Markham Syrup

Now if I could only find some Canadian Bacon to put on my Flapjacks…

 

Yeah, I could try scribblin’ something clever about the Jersey barriers Cleco fasteners being in inches instead of millimetres or visa versa. Or those barriers getting held up in traffic on the Gordie Howe Bridge, or victims of our never ending deluge ‘O Tarif’s et al…

 

So I won’t spend any time upon Friday’s disappointment of being cancelled due to track completion issues, which has been covered ad nauseum!

 

Adding insult to injury, reportedly fans would miss the first thirty minutes of qualifying Saturday, unless they had the FS1 App, Seriously?

 

What happened to IndyCar being a priority for FOX! Yuhs know, one third owner of IndyCar, Buh-Buh-Believable!

 

As I’ll agree with The Pit window’s Mike Silver that this is inexcusable!

 

Marcus Armstrong’s prediction of Qualie’ being a red flag derby certainly proved correct! As when’s the last time we’ve seen thee Surgeon’, aka Alex Palou making a mistake and tearing up all four corners of His racecar after hitting the wall on both sides!

 

As Palou’s claims about the track being Wicked certainly played out over the weekend! Telling IndyCar Radio that the track felt like a road course, but the walls were waiting to get you!

 

Yet prior to Palou’s up close and personal liaison with the walls, Will Power did so during Saturday’s second practice session. Sliding wide in Turn 10 and Whamo! Tore off the right side of His Dallara.

 

A.J. Foyt’s Caio Collet also tagged the wall in practice two. As both Collet’s and Power’s crew had to scramble to replace their floor, bell housing )hybrid) and right side suspension, front and rear in time for qualifying.

 

But the mayhem was just getting started! As Will Power added insult to injury by spinning 180-degrees during His first round qualifying session, bringing out a red flag if I remember correctly? As DJ WillyP’ would ultimately start Shotgun on the field in P25 after a six place grid penalty for an unapproved engine change.

 

As several drivers were dolled out six place grid penalties for having their engines replaced. Including both ECR drivers Alexander rossi and Christian Rasmussen. Meyer shank Racing’s Marcus Armstrong is in a terrible funk. Having had tree engines replaced in the last four races, including the previous Portland race, Youch!

 

Power’s Andretti Global teammate “Kirk” Kirkwood joined the party, along with McLaren’s Pato O’ward. Seeing six drivers with new engines at Markham.

 

Collet’s misery continued, also bringing out a red flag during Round 1 Qualie’, reportedly having run out of fuel, Yikes! Before Josef Schlick’ Newgarden slammed the wall during Group 2’s first round qualifying session, Wham!

 

When  the dust settled, it was Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Louis Foster securing His second career IndyCar pole, with McLaren’s Bad Boy Christian Lundgaard alongside the Brit.

 

Row 2 saw Penske’s ScottyMac’ (McLaughlin) third, with Andretti’s Marcus Ericsson fourth. Dale Coyne Racing rookie Dennis Hauger an impressive fifth and Junco Hollinger Racing’s Rinus VeeKay sixth.

 

Although I walked round Thy bungalow-by-the-Sea muttering what a Shit show during the flurry ‘O

full course cautions! I must say it was the most entertaining race overall! Even with the five, or was it six; “Well do Yuhs feel Lucky Punk?” Err however many full course cautions Thar’ were…

 

As Markham’s foreboding walls snatched many competitors, including pole sitter Foster, who got too excited trying to pass eventual race winner Marcus Ericsson. Along with others like Mick Schumacher and Kyle Kirkwood.

 

Marcus Ericsson charges to first win with Andretti at Markham

 

According to For the Love of Indy’s R. Hando, Ericsson’s victory drought of 63 races was the fifth longest. As not surprisingly, Graham Rahal has the longest at 124 races. Followed by Johnny Rutherford’s 97, Marko Andretti’s 77, and Grandpappy Super Mario’, aka Mario Andretti’s 73.

 

Best part of race was hearing Ericsson’s pit strategist saying Go Get ‘Em! Which the Swede dually complied. Even with a somewhat momentarily tense “cozy-up” with Andretti teammate Power when the two brushed wheels during Marcus’s pass for then third place.

 

Next Ericsson passed second place Alex Palou before tracking down and passing Romain Grosjean for an eventual 7.6 second win with five laps remaining.

 

And as much as I was happy with Ericsson’s win, I have to admit I had two sets ‘O fingers crossed for Grosjean. Who wryly commented afterwards something about it being a pretty good day when you’re ahead of the No. 10!

 

Yet Grosjean was in a massive fuel save mode the final 15-plus laps and couldn’t use any of His remaining 94 seconds of Push-to-Pass (P2P) extra horsepower. As IndyCar Radio pit reporter Joel Sebastianelli said one of Grosjean’s crew had told Him He felt sick when asking if Grosjean had enough fuel to finish the race…

 

And Nicky Salt’ Yeoman read out the crazy statistic of it being 5,469 days since Grosjean had won a race, Youza!

