30 Facts About Satoru Nakajima

Satoru Nakajima is a Japanese former racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from 1987 to 1991.

Satoru Nakajima progressed to Japanese Formula Two in 1977, winning a then-record five titles between 1981 and 1986, with 21 victories across 10 seasons.

Satoru Nakajima scored his maiden points finish at the following round in San Marino, and achieved a career-best fourth place at the British Grand Prix.

Across his remaining two seasons at Lotus, Satoru Nakajima scored points finishes at the 1988 Brazilian and 1989 Australian Grands Prix, setting the fastest lap and finishing fourth at the latter.

Satoru Nakajima moved to Tyrrell in 1990, scoring points finishes in the United States, Italy and his home Grand Prix in Japan.

Satoru Nakajima tested the RC100 and related models until 1994, when Honda pulled out of Formula One following the Japanese asset price bubble.

Satoru Nakajima won four Formula Nippon Teams' Championship titles between 1999 and 2009, still competing in the newly-formed Super Formula Championship, as well as the Super GT Series.

Satoru Nakajima was born on 23 February 1953 to a farming family living just outside Okazaki, Japan.

Satoru Nakajima began driving cars in his early teens in the family's garden with his older brother giving him tips, careful that their father didn't catch them.

Satoru Nakajima felt exhilaration behind the wheel of a car, and from then on knew what he wanted to do.

Satoru Nakajima started racing after he finished school and passed his driver's licence.

Satoru Nakajima won five of the next six championships, all of them equipped with a Honda V6 engine.

Satoru Nakajima participated in 80 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting in the Brazilian Grand Prix on 12 April 1987, bringing Honda engines to the Lotus team.

Satoru Nakajima was 34 years old in his debut race, making him one of Formula One's oldest debutants of the modern era.

Satoru Nakajima finished sixth, and so scored a point, in only his second race, the 1987 San Marino Grand Prix.

Honda had originally pushed for Satoru Nakajima to replace Nigel Mansell at Williams for the 1986 season.

Lotus agreed to take on Satoru Nakajima replacing Johnny Dumfries in the second seat as a part of the new engine deal with Honda.

Satoru Nakajima failed to qualify the Lotus 100T at both Monaco and Detroit, the only times between its first race in 1983 and the end of the turbo era in 1988 that a Honda V6 turbo failed to qualify for any Grands Prix entered.

Not normally the best of qualifiers or racers despite having equipment superior to most, including the same all-powerful Honda V6 turbo engine as the McLarens, Satoru Nakajima could have easily been excused for performing poorly at the 1988 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, if he chose to compete at all.

Satoru Nakajima was actually faster than the triple World Champion on the Friday, an effort that won the much-maligned Japanese driver new fans and much praise in the F1 paddock.

Satoru Nakajima joined Tyrrell for the 1990 season.

Satoru Nakajima raced for them for two uneventful years at the back of the pack before ending his career.

Satoru Nakajima was again outscored by his teammate, with Modena scoring 10 points and Satoru Nakajima's two points coming from finishing 5th in the opening race of the season in Phoenix.

Satoru Nakajima had the first public testing of the 101B in Suzuka in January 1994.

Satoru Nakajima decided against entering its own cars in F1 at this time, instead opting to further their engine development in America with CART, and later, the IRL.

Satoru Nakajima drivers have won the Formula Nippon championship three times, Tom Coronel doing so in 1999, Toranosuke Takagi in 2000, and Ralph Firman in 2002.

Satoru Nakajima competed in the British Formula 3 Championship in 2009 and 2010.

Satoru Nakajima's helmet was white with two red lines forming a circular end on the chin area, with a wide line on the rear of the helmet with written NAKAJIMA on it.

Between 1988 and 1994, Satoru Nakajima endorsed many Formula One video games for various consoles like Family Computer, Sega Mega Drive, Game Boy and Super Famicom.

Satoru Nakajima appeared as a playable driver in his Lotus 100T in Codemasters' F1 2013.