Kazuki Nakajima is a Japanese former Formula One driver and motorsport executive. He raced in F1 from 2007 to 2009 with Williams before becoming a major draw in Japanese and international motorsport, winning the Super Formula title in 2012 and 2014, the 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans three years running (2018–2020) with Toyota. In 2022, Nakajima served as vice-chairman of Toyota’s WEC programme, going on to oversee multiple consecutive World Manufacturers’ Championship titles.
| Nationality | Japanese |
|---|---|
| Born | Kazuki Nakajima 11 January 1985 Okazaki, Aichi, Japan |
Formula One Career
Williams: 2007–2009
Nakajima made his Formula One debut at the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix, stepping in after Alexander Wurz’s retirement. In challenging conditions, he impressed with the fifth-fastest lap time—quicker than teammate Nico Rosberg—but drew headlines for overshooting his pit box and clipping two mechanics, who escaped serious injury. His drive earned praise from team management, setting the stage for a full-time seat in 2008.
The 2008 season began positively: seventh place in Australia (later sixth after a disqualification) despite a penalty for a collision with Robert Kubica, and more points in Spain and Monaco—making him the first Japanese driver to score at the Principality. He added top-eight finishes at Silverstone and Singapore, showing flashes of speed and consistency, though incidents and retirements, including a pit wall crash in Canada, limited his overall tally.
Retained for 2009, Nakajima’s final season was more frustrating. While Rosberg scored all of Williams’ points, Nakajima repeatedly came close without breaking into the top eight. Highlights included a career-best qualifying of fifth at Silverstone and near-misses in Hungary and Singapore, but poor pit strategy, late-race incidents, and occasional crashes cost him results. At Interlagos, he was running in the points before being eliminated in a collision with compatriot Kamui Kobayashi.
For 2010, Williams opted for an all-new driver lineup, and Nakajima was linked to the Stefan GP project that sought to inherit Toyota’s withdrawn F1 entry. Despite being announced as one of their drivers, the team was denied a place on the grid, bringing Nakajima’s F1 career to a close.
Kazuki Nakajima Formula One World Championship Career
| F1 Career | 2007–2009 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Williams |
| Entries | 36 (36 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 6 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix |
Kazuki Nakajima Teammates
| 2 drivers | Involvement | First Year | Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nico Rosberg | 41 | 2007 | 2009 |
| Alexander Wurz | 5 | 2007 |
Kazuki Nakajima Complete Formula One Results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | AT&T Williams | Williams FW29 | Toyota RVX-07 2.4 V8 | AUS TD | MAL TD | BHR | ESP | MON | CAN TD | USA TD | FRA | GBR | EUR | HUN | TUR | ITA | BEL | JPN | CHN TD | BRA 10 | 22nd | 0 | |
| 2008 | AT&T Williams | Williams FW30 | Toyota RVX-08 2.4 V8 | AUS 6 | MAL 17 | BHR 14 | ESP 7 | TUR Ret | MON 7 | CAN Ret | FRA 15 | GBR 8 | GER 14 | HUN 13 | EUR 15 | BEL 14 | ITA 12 | SIN 8 | JPN 15 | CHN 12 | BRA 17 | 15th | 9 |
| 2009 | AT&T Williams | Williams FW31 | Toyota RVX-09 2.4 V8 | AUS Ret | MAL 12 | CHN Ret | BHR Ret | ESP 13 | MON 15 † | TUR 12 | GBR 11 | GER 12 | HUN 9 | EUR 18 † | BEL 13 | ITA 10 | SIN 9 | JPN 15 | BRA Ret | ABU 13 | 20th | 0 |