 

As I loved Romain’s reply to David Land afterwards. Saying Yes! I was in formula 1 for ten years – where if you don’t have the car, you don’t win!

 

As I do still remember Romain giving chase to ‘lil Syd viddle’ at the 2013 U.S. Grand Prix at Circuit Of The Americas. With the Lotus driver being the “sausage” in the Red Bull bun with Sebastian Vettel winning and Mark Webber third.

 

David Land also said that IndyCar’s Kirk Cavin pointed out that Marcus Ericsson finished fifth in Grosjean’s 2011 Hungaroring GP2 win. And ironically, Ericsson’s last win three-and-a-half years ago at St Petersburg. (2023) Was just three races before Romain’s last runner-up finish at Barber Motorsports Park.

 

Further irony over the two former formula 1 pilotes history being intertwined, is the fact that Ericsson replaced Grosjean in the No. 28 Andretti Global entry for 2024 after Grosjean’s rocky, two year tenue…

 

Grosjean now has six runner-up finishes to date, moving one ahead of David Malukas. Now tied with Geoff Brabham for second most career runner-up finishes without a victory, and possibly could be His last in IndyCar? 

A Weekend of Motorsports Firsts

As who’ll break the next record?

 

Yeah, who knows what will happen next? Especially since we’ve been in the relatively “Quiet” month of April. With Formula 1 having cancelled both Middle East races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the Iran War! And MotoGP postponing its Qatar round until early November, in hopes the Straight of Hormuz will have been reopened, Splat!

 

IndyCar got off to a frenetic start with three races in three weeks, before a week off for the 12 Hours of Sebring. And then March’s Nightcap at thee Oh, so Beautiful Barbers. Saw some drivers and teams race five weeks in-a-row.

 

Before a three weeks gap to Long Beach and an Open test at some ‘lil ‘Ol Oval. (April 28-29) Gave drivers and their teams plenty ‘O time to hunt for Easter Eggs, but I digress…

 

Alas, a month ago now, I began the weekend of March 15th by tuning into Friday’s IndyCar first practice on FOX. Although really didn’t feel like we learned anything.

 

Then began Saturday morning by listening to Chinese GP Sprint race highlights, which Ho Hum, George Russell won, Yawn!

 

Then I “watched”, err listened to the entire IndyCar Qualie’ session on FOX, being my very final TV show before the Spectrum technician arrived to take away my overpriced cable box, having finally “cut the Chord!”

 

Being somewhat surprised with the amount of “air-time” Josef Schlick’ Newgarden got for having to switch to a backup chassis after crashing in practice. Before ScottyMac’, aka Scott McLaughlin crashed in the exact same corner during qualifying, Youch!

 

Have to say I was totally rootin’ for Marcus Ericsson to secure His first IndyCar pole, with two sets ‘O fingers crossed. As believe it was James Hinchcliffe who mentioned Ericsson may be had the advantage of going first in the Fast Six Shootout. Since His tyres and brakes were totally warm, while the other waited. With Marcus having the shortest turn-around time between sessions…

 

One-by-one, they couldn’t go faster than Ericsson. With only Alex Palou, the “Surgeon” waiting to break Ericsson’s Heart! But Palou ended up a half second slower than Ericsson, and the Swede claimed His first pole position in thirteen Gory years, Aye Karumba!

 

During Sunday morning’s pre-race blather. Heard IndyCar Radio’s Ryan Marin say it was Ericsson’s first pole in any discipline in 13 years. Since claiming pole for the June 30, 2013 Silverstone GP2 race. Which interestingly, somebody named Alexander Rossi was also participating in…

 

Actually, it was the day prior (June 29) when Ericsson claimed His second and final pole position of the season driving for DAMS for the Feature race. As the Swede’ won once at Germany’s Nurburgring, with a total of five podiums to finish sixth overall that year.

 

Alexander also claimed one win at Abu Dhabi’s season finale on Yas Isle, starting from pole. With Rossi Finishing ninth overall in the (2013) GP2 championship, driving for Caterham Racing.

 

As it was Rossi’s maiden GP2 win, and the first ever by an American driver. With Rossi claiming three more wins in 2015 for Racing Engineering, enroute to Vice Champion, err runner-up, albeit a distant second to Stoffel Vandoorne.

 

Meanwhile in Shanghai, Andrea Kimi Antonelli claimed His maiden Formula 1 pole in just His 26th Grands Prix. Becoming the sport’s youngest ever pole winner, as a teenager!

 

Antonelli’s pole came at the tender age of 19 years, six months and 18 days. (19yrs 201 days)  The first ever teenager to do so. With the previous record holder being ‘lil Syd Viddle’.

