Japanese racing driver
Yuichi Nakayama (中山雄一, Nakayama Yūichi, born 25 July 1991) is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who currently competes in Super GT for TGR Team SARD. He previously competed in Super Formula, primarily for KCMG, and became champion of the All-Japan Formula Three Championship in 2013.
Career
Karting
Born in the Setagaya Ward of Tokyo, Nakayama began his racing career in karting at the age of six and raced in various local championships, progressing to the KF2 category in 2007, finishing 7th in the Asia-Pacific Championship.[1]
Early career
In 2008, Nakayama graduated to single–seaters into the Formula Challenge Japan mono-series. He finished thirteenth in the series standings, without scoring a podium.[2] He stayed in the series for another season, progressing to fourth position in the standings, collecting six podiums.[3]
He stayed in the series for a third successive season in 2010. He dominated the whole season and won ten from twelve races, finishing every race in the podium positions and finally taking the championship title. He also contested the final rounds in Formula BMW Pacific, joining the Asia Racing Team.[4]
In 2011, Nakayama stepped up to the National class of the All-Japan Formula Three Championship with the TOM'S Spirit team.[5] He finished third, taking three class wins.[6]
In 2012 he switched to the series' Championship class, joining the main TOM'S team. He finished as runner-up to Ryō Hirakawa, winning races at Motegi, Sugo and Fuji.[7] During the season he also appeared in the Macau Grand Prix, finishing 21st.[8]
He continued his collaboration with TOM'S in 2013.[9] This time he dominated the championship, finishing each of the 13 races he contested – 11 wins and a pair of runner-up placings – on the podium, clinching the championship title before the final round of the season, that he was forced to miss.[10] He also repeated his effort to win the Macau Grand Prix trophy with TOM'S.[11]
Nakayama made his début in Super Formula in 2014 with KCMG.[12] He finished in eighteenth position in the championship standings, without scoring a point. Despite this, the team decided to retain him for the 2015 until 2016 season.[13] Nakayama replaced Artem Markelov at the sixth round due to Markelov being called up to race for BWT Arden in the FIA Formula 2 Championship.[14] Nakayama then return to KCMG for 2 rounds to cover Kamui Kobayashi.[15] Nakayama covers for Sacha Fenestraz at Kondo Racing after Fenestraz unable obtain visa entrance to Japan.[16] Nakayama did not score a point, and competed all but two rounds that season.
Super GT
Nakayama made his debut in the series' GT300 Class for apr for one round off in 2013, and 2014. Nakayama joined the team as a full time driver for 2 seasons, as he was paired with Koki Saga. Both pair won 3 times in that 2 seasons,and many podiums. Both managed to clinch third place, and runners up place in each season. Nakayama then move to LM Corsa for 2017 & 2018. Nakayama then steps up to GT500 with SARD Team in 2019. He is already with the team till now where he raced alongside Heiki Kovalainen for 2019 to 2021, then with GT500 Champion Yuhi Sekiguchi from 2022 onwards.
Racing record
Career summary
†– As Nakayama was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.
* Season still in progress.
‡ Team standings.
Complete Super GT results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
* Season still in progress.
(Races in bold indicate pole position)
* Season still in progress.
References
External links
