Shinji Nakano

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Shinji Nakano
Nationality Flag of Japan Japanese
World Championship Career
Active years 1997-1998
Team(s) Prost, Minardi
Races 33
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podium finishes    0
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0
First race 1997 Australian Grand Prix
Last race 1998 Japanese Grand Prix
Not to be confused with Japanese Moto GP rider Shinya Nakano.

Shinji Nakano (born April 1, 1971) is a former Formula One racing driver from Japan.

Contents

[edit] Pre Formula 1 Career

1984-'88: Karting, several Japanese titles.
1989: 7th in Japanese Formula 3 championship
1990: European Formula Opel Lotus Championship, 1 victory
1991: Formula Opel Lotus Euroseries
1992: Japanese Formula 3 and Formula 3000 championship
1993-'94: Japanese Formula 3 championship
1995-'96: Japanese Formula 3000 championship

[edit] Formula 1 Career

Nakano in the 1998 Spanish Grand Prix, driving a Minardi.
Nakano in the 1998 Spanish Grand Prix, driving a Minardi.

Nakano made his debut at the 1997 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne for the Prost Grand Prix team, owned by legendary four times Formula One World Champion Alain Prost. The 1997 season saw him score 2 world championship points with a pair of 6th places.

With his place at Prost heavily reliant on their engine partners Mugen-Honda it came as no surprise when a switch to Peugeot power saw the French outfit drop Nakano in favour of the young Jarno Trulli and the fit again Olivier Panis. However Nakano was able to pick up a ride at perennial backmarkers Minardi for the 1998 season.

Unsurprisingly, Nakano struggled in the under-powered, under-financed Italian team. He failed to score any points in 1998 and bowed out of F1 for good at his home Grand Prix at Suzuka, Japan, having contested a total of 33 Grands Prix.

[edit] After Formula 1

After F1 Nakano went to race in Champ Car for Derrick Walker and Fernandez Racing. He made 56 starts from 2000 to 2002 with a best points finish of 17th in 2002 and a best race result of 4th at the 2002 Molson Indy Toronto. He also started 15th in the 2003 Indianapolis 500 for Beck Motorsports, finishing 14th. He competed in the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

[edit] Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Team WDC Points
1997 Prost AUS
7
BRA
14
ARG
Ret
SMR
Ret
MON
Ret
ESP
Ret
CAN
6
FRA
Ret
GBR
11
GER
7
HUN
6
BEL
Ret
ITA
11
AUT
Ret
LUX
Ret
JPN
Ret
EUR
10
Prost 18th 2
1998 Minardi AUS
Ret
BRA
Ret
ARG
13
SMR
Ret
ESP
14
MON
9
CAN
7
FRA
17
GBR
8
AUT
11
GER
Ret
HUN
15
BEL
8
ITA
Ret
LUX
15
JPN
Ret
Minardi NC 0