 

As Sebastian Vettel claimed the first of His eventual 53 pole positions at 21 years, two months and 11 days old. (21yrs, 73 days)  At the 2008 Italian Grand Prix, some 18 years ago, Momma Mia!

 

Also the site of where Vettel would win His first Grand Prix for Scuderia toro Rosso at Monza. The Minnowesqe Italian team’s debutante Grand Prix victory! And the first non-Ferrari chassis to do so, since toro rosso was utilizing 2.4-litre V-8 customer Ferrari lumps’.

 

Antonelli becomes the 116^th maiden Grand Prix winner, and the first since Oscar Piastri at Hungary, 2024. The year that both current McLaren F1 drivers scored their maiden Grand Prix wins at, with Lando Norris having done so at the Miami Grand Prix earlier that year…

 

Yet Antonelli wasn’t done setting records yet. Since not only did He go back-to-back with another pole position and win at the Japanese Grand Prix. Kimi also left Suzuka with the drivers point lead, becoming the youngest ever to do so.

 

As move over George, (Russell) Thars’ a New kid in town! 

Some languid, tepid IndyCar Cheer

    As what’s NXT? Gene Simmons singing  “I am Indy” Justin-time’ for Ye Holidays, Fa la la la lah…

 

First off, I’ll admit I scribbled this a Fortnight before this year’s Turkey Lurkey Day. As I’m not sure what it was exactly that knocked Ye Wind outta My Sails? That it was the Dreaded Offseason when everybody makes Pigskin analogies. The Outright Ho Humm Boring nature of The Max Show in formula 1, or the vauted Braintrust’s at Penske Entertainment decided to Obliterate their storied Indy Lights Championship?

 

Although I’m guessing the latter Had much to do with my lethargic feeling, since I believe it was Racer’s Marshall Pruett whom so succinctly noted this Snazzy Name change was akin to somebody Pooping in the Punchbowl!

 

And as I’ve said before, I totally realize that winning the Indy Lights Championship shouldn’t be an Automatic Graduation to the Big Leagues, ergo IndyCar. Yet after all, that is the point to the vaunted Road to Indy ladder system, El Correctomundo?

 

Thus perusing this year’s IndyCar Grid, I’ve come up with a total of four former Indy Lights Champions currently racing. With Scott Dixon being the Oldest! Along with Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward and Kyle Kirkwood.

 

As Scotty Thee Iceman 2.0’ Dixon being an anomaly, having won the title in 2000, and being tied with Helio Castroneves for currently longest tenure Fulltime IndyCar Drivers, both beginning in Gory 2001, Aye Karumba!

 

Newgarden won the 2011 title for Sam Schmidt Motorsports. While O’Ward and Kirkwood won the Championship both driving for Andretti Autosport in 2018 and 2021 respectively.

 

Although I suppose it’s not so different on the opposite side of Ye Puddle, EH? Since over the past decade, Thars just four FIA Formula 2/GP2 Series Champions on this year’s Formula 1 Grid.

 

As the most current is Mick Schumacher, the 2020 FIA F2 Champion, albeit the German is expected to lose His Haas F1 ride at season’s end, and probably be out of F1 completely.

 

Schumacher “Junior’s” followed by Mercedes GP 2018 F2 Champion George Russell. With Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc being the inaugural F2 Champion in 2017. While finally, Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly was the final GP2 Series Champion in 2016.

 

 

Yet if we factor in Lewis Hamilton, who’s another anomaly’, being the 2006 GP2 Champion, the current Formula 1 Grid “Swells” to a Quarter of the Grid being former F2/GP2 champions…

 

Yet interestingly, Nyck de Vries, who’ll finally make His F1 Season Debut next year as Gasly’s replacement at AlphaTauri, Had to wait four years to graduate to the Pinnicle of Motorsports, i.e.; Formula 1! As the 2019 F2 Champion instead went directly to formula E due to Thar being No openings on the F1 Grid.

 

And then there’s the plight of 2021 F2 Champion Oscar Piastri. Y’all know the Aussie’ whom successfully landed a seat at Messer Zakery Brown’s Roundtable. Aftert rival Alpine thought they’d done enough to keep Him as Frederico Suave’s replacement next year. As it’s become somewhat de riggour for the reigning Formula 2 champion to sit on the Sidelines for a year, or more…

 

As lastly, this year’s F2 titlist, Brazilian Felipe Drugovich has already signed to be Aston Martin’s F1 Test and Reserve Driver. Apparently “Banking” on Fireworks to erupt between Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll next year…

 

In the past Decade, a total of six GP2/F2 Champions have graduated to Formula 1, with the aforementioned above, minus Sir Lewis. (Hamilton) With 2014 and 2015 GP2 titlists Jolyon Palmer and Stoffel Vandoorne joining this very select group.

