Kazuki Nakajima
1. Who is Kazuki Nakajima?
Kazuki Nakajima is a Japanese former racing driver. He was born on January 11, 1985 in Okazaki. After debuting in Japanese F3 and F3 Euroseries, he played two seasons of F1 with Williams. Rejected by the British team, he won a Super Formula title and joined Toyota's Endurance program. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times in a row (2019-2021), retired and currently serves as vice-chairman of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe.
2. Kazuki Nakajima’s junior journey
Kazuki is the son of Satoru Nakajima, a former Formula 1 driver, from 1987 to 1991. Kazuki started karting in 1996. He won the wheel of the Formula Toyota Racing School and opened the doors to Formula Toyota Japan in 2003, then Japanese F3 the following year. His seasons saw him finish 5th then vice-champion. In 2006, he moved to the F3 Euroseries and faced talented, passionate and dedicated drivers like Sebastian Vettel and Paul di Resta, champion of the series. Nakajima finished 7th.
Kazuki Nakajima joined Williams first as a test driver in 2007.
For his career, it is the start of a new era. Nakajima became a test driver for the legendary Williams team for the 2007 season. At the same time, he competed in the GP2 Series season with a well-known French team, DAMS. Without having won any races, the Japanese finished very strongly with a remarkable end to the championship with several podiums. At the end of the championship, he was named best rookie.
3. Kazuki Nakajima’s F1 journey
Following the announcement of Alexander Wurz's retirement, Williams decided to start Nakajima for the 2008 F1 season. The Japanese even competed in the Brazilian Grand Prix, the last round of the 2007 season, for a test gallop. His first in F1 is eventful. He finished 10th and injured some of his mechanics by arriving in the pits too quickly.
Nakajima during his F1 debut in Brazil in 2007.
Nakajima played two seasons in F1 with Williams-Toyota. Nico Rosberg is his teammate. The Japanese did no better than 6th place at the 2008 Australian Grand Prix. He only scored 9 points during his first season, and none during the second! A snub because his German teammate has had a string of good results. His departure from Williams was made official at the end of 2009, as the Grove team hired Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hülkenberg. Rosberg went to Mercedes.
Kazuki Nakajima will have Nico Rosberg as a teammate for 2 seasons.
In 2010, Stefan GP announced its intention to appoint Nakajima to be one of its drivers. But the team's application is refused by F1. And he finds himself without a steering wheel.
4. Kazuki Nakajima’s Endurance Journey
After two seasons in Super Formula (champion in 2012), Nakajima joined the Toyota team, newly entered in the World Endurance Championship in 2012, the FIA WEC. After his retirement from the 24 Hours of Le Mans, he won his first WEC race at the 6 Hours of Fuji.
In 2013 and 2014, he only participated sporadically in the WEC, also sharing his schedule with Super GT and Super Formula, in which he won a new title in 2014. 2015 saw Nakajima become a full-time Toyota Gazoo Racing driver. time. In No. 1, he is the teammate of Sébastien Buemi and Anthony Davidson.
In 2016, he was leader and at the wheel of the TS050 Hybrid at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a few minutes from offering the queen of endurance races to Toyota Gazoo Racing, when his prototype broke down. This is probably one of his worst memories with this team.
Terrible disappointment for Kazuki Nakajima, who broke down during the last lap of the 24 2016 Hours of Le Mans.
The following year, following Audi's withdrawal, the WEC was limited to a duel between Porsche and Toyota Gazoo Racing. The German manufacturer wins in Sarthe while Nakajima has a string of victories (Silverstone, Spa, Fuji, Shanghai and Bahrain). He finished vice world champion.
The consecration finally arrives. He finally won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and became world endurance champion with Sébastien Buemi and Fernando Alonso during the 2018-2019 super-season. In 2020, he won the double clock again, this time with Buemi and Brendon Hartley. No. 7 is world champion.
Kazuki Nakajima finally wins at Le Mans with Sébastien Buemi and Fernando Alonso.
In 2021, Le Mans and the world title elude him for what will be his last WEC season as a Toyota driver. Nakajima concludes his adventure by winning the 8 Hours of Bahrain at the wheel of the Hypercar GR010 hybrid. In No. 8, he is replaced by the young Ryo Hirakawa.
But Nakajima remains very involved with Toyota. He is named vice-chairman of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe, his compatriot and teammate Kamui Kobayashi in the No. 7 becomes team principal. With this position, Nakajima will be able to guide Toyota's efforts in the new era of endurance, marked by the arrival of numerous manufacturers in the WEC (Porsche, Peugeot, Ferrari, Acura, Cadillac, BMW, etc.).
Kazuki Nakajima continues to win at Le Mans with Toyota, as vice-chairman of Toyota Gazoo Racing.
5. AUTOhebdo’s review by Kazuki Nakajima
We might have thought he was forgotten after his short stint in F1, but Nakajima knew how to perfectly guide his career to win, on several occasions, the biggest race in the world with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and become one of the pillars of Toyota in its domination of Endurance.
6. Learn more about Kazuki Nakajima
Kazuki Nakajima's career results
associated researches
Drivers of his generation
