Kazuki Nakajima
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By the time of Satoru's Formula One retirement, Kazuki was only six years old and thus grew up against the backdrop of his father's developing skill as a Formula Nippon team owner, witnessing PIAA Nakajima Racing claiming successive titles in the late 1990s and into the new millennium.
Unsurprisingly, Kazuki found himself in a kart contesting his first race at the age of twelve, in the first of five seasons of competition karting. Three years later, Nakajima was Suzuka Formula ICA karting champion. As he graduated through the championships, his performance in the All Japan Formula A kart championship attracted the attentions of the Toyota scouts and he was invited to join the manufacturer's development programme for young drivers. The talent spotters had done their homework and in his first season under the wing of the Japanese manufacturer, Kazuki won the Formula Toyota Championship. The series is intended to be a stepping stone from karting to Formula 3, and Kazuki as series winner, made the progression to the All Japan Formula 3 Championship the following year.
Formula 3 proved initially to be a tough master, with Kazuki finishing fifth in the Championship but importantly winning two races, indicating a clear capability to progress and develop with every new challenge he confronted. He regarded the Championship as unfinished business and in 2005 contested the series again, finishing as runner-up but importantly broadening his experience beyond single seaters as a competitor in the Japanese GT Championship.
The benefit of being in the family business meant that Kazuki benefited from hard-earned career wisdom and advice, and accordingly, although only 21, he moved to Europe in 2006 in order to progress his career in the Formula 3 Euroseries. While making the huge personal migration to the UK, learning English and adjusting to a new way of life, Kazuki raced across Europe from Germany's Norisring to the Le Mans circuit in France. As much as learn circuits which would form the backbone of the European season in Formula One, Kazuki showed his potential with the first of four podiums on his debut at Hockenheim and later that month in April 2006, he won his first race of the season at the Lausitzring.
In 2007, Kazuki's career continued under the stewardship of the Toyota Development Programme as a competitor in the GP2 Series, the acknowledged feeder to Formula One. However, as an adjunct to his steady career development, he found himself rapidly promoted to the role of test and Friday driver for Williams following an impressive and detailed assessment programme in November 2006.
In a busy 2007, Kazuki scored five consecutive podiums in GP2 and secured the title of rookie of the year. Meantime, in Formula One, he debuted as Friday driver at the Australian Grand Prix, the first of five GP appearances while also contributing 7,000kms of test driving to the development of the FW29. His year was crowned with a nomination to make his Formula One debut at the last race of the season in Brazil, replacing the retired Alex Wurz. In his first race, he claimed a top ten finish, improved on this grid position by nine places and recorded the fifth fastest lap of the day.
Clearly Kazuki's provenance has stood him in good stead as he has shown demonstrable progress in every category of racing he has contested. 2008 will be the ultimate challenge as his first full season in Formula One, but one he is amply capable of tackling head on.
Kazuki Nakajima At A Glance
Date of birth: 11th January 1985
Nationality: Japanese
Place of residence: Oxford
Marital status: Single
Height: 1.75m
Weight: 62kg
Hobbies: Football, Music
Website: www.kazuki-nakajima.com
Career Highlights
1996-2000 Karting 2003 Formula Toyota (Champion)
2004 All-Japan Formula 3 (5th) - TOM's
2005 All-Japan Formula 3 (2nd) - TOM's SUPER GT GT300 Class (11th)
2006 Formula 3 Euro Series (7th) - Manor Motorsport
2007 Test driver for AT&T Williams, GP2 Series - DAMS
2008 FIA Formula One World Championship with AT&T Williams
Formula One Statistics To Date
Formula One debut: 2008 Australian GP
GP Starts: -
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Podiums: -
Fastest laps: -
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