022 GT World Challenge Asia overall.

Kimura founded Ruf Co., Ltd. in 2001 and still serves as its CEO as of 2026.

In February 2015, Kimura founded CarGuy Racing and also launched SeaGuy in 2024.

Kimura's CarGuy-branded Ferrari at the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans

Kimura driving a Lexus for Akkodis ASP at the 2024 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

Kimura driving for Kessel Racing at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans

Kimura made his car racing debut in 2015, racing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia, scoring a lone AM class win at Kuala Lumpur and ending the year fifth in points. After racing part-time in Lamborghin Super Trofeo Asia and Super Taikyu the following year, Kimura began expanding CarGuy Racing's operations in 2017 as he made select starts in Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia, Super Taikyu and Blancpain GT Series Asia.

The following year, Kimura and CarGuy Racing made their debut in Super GT, scoring a best result of 15th at Okayama on debut. During 2018, Kimura also competed in select rounds of the Blancpain GT Series Asia for the same team. At the end of the year, Kimura raced in the GT class of the 2018–19 Asian Le Mans Series, winning all four races to secure the title. After making a one-off appearance in Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia and finishing fifth in the LMGTE Am class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2019, Kimura and CarGuy Racing returned to the Asian Le Mans Series for the 2019–20 season. In his sophomore year in the series, Kimura won at The Bend and finished second at Sepang to end the year runner-up in points.

In 2020, Kimura made starts in the GT300 class of Super GT for X Works, as well as an appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for MR Racing. The following year, Kimura returned to the GT class of the Asian Le Mans Series, scoring a lone win at Abu Dhabi and ending the season sixth in points. For the rest of the year, Kimura competed in select appearances in Super GT's GT300 class for Pacific/CarGuy Racing, taking a best result of ninth at Autopolis, as well as racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Super Taikyu.

The following year, Kimura competed in a dual campaign in both the LMGTE class of the European Le Mans Series, and the newly relaunched GT World Challenge Asia. In ELMS, Kimura scored third-place finishes at Monza and Algarve to end the year sixth in points despite missing one round. In GTWC Asia, Kimura won at Suzuka and Fuji and took four more podiums to secure the overall and Pro-am titles. During 2022, Kimura also raced in select rounds of Super GT in the GT300 class for Pacific CarGuy Racing, as well as making a one-off appearance in the FIA World Endurance Championship at Fuji for Team Project 1. Continuing with Kessel Racing for 2023, Kimura drove with them for a dual campaign in the LMGTE Am class of the FIA World Endurance Championship and the LMGTE class of the European Le Mans Series. In the former, Kimura scored podiums at Sebring and Fuji to end the year seventh in the class standings. In the latter, Kimura scored his maiden series win at Aragón en route to a fourth-place points finish. During 2023, Kimura also raced for CarGuy Racing in both the Asian Le Mans Series, and in select rounds of GT World Challenge Asia.

Switching to Akkodis ASP Team for his second full-time season in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Kimura scored a best result of eighth at the 24 Hours of Le Mans to end the year a lowly 27th in the LMGT3 standings. In parallel to his WEC campaign, Kimura also continued with Kessel Racing to competed in the European Le Mans Series, a season in which he won at Spa and Mugello to secure runner-up honors in LMGT3. At the start of 2025, Kimura competed in the final two rounds of the 2024–25 Asian Le Mans Series for CarGuy Racing, scoring a best result of sixth at Abu Dhabi to end the winter 20th in points. Returning to the European Le Mans Series with Kessel Racing for 2025, Kimura scored two podiums with a best result of second at Barcelona en route to a fifth-place finish.

Kimura continued with Kessel Racing for his fifth full-time campaign in the European Le Mans Series the following year.

‡ Team standings

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

† As Kimura was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

• Season still in progress.

• Takeshi Kimura career summary at DriverDB.com