Kazuki Nakajima

Kazuki Nakajima is a decorated racing driver and motorsport executive, transitioning from a successful career in Formula One and endurance racing to a leadership role with Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe. After making his Formula 1 debut with Williams at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2007, where he finished 10th and set the fifth fastest lap, Kazuki Nakajima went on to forge a distinguished career as a racing driver and motorsport executive. His path to Formula 1 included becoming the Suzuka Formula ICA Karting Champion in 1999, securing the Formula Toyota title in 2003, and finishing as runner-up in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship with TOM’S-Toyota in 2005. Following a seventh-place finish in the Formula 3 Euroseries in 2006, Nakajima was named a Williams F1 test driver, backed by Toyota, later that year.

In 2007, he raced in GP2 for DAMS, finishing fifth in the championship as the highest-placed rookie. Nakajima continued with Williams in Formula 1 for the 2008 and 2009 seasons, where he notably scored points in five races during 2008, setting a record at Monaco as the first Japanese driver to earn points there. Following his Formula 1 tenure, Nakajima returned to Japanese racing, competing in Formula Nippon and joining TOM’S in 2011, finishing as championship runner-up. Concurrently, he began racing in the Japanese Super GT series with Lexus.

Nakajima’s career exemplifies a rare blend of on-track prowess and strategic leadership, positioning him as a respected figure across global motorsports.