 

Although Jolyon, son of Jonathan Palmer spent 2015 as the Lotus F1 Test and Reserve Driver before racing for le Reggie’, aka Renault between 2016-17. Whilst Vandoorne graduated directly to F1, driving for McLaren from 2016-18.

 

Yet Indy Lights has a Higher success rate of 89% vs. Formula One’s feeder Series 60% Graduation Rate. As every Lights Champion, with the exception of this year’s Champion Linus Lundqvist Has ultimately raced in Indy Cars, albeit Not All of them landed Full Season rides.

 

Beginning with the 2012 Lights Champion Tristan Turbo’ Vautier, followed by Sage Karam, Gaby chaves, Spenser Pigot, Ed Jones, Kyle Kiser, Pato O’Ward, Oliver Askew and Kyle Kirkwood. With NO 2020 Lights Season due to COVID-19.

 

As All of the Lights Champions got an Advancement Prize commiserate of three guaranteed drives in IndyCar, including the most cherished Indianapolis 500! Meaning that Lundqvist is simply getting Screwed! And that Roger Penske’s next move should be re-establishing this prize if He’s truly trying to promote the Next Generation of IndyCar Drivers!

 

As I suppose it just really boils down to that I, like almost everybody? As I’d say it’s pretty universal that the new Indy Lights Moniker STINKS! Can You Hear Me Now Roger?

 

Although I’m guessing that El Capitano’ and Penske Entertainment are pretty Happy Having Jim Irsay’s Holiday Bon Fire to roast All of His Indianapolis Colts members right now!

 

While the Formula 1 ladder system is now Far more easier to understand, i.e.; F4-F3-F2-F1, and definitely more palatable!

Picture Courtesy of Blogmeister’ Miguel

The wonderful, large picture Hanging on Display at the Penske Racing Museum of Roger Penske Joyously Spraying Champagne! Following Gil de Ferran scoring The Captain’s 100th IndyCar victory at Nazareth Speedway on May 27, 2000. (The Tomaso Collection) 

FIA F2: America’s Next Formula 1 Driver?

As Who knows Who Will get there First. Sargeant, Herta, Neither?

 

Presumably by now, Y’all know about American FIA Formula 2 driver Logan Sargeant’s upcoming Formula 1 drive this Friday at Circuit Of The Americas in Austin. As Sargeant will participate in His maiden (Free Practice) FP1 session for the eponymous Team Willy’, now simply Williams Racing during this year’s U.S. Grand Prix.

 

Logan Sergeant

Carlin, #6

Born: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

DOB: 12/31/00, Age: 21

 

Cannot Help wondering, and Arse-suming that Floridian Logan Sargeant must have crossed paths with Jupiter, Florida’s Oliver Askew and Kyle Kirkwood during Thar formative Karting Day, even if briefly? As Logan began Karting at Age 8 before going Across thoust Gory Puddle in 2009 to compete Internationally.

 

Reportedly Logan became the latest Yank’ to win the Karting World Championship in 2015, with the last Yank’ winner a FIA Karting title being the unlikely Lake Speed in 1978! As Speed is primarily known for His NASCAR career, having made 402 Starts between 1980-1998.

 

During the winter of 2016-2017, Sargeant contested the Formula 4 UAE Championship for MotoPark in His Single Seaters Debut. Scoring 15 Podiums from 18 Races, Logan finished Runner-up to teammate Jonathan Aberdein.

 

Next Logan joined Carlin for the 2017 British Formula 4 Championship, finishing third Overall with two wins behind F4 Champion Jamie Carolin and Carlin teammate Oscar Piastri.

 

For 2018, Sargent joined R-ACE GP for the Formula Renault euroCup season, winning on Debut at Circuit Paul Ricard. Sargent then Bookended the season by winning the finale at Barcelona with a win at the Nurburgring in-between. Finishing fourth Overall behind Championship winner Max Fewtrel and others. Most notably finishing second in the Rookies Cup behind a Bloke named Christian Lundgaard…

 

The following year, Logan returned to Carlin for His Rookie FIA Formula 3 Championship campaign, in what can only be considered a “learning” year, finishing a “Pedestrian” P19 Overall.

 

For 2020, Sargeant moved to Prema Racing and scored His Debutant FIA F3 victory in the Silverstone Feature race! Then followed this up by winning the Spa Sprint race. Yet ultimately finished third Overall behind His once again teammate Piastri, who won the Championship by four points. And Theo Pourchaire by a scant, single solitary point!

 

Sighting He wouldn’t be moving up to FIA Formula 2 due to Financial constraints. Sargeant remained in Formula 3 with Charouz Racing System, scoring His first of four Podiums, a third in Hungary. Then another third at Spa, second at Zandvoort before His only win of the season at Sochi. Finishing 7^th Overall.

 

Logan also made His FIA Formula 2 Debut at Jeddah for Hwa Racelab, before being confirmed at Carlin for His Rookie F2 campaign this year last December.

