João Paulo de Oliveira

João Paulo "J.P." Lima de Oliveira (born 13 July 1981) is a Brazilian professional racing driver currently competing in the Japanese Super GT series and in the FIA World Endurance Championship driving for the Vanwall Racing Team. He won the Super GT GT300 class championship in both 2020 and 2022 and the Formula Nippon championship in 2010, and the ATS Formel 3 Cup in 2003.

De Oliveira is regarded as one of the most successful racing drivers to race in Japan in the last decade. JP, as he is known, has won in every category he competed in. After becoming the German F3 champion in 2003 by far, winning thirteen out of sixteen races, he arrived in Japan in 2004 and took the Japanese F3 title in next year with seven wins. After that, he joined Nissan as their official factory driver for the next thirteen years in Super GT and Super Formula. He is known for his speed and his in-depth ability for car development.

Racing career De Oliveira during practice for the first Motegi round of the 2010 Formula Nippon season, where he won from pole position with fastest lap. Born in São Paulo, de Oliveira competed in kart racing only in 1997, then he moved on to Brazilian national Formula Ford and Formula Chevrolet championships in 1998.

Beginning in 1999, de Oliveira started competing in Formula Three category. He won the 1999 South American Formula Three (Class B), the 2003 German Formula Three, and the 2005 Japanese Formula Three championships.

In 2006, de Oliveira debuted in the Super GT with a Hasemi Nissan Z GT500. He continued as a Nissan Super GT driver with Kondo (2007-2010, 2017) and Impul (2011-2016). He won two titles, in 2020 and 2022, was runner-up in 2015, and claimed nine wins and nineteen podiums overall.

Also in 2006, de Oliveira entered the last round of the Formula Nippon with 5Zigen. He also drove in Formula Nippon for Kondo in 2007 and 2008. After skipping 2009, he returned in 2010 with Impul. He won one title in 2020, was runner-up in 2014, and won ten races and earned 23 podiums in the category. He retired from formula racing after the 2016 season.

De Oliveira made his World Touring Car Championship debut at the 2009 FIA WTCC Race of Japan for SUNRED Engineering. He drove as a wildcard entry in the finale round of the 2019 World Touring Car Cup at Sepang International Circuit in a Honda Civic Type R TCR run by KCMG. He qualified 13th with a time of 2:14.746. In race one, de Oliveira's experience on the track allowed him to finish the race in fifth overall and set the fastest lap of the track, and even assist championship contender Esteban Guerrieri. He dropped to eighteenth in race two, which was followed by a retirement in race 3 on lap 10 from 25th on the grid. His fifth place is the best position a wildcard driver had in 2019.

De Oliveira joined the Vanwall Racing Team in June 2023 to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship, replacing the departing Tom Dillmann; he had previously spoken of a desire to drive for the team and hoped to "escape his comfort zone". De Oliveira was scheduled to compete in the Monza and Fuji rounds of the championship; he would not compete at Bahrain due to clashing commitments with Super GT.

Racing record

Career summary † As de Oliveira was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points. As de Oliveira was a wildcard entry in the WTCR, he was not eligible for points. ‡ Team standings. Season still in progress.

Complete Formula Nippon / Super Formula results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points 2006 Team 5Zigen Honda FUJ SUZ MOT SUZ AUT FUJ SUG MOT SUZ NC 0 2007 Kondo Racing Toyota FUJ SUZ MOT OKA SUZ FUJ SUG MOT SUZ 8th 18 2008 Kondo Racing Toyota FUJ SUZ MOT OKA SUZ SUZ MOT MOT FUJ FUJ SUG 6th 33 2010 Team Impul Toyota SUZ MOT FUJ MOT SUG AUT SUZ SUZ 1st 47.5 2011 Team Impul Toyota SUZ AUT FUJ MOT SUZ SUG MOT MOT 3rd 28 2012 Team Impul Toyota SUZ MOT AUT FUJ MOT SUG SUZ SUZ 5th 34.5 2013 Lenovo Team Impul Toyota SUZ AUT FUJ MOT SUG SUZ SUZ 5th 19 2014 Lenovo Team Impul Toyota SUZ FUJ FUJ FUJ MOT AUT SUG SUZ SUZ 2nd 39.5 2015 Lenovo Team Impul Toyota SUZ OKA FUJ MOT AUT SUG SUZ SUZ 4th 34 2016 Itochu Enex Team Impul Toyota SUZ OKA FUJ MOT OKA OKA SUG SUZ SUZ 7th 15.5 2018 Vantelin Team TOM'S Toyota SUZ AUT SUG FUJ MOT OKA SUZ 23rd 0

Complete Super GT results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) ‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed. (Number) Driver did not take part in this sprint race, points are still awarded for the teammate's result. Season still in progress.

Complete World Touring Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 DC Points 2009 SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TFSI BRA1 BRA2 MEX1 MEX2 MAR1 MAR2 FRA1 FRA2 ESP1 ESP2 CZE1 CZE2 POR1 POR2 GBR1 GBR2 GER1 GER2 ITA1 ITA2 JPN1 JPN2 MAC1 MAC2 NC 0

American open–wheel racing results (key)

IndyCar Series Year Team No. Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Rank Points Ref 2011 Conquest Racing 34 Dallara HondaSTPALALBHSAOINDYTXSTXSMILIOWTOREDMMDONHMSNMBALMOTKTYLVS 44th 10

Complete World Touring Car Cup results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 DC Points 2019 KCMG Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) MAR1 MAR2 MAR3 HUN1 HUN2 HUN3 SVK1 SVK2 SVK3 NED1 NED2 NED3 GER1 GER2 GER3 POR1 POR2 POR3 CHN1 CHN2 CHN3 JPN1 JPN2 JPN3 MAC1 MAC2 MAC3 MAL1 MAL2 MAL3 NC‡ 0‡ ‡ As de Oliveira was a Wildcard entry, he was ineligible to score points.

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rank Points 2023 Floyd Vanwall Racing Team Hypercar Vanwall Vandervell 680 Gibson GL458 4.5 L V8 SEB ALG SPA LMS MNZ FUJ BHR 22nd 0

Complete Stock Car Pro Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Rank Points 2018 Eurofarma RC Chevrolet Cruze INT1 CUR1 CUR2 VEL1 VEL2 LON1 LON2 SCZ1 SCZ2 GOI1 MOU1 MOU2 CAS1 CAS2 VCA1 VCA2 TAR1 TAR2 GOI1 GOI2 INT1 NC† 0† 2025 Full Time Gazoo Racing Toyota Corolla Cross INT1 CAS1 CAS2 VEL1 VEL2 VCA1 VCA2 CRS1 CRS2 CAS1 CAS2 VCA1 VCA2 VCA1 VCA2 MOU1 MOU2 CUI1 CUI2 BRA1 BRA2 INT1 INT2 21st 443 † As de Oliveira was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.