Osamu Kawashima has announced that he will drive for Team VERTU in Rounds 9 and 10 of the British Touring Car Championship season, though who he replaces is unclear.
Just over a week since announcing his position as Team VERTU’s reserve driver, the 57-year-old took to social media to unveil the next stage of his programme with EXCELR8.
“I am deeply honoured and very proud to share that my BTCC 2026 programme with EXCELR8 Motorsport has now moved into its next confirmed stage, and that I will be racing in Round 9 and Round 10 later this season,” he said on Instagram.
“For me, this is far more than a racing announcement. It is a historic step toward becoming the first Japanese professional driver to race in BTCC, and the fulfilment of a dream I have pursued for many years.
“I feel great joy, but also great responsibility. From this point forward, I want to carry myself with even stronger professionalism, commitment, and gratitude as I prepare for this challenge.
“My sincere thanks to EXCELR8 Motorsport, and in particular Antony Williams and Justina Williams, for their trust and support in helping bring this programme to life.
“This is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning of something much bigger.”
Kawashima’s announcement is a landmark moment for Japanese motorsport in the UK, with the VERTU man becoming the first Japanese driver in the BTCC since 1985.
Kunimitsu Takahashi held that honour, driving a Mitsubishi Starion at Silverstone when the series still raced under its British Saloon Car Championship name.
And a confirmed drive for Kawashima is the conclusion of a decade-long journey in its own right, having first set his eyes on the BTCC and tested a Speedworks Toyota Avensis in 2016.
While the team have not yet confirmed who the Japanese veteran will step in for, he will likely replace Ricky Collard. Collard has made little secret that funding may force him out of the car after Thruxton, but may well have secured some additional cash if VERTU are only looking for a new driver for the final two outings of the season.
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