 

On July 3^rd, Sargeant “technically” became the first American to win a Formula 2 race. Although I’m 98% certain that former Yank’ GP2 Bad Arse Alexander Rossi would scoff at that superlative! Since Rossi won four times in the Formula 1 Feeder series before graduating to Formula 1…

 

Nevertheless, Logan won this year’s British FIA F2 Feature race, before claiming His second Feature win a week later at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, after the two drivers ahead of Him were Handed Penalties.

 

Exactly a year ago, at last October’s U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Logan was announced as a Williams Driver Academy member and is set to make His Friday practice outing as part of the FIA’s mandated running of two Young Drivers in a Friday practice session by All ten F1 Constructors.

 

As Logan’s Carlin F2 teammate Liam Lawson, a Red Bull Junior Driver made His Friday practice F1 Debut for Scuderia AlphaTauri at the Belgian Grand Prix. As the Kiwi’s also claimed two F2 wins this season…

 

As of Spa-Francorchamps, with two rounds remaining, Sargeant trailed FIA F2 Championship leader Felipe Drugovich by a Healthy margin of 76-points. And was third Overall behind Theo Pourchaire, some 33-points ahead…

 

As that would be the FIA F2’s Top-3 Finishing order. As Drugovich clinched the F2 Championship during Saturday’s Feature Race at Monza, when Pourchaire Failed to score enough Points to Deny the Brazilian the title. Whilst Sargeant finished third Overall.

 

As next up will be Logan’s Friday FP-1 Outing at circuit Of The Americas, where possibly we’ll see two Yanks’ on the Formula 1 Grid briefly? 

Japanese Formula 1 Drivers Now and Then

But will they just be a fleeting memory now that Honda’s leaving F1 again…

 

Hello Sports, Err Race Fans, as we’re finally entering the Home stretch over this never ending relay with our latest three Japanese Formula 1 Drivers limbering up for Thar respective High Jumps! With Kamui Kobayashi taking the Gold medal, followed by Kazuki Nakajima the Silver and Yuji Tsunoda claiming Bronze…

 

Kazuki Nakajima

Birthplace: Okazaki, Japan

DOB: 1/11/85, Age 36

 

Formula 1

Teams: Williams (2007-2009)

First Race: 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix

Last Race: 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

 

Sports Cars

Teams: Toyota

First Race: 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans

Three Times 24 Hours of Le Mans Winner(2018-2020)

2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship Champion

 

Formula 1 Diehards will recognize his last name, since Kazuki is indeed the son of former Formula 1 Driver Satoru Nakajima, whilst I was unaware that Kazuki has a younger brother named Daisuke who was also a racing driver.

 

Kazuki began racing go Karts in 1996 and won the  ’99 Suzuka Formula ICA Karting Championship before graduating to Single Seaters, as part of the Toyota Young Drivers programme to distinguish himself from his father’s Honda ties.

 

Having won the Formula Toyota title in his Sophomore season in 2003, Nakajima moved up to the All Japan Formula 3 series the following year and claimed two wins enroute to fifth Overall, then finished Runner-up in ‘05.

 

Kazuki graduated to the Formula 3 Euroseries for ’06 and finished 7^th Overall. The following year he joined the DAMS team in GP2 finishing 5^th Overall, along with having been named as one of Williams-Toyota’s two Test Drivers that season.

 

Nakajima made his  Formula 1 debut at the 2007 Season Finale Brazilian Grand Prix after Alexander Worz had retired from F1. Interestingly, Kazuki’s team-mate was another second generation driver, future F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg.

 

Nakajima scored all of his formula 1 Points during his first Full season in F1 with a best finish of sixth at the Australian Grand Prix. Followed by two seventh place finishes at Barcelona and Monaco, and two eighth places at Silverstone and Singapore. As ’09 would see him failing to score a single point that season and finding himself out of a ride when Team Willy’ signed Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg for 2010.

 

Returning to Japan, he spent 2010 as a Formula Nippon Test Driver before winning the title in 2012, and also won the Super Formula Championship in 2014.

 

Kazuki made his FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Debut for the Factory Toyota Squad at Circuit de la Sarthe in 2012, and scored his first win at that year’s Six Hours of Fuji, while continuing as a Part-time driver the next two years.

 

For 2015 he became a Fulltime Toyota Werks’ WEC Driver and became Japan’s second ever Sports Car Champion during the 2018-19 season, along with now having scored a Hat Trick of Le Mans 24 Hours victories.

