A spotlight on Shinji Nakano
Joining the ADR-Delta team for the two Far Eastern rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship is former F1 and Champ Car star Shinji Nakano. The Japanese driver will be in the No.25 Oreca 03-Nissan alongside Tor Graves and John Martin, taking the fight to the HPD-Hondas in the LMP2 category.
Yet another driver to follow in the footsteps of a racing father, Shinji was born in Osaka in 1971 and started karting at the age of 11, becoming at 16 the first Japanese-born and youngest driver to win the International Kart GP. He was also the youngest-ever winner of the Hong Kong Kart Grand Prix in 1987. He graduated to Japanese F3 in 1989, and then moved to Europe for a season in the 1990 Formula Opel-Lotus which rewarded him with a win and two pole positions, plus invaluable experience of Europe’s Grand Prix circuits. Further seasons in Japanese F3 and F3000 followed.
With names such as Mugen and Honda behind him, Shinji achieved his goal of being in Formula One, joining Olivier Panis at Prost Grand Prix in 1997 as the country’s fifth F1 driver. After completing a further Grand Prix season with Minardi and some testing for Jordan, Shinji moved in 2000 to the United States to compete in CART and IRL making 56 starts.
After making his debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2005, Shinji became the first Japanese national to race at the sportscar classic, the F1 Monaco Grand Prix and the Indy 500. The Tokyo resident has competed at Le Mans six times to date, with his best finish being 5th in 2011 in an OAK Pescarolo-Judd, and now combines his racing with work in TV, speaking engagements and young driver development.
Fiona Miller
Photo: Shinji Nakano will be driving for the ADR-Delta team in the 6 Hours of Fuji.