Profile

Hight-174cm, Weight 67kg
Born on April 1st, 1971 in Osaka Japan

With the influence of his father, Shinji started Kart Race at the age of 11.
In 1987, at age 16, Shinji become the first Japanese-born driver and the youngest driver to win the International Kart GP.

In 1997, Shinji stepped up as fifth Japanese F1 driver and completed the full race.
In 2000, Shinji moved to United States and broadened his activities to CART and IRL category and successfully raced among the top players of the world.
After competing in 2005, Shinji became the first Japanese national and 30th driver to compete the World Big 3 race after competing Le Mans 24 hours, Shinji became the first Japanese national ever to complete the World Big 3 race including F1 Monaco GP and INDY500.

Shinji is a world class driver that holds both skills and popularity.
His experiences overseas have given him linguistic abilities as well as his international mindset.
He's activities now include not only racing but, TV and magazine coverage, speaking engagements for events and seminars as well as development of young players.
He is positively participating in the ecology activity at last few years.

  • 1987年　Won the race as the first Japnese and youngest driver at International Kart GP.
  • 1989年　Competed at All-Japan Formula 3 Campionship.
  • 1990年　Moved to U.K. and competed at Formula Vauxhall and Formura Opel, Champion 1, Series 5th place.
  • 1992年　Competed at All-Japan F3000 and All-Japan F3 Championship.
  • 1996年　Competed at Formula Nippon Championship,Prize 2.
  • 1997年　Competed Formula 1 Championship with 'Prost Mugen Honda'. Recorded 5 top10 finishes,Prize2.
  • 1998年　Competed with 'Team Minardi' for Formula 1 Championship. Recorded top10 finishes at Monaco,England,Belgium and Canada.
  • 1999年　Test driver for Formula 1 with 'Jordan Mugen Honda'.
  • 2000年　Competed at Champcar Series(CART) with `Walker Racing'.
  • 2002年　Competed at Champcar Series(CART) with 'Fernandez Racing'. Best record placed 4th,in the history of Japanese driver.
  • 2003年　Competed at IRL Series Japan GP and INDY500 with 'Beck Motor Sports'.
  • 2004年　Competed at All-Japan GT Championship with 'Team Kunimitsu'.
  • 2004年　International 1000km Endurance Race,2nd place.
  • 2007年 Competed at Le Mans 24 hours and Le Mans Endurance Series with 'Creation Autosportif'. Competed at Japan Le Mans Challenge with 'Mugen M-tec', 2nd place. Le Mans Classic Japan,1st prize.
  • 2008年 Competed at Le Mans 24 hours and Le Mans Endurance Series with 'Epsilon Euskadi'. Competed at Le Mans Classic France.
  • 2009年 Competed at Asian Le Mans series with `SORA RACING' (Pescarolo Sport) and won the series championship.
  • 2011年 Competed at Le Mans 24 hours with 'OAK RACING', completed the race as LMP2 class 5th place.
  • 10th place. Competed at WEC Fuji with 'ADR DELTA' LMP2,1st Prize.
1987年 Won the race as the first Japnese and youngest driver at International Kart GP.
1989年 Competed at All-Japan Formula 3 Campionship.
1990年 Moved to U.K. and competed at Formula Vauxhall and Formura Opel, Champion 1, Series 5th place.
1992年 Competed at All-Japan F3000 and All-Japan F3 Championship.
1996年 Competed at Formula Nippon Championship,Prize 2.
1997年 Competed Formula 1 Championship with 'Prost Mugen Honda'. Recorded 5 top10 finishes,Prize2.
1998年 Competed with 'Team Minardi' for Formula 1 Championship. Recorded top10 finishes at Monaco,England,Belgium and Canada.
1999年 Test driver for Formula 1 with 'Jordan Mugen Honda'.
2000年 Competed at Champcar Series(CART) with `Walker Racing'.
2001年 Competed at Champcar Series(CART) with 'Fernandez Racing'.
2002年 Competed at Champcar Series(CART) with 'Fernandez Racing'.
Best record placed 4th,in the history of Japanese driver.
2003年 Competed at IRL Series Japan GP and INDY500 with 'Beck Motor Sports'.
2004年 Competed at All-Japan GT Championship with 'Team Kunimitsu'.
International 1000km Endurance Race,2nd place.
2005年 Competed at Le Mans 24 hours with 'Courage Comeptition'.
Competed World Big 3 race as a first Japanese driver and the 30th driver of all over the world.
2006年 Competed at Le Mans 24 hours and Le Mans Endurance Series with 'Courage Comeptition'.
2007年 Competed at Le Mans 24 hours and Le Mans Endurance Series with 'Creation Autosportif'.
Competed at Japan Le Mans Challenge with 'Mugen M-tec', 2nd place.
Le Mans Classic Japan,1st prize.
2008年 Competed at Le Mans 24 hours and Le Mans Endurance Series with 'Epsilon Euskadi'.
Competed at Le Mans Classic France.
2009年 Competed at Asian Le Mans series with `SORA RACING' (Pescarolo Sport) and won the series championship.
2011年 Competed at Le Mans 24 hours with 'OAK RACING', completed the race as LMP2 class 5th place.
2012年 Competed at Le Mans 24 hours with 'BOUTSEN GUINION RACING',LMP2 10th place. Competed at WEC Fuji with 'ADR DELTA' LMP2,1st Prize.
2013年 Competed at Le Mans 24 hours and WEC Fuji with 'DELA-ADR',LMP2. Competed at Asian Le mans Series Fuji with 'Team Taisan',1st prize.
2014年 2014 Competed at Le Mans 24 hours with 'Team TAISAN', Class8th place.