 

Kamui Kobayashi

Birthplace: Amagasaki, Japan

DOB: 9/13/86, Age 34

 

Formula 1

Teams: Toyota, Sauber, Caterham (2009-2012, 2014)

First Race: 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix

Last Race: 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

 

Sports Cars

Teams: AF Corse, Toyota, Wayne Taylor Racing, Action Express Racing

First Race: 2013 Six Hours of Silverstone

Two times 24 Hours of Daytona winner (2019-2020)

2019-20 FIA World Endurance Championship Champion

 

Kamui Kobayashi, who I’m a Huge Fan of and prefer calling him “K Squared,” began Karting at Age 9 and won four Karting Championships over the next seven years before graduating to Single Seaters as part of Toyota’s Young Drivers Academy in 2004. Kamui was immediately successful and won two races in that year’s Italian Formula Renault 2.0 series.

 

The following season, Kobayashi claimed both the Italian and European Renault 2.0 Championships with six wins apiece before graduating to the Formula 3 euroseries where he finished 8^th Overall and 1^st in the Rookies Championship.

 

In ’07 Kamui scored his first F3 Euroseries victory en route to 4^th Overall in the Championship before moving up to gP2 with DAMS in 2008. Although his form in the main GP2 series was modest with two seasons finishing P16, he did win the 2008-09 GP2 Asia Championship.

 

Also beginning in ’07, Kobayashi was first nated once of Toyota’s two F1 Test Drivers  before spending the next two seasons as it’s Reserve Driver upon Frank Montagny’s departure. As Kamui made his Formula 1 debut at Suzuka during the first two practice sessions  for the ’09 Japanese Grand Prix.

 

Kobayashi made his F1 race debut at the following round in Sao Paolo as Timo glock’s substitute, where he drew the ire of eventual ’09 F1 World Champion Jenson button! As it’s funny how other drivers just expect Rookies to Pull Over for them…

 

And I can still vaguely recall rootin’ for Kamui to finish sixth at the inaugural season ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, especially since his Bosom Buddy Bloody Jense’ (Button) was Harrying him for the final Championship point, with Kobayashi finishing P6 and garnering his first Formula 1 poin.

 

Unfortunately for Kamui, Toyota Quit Formula 1 at the end of 2009, leaving him without a drive, before he was confirmed as part of Sauber’s Drivers lineup alongside Pedro de la Rosa. He scored 32 points en route to 12th Overall, and impressively Murray Walker declared him Japan’s Best F1 Talent to Date! As he got a reputation for not only making daring overtaking maneuvers, but Martin BillyBob’ Brundle called him the “Last of the Late Brakers!”

 

Kamui ultimately stayed at Sauber for three seasons and scored multiple points, steadily moving towards the sharp end of the grid, beginning with a career best finish of 5^th at Monaco. Then P4 in Germany before becoming only the third Japanese Driver to ever stand on the Podium in 2012, when he claimed a fantastic third, jubilantly on Home soil at Suzuka Circuito!

 

Yet Kobayashi wasn’t retained at Sauber following the 2012 season and instead opted to become a Tintops Driver when joining AF corse in the FIA World endurance Championship’s (WEC) Le Mans GTE Pro category driving a Ferrari 458 Italia “Saloon.”

 

Kamui returned to Formula 1 for the 2014 season at the beleaguered Caterham team where he grew disillusioned with the team’s direction, along with being replaced for one race presumably due to the need for cash infusion, since Caterham would ultimately Quit F1 at season’s end.

From 2015 onwards, Kamui has focused his attention on being a Werks’ Toyota WEC Sports Car Driver, becoming only Japan’s third ever Sports Car Champion. Along with forays Stateside in the IMSA Championship where he’s won the prestigious rolex 24 twice for Wayne Taylor Racing, along with being part of Jimmie Johnson’s All Star Cast at Action Express Racing in the endurance rounds this season.

 

Yuki Tsunoda

Birthplace: Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan

DOB: 5/11/00, Age 21

 

Formula 1

Teams:Scuderia AlphaTauri (2021)

First Race: 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix

 

Yuki Tsunoda began Karting in 2010 in the Junior category and worked his way up the ladder of Honda’s suzuka Circuit Karting School’s ranks to the Advanced Formula category before graduating to Single Seaters in 2016, making a “One off” Debutante appearance in Formula 4.

 

Tsunoda with Honda’s backing joined it’s Formula Dream project and contested his first full season of Japan F4 in 2017, winning it’s regional Championship. Then won the Japanese F4 title the following year, scoring seven wins.

 

Yuki then moved up to the newly created FIA Formula 3 championship in 2019, along with contesting the EuroFormula Open series claiming a win apiece in each Championship and finishing 9th Overall in F3,. He also became a Red Bull Junior Driver due to it’s “tie-up” with Honda.

 

For 2020, Yuki joined Carlin’s FIA Formula 2 team and claimed third Overall on the strength of 3 wins, 4 Poles and 7 Podium finishes, bested only by Mick Schumacher and Callum Ilott, with “Schuey Junior” winning the title.

 

Tsunoda then tested for Scuderia AlphaTauri at the season ending F1 Young Drivers test at Abu Dhabi and was subsequently confirmed at AlphaTauri as Daniil Kvyat’s replacement for 2021.

