Shinji Nakano

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Shinji Nakano
Nationality	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.

1 Pre Formula 1 Career
2 Formula 1 Career
3 After Formula 1
4 Complete Formula One results

[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 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