Guest blog by Thiemo Albers-Daly
Anna Inotsume is a Japanese Racing Driver who has been competing for almost a decade now, making her motorsport debut back in 2015 in the All Japan Electric Vehicle Race Series. Since then, she’s gained a wealth of experience, having raced all across Japan in a number of categories, including the Kyojo Cup, the Super Taikyu Series and the Mini Challenge Asia, amongst others.
This year, Anna will be competing in the Formula Regional Japan Championship, following in the footsteps of some other remarkable Japanese women. Ai Miura claimed four podiums and a win, before becoming Vice-Champion in 2021. One year later, former W Series racer Miki Koyama finished every single race on the podium and, with seven victories as part of this, she was crowned champion at the end of the season, becoming the first woman to win a FIA-sanctioned mixed-gender Formula Regional series. These will be pretty big footsteps to follow in but it’s a challenge that Anna is more than capable of taking on – and is eager to do so.
We caught up recently to chat about this as well as a little of everything else in her career so far, focusing particularly on the last couple of years, along with an eye to what the immediate future has in store for her.
I hope you enjoy our conversation.
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When first got you interested in the world of Motorsport?
Influenced by my father, who was an All-Japan Gymkhana Champion, I drove on the circuit for the first time at the age of 20 after getting my driver’s license.
Tell me about the first time you went racing and what that experience meant to you.
At first, I was asked to help at a race my Father was participating in as a hobby, so I reluctantly went to the circuit. Because I was a college student at the time and wanted to buy clothes, I agreed to help as a part-time job. As I continued to do that, I finally started to drive there.
You were the first woman to win the title in the TCR Series – how did/does that feel?
“Champion” and “World’s First” are titles that will last a lifetime. I would like to thank the team for making it such an honorable experience. It gave me an opportunity to communicate with people not only in Japan but also globally. I always want to compete in races around the world in the future, so I feel like I’m getting closer to my dream.
Do you have any role models in the world of motorsport?
My dream is to compete in GT car races around the world such as WEC, so I’m inspired by the activities of “Iron Dames”.
You competed with Dome Racing this year, why did you join their team and how would you describe your time with them so far?
I had a chance to drive as a guest driver in the last two races of 2021 TCR JAPAN SERIES. Since a driver for 2022 had not been fixed for the DOME team, I decided to contact them myself and they agreed to allow me to drive for them. In 2022, I was frustrated that I couldn’t get the maximum performance out of the car that the team had prepared for me in the first half of the season. But I deepened my communication with the team and my driving improved with each race.
Then, in September, I was able to take my first victory from pole position at the WEC event held in Fuji. In 2023, I raced with DOME once again and together, we went on to win the championship – the first time in my life!
My sponsor, YUPITERU, also joined this team, and we were able to create an ideal partnership. It was the first time for me to work with a team like Dome with a high-level garage, and everything was exciting, and I learned a lot!
What are your ambitions for 2024 and beyond?
In Japan, I am aiming to compete in Super GT. My dream is also to compete globally, so I would like to compete in World GT car races such as WEC events. I would also like to participate in the TCR WORLD RANKING FINAL. For this reason, I am currently practicing English hard!
What’s been the most challenging thing for you to overcome so far?
I have spent my career racing touring cars up to now, but this year I am competing in the FRJ – “Formula Regional Japanese Championship”.
In 2023, when I had a chance to participate in a race of FRJ, which was held on the same race weekend as the WEC Fuji round, I realized that “Here are the skills and speed that I currently lack to achieve my goals”, and decided to compete in FRJ this year in order to improve these. I am still not able to bring out 100% of the car’s performance, but our current challenge is to overcome this hurdle and I’m determined to achieve this.
Do you have any pre-race rituals?
Tying the laces of my racing shoes from the left. For sprint races, the gloves must be worn after sitting in the cockpit. Gloves are also worn from the left. I also get into the single-seater cars from the left side as well. I’m right-handed, but the key word in my routine is “left” !
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not racing?
I am thinking about beauty and health and making creative efforts. Strength training is also fun, so I do it on a daily basis. I love playing the piano, which I have been learning since I was 3 years old, so I like Chopin’s music, especially “Dream of Love” and “Nocturne”. I’ve also been playing volleyball since I was 10 years old, so I often go to play volleyball on weekends when there aren’t races.
If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?
I wish I had the superpower to drive any car fast! But that’s not possible, so I’ll keep working hard every day.
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Thanks to Anna for taking the time to chat and best of luck for the rest of 2024.
Paddock Sorority 
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