 

Yuki scored points in his Formula 1 debut with Ross Brawn gushing over how great Tsunoda was, before the young charger lashed out prublicly at his team for giving F1 team-mate Pierre Gasley superior equipment! But has managed to score 10 Championship points thru Silverstone…

 

http://www.nofenders.net/2021/04/f1-brawn-n-brown-duet-with-some.html

 

For the previous two forlorn, former Japanese Formula 1 Drivers Yuji Ide and Sakon Yamamoto, please visit the following No Fenders link.

 

http://www.nofenders.net/2021/07/former-japanese-formula-1-one-hit.html 

Former Japanese Formula 1 “One Hit Wonders”

As how many of Y’all will recognize these virtually Unheard of F1 Drivers? Beside Raymond Hando…

 

Obviously a lot has occurred since I originally penned my two stories about Japanese Open Wheel Racing drivers over a Gory Decade ago, first in my (2007) nod to F1 in Japan and Formula 1. Then followed by my ’08 No Fenders tome Japanese Open Wheel warriors.

 

As that’s a total understatement with the horrendous outcome of the long forgotten 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, where Jules Bianchi collided with a track recovery vehicle and ultimately Died from major Head Injury. As can it really almost be seven years ago that happened? Since Nobody talks about that anymore…

 

yet having scribbled those stories some Gory 13-14 years ago, prior to the withdrawal of the Japanese Auto manufacturers from Formula 1 and the World Rally championship (WRC) during the Economic Recession of 2008. Along with the departure of its top flight Open Wheel racers from the pinnacle of Motorsports, seeing F1 devoid of any Japanese drivers for the past six years-plus, (2013, 2015-2020) I thought it was High time to update this languishing story with Us now being firmly ensconced in this year’s delayed summer Olympics and ironically, Honda once again leaving Formula 1 at season’s end.

 

As Y’all may wish to visit my long ago “Penned” story chronicling Japan’s involvement in Formula 1 in the following No Fenders tome…

 

http://www.nofenders.net/2007/10/japan-and-formula-1.html

 

As I left off with Takuma Sato then plying his trade for who Professor (Steve) Matchett coined “Super Best Friends,” aka Super Aguri in Formula 1 during the 2007 F1 season.

 

Whilestateside, I regaled Y’all about Hideki Mutoh  driving his final IndyCar season for the quickly fading, now long defunct Newman Haas Lanigan Racing outfit in 2011 after beginning his IndyCar career at Andretti Green Racing in ’08.

 

As Y’all can read ‘bout the Cavalcade ‘O former Japanese Open Wheel Warriors in the following No Fenders tome…

 

http://www.nofenders.net/2008/10/japanese-open-wheel-warriors.html

 

Takuma Sato

Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan

DOB: 1/28/77, Age 44

 

Formula 1

Teams: Jordan, BAR, Super Aguri (2002-2008)

First Race: 2002 Australian Grand Prix

Last Race: 2008 Spanish Grand Prix

 

IndyCar

Teams: KV Racing Technology, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Andretti Autosport, RLLR (2010-Present)

 

Like the majority of my No Fenders tomes,, (including this one) whilst trying to “Briefly” Chronicle Takuma Sato’s racing career, it was simply getting way too long in thoust Tooth and hence, I’ll post Sato’s bio in a separate No Fenders story.

 

For the 2006 formula 1 season, Honda hastily convinced Aguri Suzuki to become a Team Owner with Honda’s “b Team” primarily in order to keep Takuma Sato in Formula 1, due to the Uproar by the Japanese Public over Honda’s “Sacking” of Sato! With Suzuki’s intentions of running an All Japanese F1 Driver line-up.

 

Yuji Ide

Birthplace: Saitama, Japan

DOB: 1/21/75, Age 46

 

Formula 1

Teams: Super Aguri (2006)

First Race: 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix

Last Race: 2006 San Marino Grand Prix

 

Yuji Ide could arguably be viewed as a Formula 1 “Punching Bag” reference, having apparently been named one of the five worst Formula 1 Drivers in a 2009 issue of F1 Racing Magazine. Yet it’s worth noting that Team Principal Aguri Suzuki later noted that Yuji had had only 200km of F1 testing experience upon being drafted  into his Formula 1 team!

 

As Yuji began Go Kart racing in 1990 and won multiple Titles before graduating to Cars in the ’94 All Japan F3 series, and finished runner-up in the 2005 Formula Nippon Challenge before his unexpected Call-up to F1 the following year. As Yuki wasn’t your prototypical F1 Rookie at Age 31, having little European Single Seaters experience and lacking proficiency in English!

 

Ide did little to impress in his scant four Grands Prix outings, with a best Qualifying position of 21^st on Debut in Sekir, as Kimi Raikkonen Failed to Qualify, starting Dead last in P22. With Yuji failing to finish in his first two Grands Prix.

