Miki Onaga is Okinawa’s first female professional racing driver and the 2022 Kyojo Cup champion who’s steadily carved out a name for herself in Japan’s competitive motorsports scene. She’s the kind of racer who wins on debut, finishes runner-up more times than she’d like, and keeps coming back swinging.

EARLY YEARS

Born November 4, 1997, in Okinawa Prefecture—Japan’s most southerly island—Onaga grew up with racing in her DNA. Her father, Tatsuya Onaga, was a racing driver himself, which meant the sport was always around. After competing in local karting championships, she joined Scuderia Okinawa alongside Hibiki Taira to compete in the FS-125 class of the 2017 All-Japan Karting Championship. Okinawa isn’t exactly the motorsports capital of Japan, so making the leap from island tracks to national competition took guts—and she had plenty of it.

OTHER INTERESTS

No information available.

EARLY SUCCESS

In 2019, Onaga made her debut in the VITA of Asia race at Suzuka as part of the EXGEL Race Car First Challenge Program—a program specifically designed to give promising drivers competitive experience. She didn’t waste the opportunity. That same year, she debuted in the Kyojo Cup, Japan’s all-female formula racing championship founded by Masanori Sekiya, and immediately proved she belonged by winning on debut. She also competed in the 2019 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86/BRZ Cup and the Netz Cup Vitz Race, building experience across multiple series. Despite her debut win in Kyojo Cup, she finished just one point short of the championship—a gut-punch finish that set the tone for what would become a pattern of near-misses before ultimate triumph.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2019: Won on debut in Kyojo Cup; finished runner-up in the championship by one point[1].
• 2021: Scored a class victory in Super Taikyu at Motegi, finishing 25th overall while racing a Toyota GR Yaris[2].
• 2022: Won the Kyojo Cup championship, claiming victory in three out of four races and securing the title by 3.5 points at the final round[3].
• 2023: Finished runner-up in Kyojo Cup with one win and six additional podiums; also won the All-Japan EV Karting Championship[4].
• 2024: Made her overseas debut racing part-time in the TGR championship in America, driving a GR86 for Hattori Racing as part of a rotating squad of Japanese guest drivers; finished runner-up in Kyojo Cup again with one win and multiple podiums[5].
• 2024: Achieved her best starting position of the season in Japanese F4 by qualifying 9th for race three at Sugo[6].
• 2025: Won the fourth race of the 2025 Kyojo Cup season, taking the points lead over rival Aimi Saito[7].

INSPIRATIONS

No information available.

REPUTATION

Onaga has built a reputation as one of Kyojo Cup’s leading and most consistent drivers—someone who’s fast right out of the gate and knows how to win when it counts. She’s been dubbed Okinawa’s first female professional racing driver, a distinction she wears proudly as she represents her home prefecture on national and international stages. Her battles with fellow Kyojo Cup competitors like Aimi Saito and Rio Shimono have become fan favorites, and she’s known for being immediately on the pace whenever she enters a new series. The fact that she’s juggled multiple championships simultaneously—Kyojo Cup, Japanese F4, TGR 86/BRZ Cup, and overseas appearances—speaks to both her ambition and her stamina. She’s not here to dabble; she’s here to compete at the highest level possible.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

In 2025, Onaga embarked on her rookie season in the F4 Japanese Championship with OTG Motor Sports (run by Osaka Toyopet), competing in a double program alongside her continued Kyojo Cup campaign with Kids com Team KCMG. The Kyojo Cup transitioned to a single-seater championship in 2025, aligning more closely with her F4 ambitions. She’s also competing in the TGR GR86/BRZ Cup as part of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s 2025 motorsport lineup. With her Kyojo Cup title already secured in 2022 and multiple runner-up finishes under her belt, the goal is clear: prove she can compete—and win—in Japanese F4 while continuing to rack up victories in the series where she’s already a champion.

REFERENCES

[1] Miki Onaga joins OTG Motor Sports for rookie season in Japanese F4
[2] [Close-up] Okinawa’s first female professional racing driver, Miki Onaga, in the KYOJO CUP
[3] VITA of Asia Race Report｜EXGEL MORTORSPORT OFFICIAL SITE
[4] Miki Onaga – Wikipedia
[5] Japanese F4: Onaga scores season-best starting position at Sugo
[6] Kyojo Cup: Miki Onaga wins, takes points lead
[7] Miki Onaga – Speedqueens
[8] D’station Racing Wins Motegi Super Taikyu 5 Hours
[9] TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Presents its 2025 motorsport team setups in Japan
[10] Kyojo Cup: 2025 season guide – Feeder Series