1. Yuji Ide was born on 21 January 1975 and is a Japanese racing driver.
19 Facts About Yuji Ide
1. 2.
Yuji Ide is the 2005 Formula Nippon runner-up and the 2010 Suzuka 1000km winner.
3.
Yuji Ide competed in Formula One with the Super Aguri team in 2006, but was demoted to third driver after four races and subsequently lost his FIA Super Licence.
4.
Yuji Ide was the Formula Dream series champion in Japan.
5.
In 2002 Yuji Ide joined the French Formula Three Championship series and finished in seventh place.
6.
Yuji Ide finished his first stint in Formula Nippon finishing second in the 2005 championship.
7.
At age 31, Yuji Ide became one of Formula One's oldest rookies when he landed a seat at Super Aguri for the 2006 season, in part due to Super Aguri's aspiration of fielding an all-Japanese team.
8.
Yuji Ide had known Aguri Suzuki for a long time, according to a press release, however Yuji Ide's meshing with the team had some issues with his lack of proficient English.
9.
Yuji Ide was reprimanded by the stewards and warned over future conduct.
10.
On 4 May 2006, Super Aguri announced that Yuji Ide would be dropped from the upcoming European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, following advice from the FIA that he needed more experience.
11.
Yuji Ide was replaced by the team's third driver Franck Montagny.
12.
Super Aguri team principal Aguri Suzuki revealed that Yuji Ide had just 200 kilometres of experience in an F1 car before his debut.
13.
In July 2006 it was announced that Yuji Ide would be racing for Team Dandelion Racing in the final six rounds of the Formula Nippon championship, with the aim of increasing his racing experience.
14.
Yuji Ide contested the International Pokka 1000km round of the 2006 Super GT Series at Suzuka with Nismo in the No 23 Nissan.
15.
Yuji Ide's best finish of the season was a third place, scored in round five at Suzuka.
16.
Yuji Ide raced as a third driver for ARTA in the 2007 International Pokka 1000km, where the team finished second overall, despite a large success ballast weight handicap.
17.
Yuji Ide raced as a full-time driver in Super GT for Team Kunimitsu in 2008 and 2009, and then for ARTA in 2010.
18.
Yuji Ide notably won the 2010 Pokka GT Summer Special and finished second at the 2008 event.
19.
Yuji Ide raced full-time in Formula Nippon in 2008 and 2010, but scored points just three times.