 

Yuji’s One and Only finish was 13^th at Melbourne, albeit 2 laps behind. Ide was also blamed for Blocking Rubens Barichello in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix and made multiple Spins over the weekend.

 

Yet following his fourth and final Grands Prix Start at Imola, the team demoted him to Test Driver, promoting Frank “the Tank” Montagny as Takuma Sato’s team-mate for the European Grand Prix.

 

Following the FIA talking to Team Boss Aguri-san’ and saying they felt Yuji needed more experience. Being largely due to his first lap collision at San Marino with Midland F1’s Christijan Albers, causing Albers to Barrel Roll several times and land Upside Down! With Ide’s FIA Superlicense being subsequently revoked and he never raced again in Formula 1.

 

Sakon Yamamoto

Birthplace: Toyohashi, Japan

DOB: 7/9/82, Age 39

 

Formula 1

Teams: Super Aguri, Spyker, HRT(2006-2007, 2010)

First Race: 2006 German Grand Prix

Last Race: 2010 Korean Grand Prix

 

Sakon Yamamoto began his Karting career at the Suzuka Circuit School and steadily moved up the ranks and ultimately became a Jordan Grand Prix Test Driver for the Japanese grand Prix weekend in 2005. In 2006 he was named as super Aguri’s Test Driver, taking the role after his compatriot Yuji Ide had been vanquished from Formula 1. Yet Sakon was quickly inserted into a race seat as Frank Montagny’s replacement since Aguri Suzuki wished to run an All Japanese F1 Outfit.

 

Yamamoto struggled mightily in the fairly uncompetitive Super Best Friends machinery, including crashing one of it’s brand new SA06 chassis at Hockenheim during his F1 debut weekend, and remained largely unseen as a Tail Gunner Charlie for the remainder of the season, losing out to Ant’, aka Anthony Davidson for the team’s second seat for 2007.

 

Yamamoto remained with Super Aguri as the team’s Test Driver for ’07 before Christijan Albers left Spyker mid-season. As Sakon was named as his replacement in July and made his debut at the Hungaroring. Once again Yamamoto toiled in relative anonymity in another Backmarker F1 Team.

 

For ’08 Sakon was named as one of the Renault Test Drivers, albeit just making Public Demonstration runs, while Romain Grosjean and Lucas de Grassi would participate in selected F1 Practice sessions. Midway thru 2008 e returned to the GP2 series  with ART Grand Prix and finished 9^th Overall in the 2008-09 GP2 Asia Championship.

 

In 2010, Hispania Racing Team (HRT) selected Yamamoto as it’s Test Driver along with F1 Free Practice sessions, making his F1 return at the Turkish grand Prix during practice.

 

The team elected to install Sakon as Bruno Senna’s substitute for that year’s British Grand Prix, before he replaced the team’s other race driver, current Sky Sports F1 Pundit Karun chandhok beginning at the German Grand Prix for the remainder of the season.

 

Suffering a bout of Food Poisoning, new Test Driver Christian Klein Deputized for Sakon at the Singapore round, before Yamamoto capped his Formula 1 career with one final Home race at Suzukand the following South Korean round before Klein took his seat for the season’s final two races. 

A Brace of Japan’s current Formula 2 Drivers

But will either of them make it to Formula 1?

 

Are Y’all Ah-Buzz’ over the impending 2020 Summer Olympics? You know the one taking place in Tokyo a year later without Any Spectators. As we move into the Individual Competitions, i.e.; the 100 meter Hurdles let’s say, shall we?

 

Continuing to chronicle the latest batch of Japanese drivers ascension towards thou Pinnacle ‘O Motorsports, nee Formula 1, in the five years of the rebranded FIA Formula 2 Championship beginning in 2016,. By my very unofficial count, there’s been a total of five Japanese drivers competing in the series, with one making it to Formula 1, but we’re jumping the gun so to speak.

 

Nobuharu Matsushita

Series: GP2, FIA Formula 2 championship

Years: 2015-2017, 2019-2020

 

Nobuharu spent five years in Karting, beginning in 2005, and claimed the ’08 Open Masters  ARTA Challenge title and finished third overall in the 2010 KF1 category of the All Japan Kart Championship before graduating to Single Seaters in 2011.

 

Matsushita’s maiden “Cars” campaign was in the Formula  Piloted China series before moving onto the Formula Japan Challenge the following year, where he captured his first Championship title while scoring five wins and 10 Podium positions in the season’s 12 races.

 

In 2013 Nobuharu joined the All Japan Formula 3 Championship where he spent two seasons, claiming the championship with six Wins, five Poles and 9 Podiums in 2014.

 

For 2015 Matsushita moved up to the GP2 series with ART Grand Prix, claiming his maiden “W” with a Sprint race victory at the Hungaroring en route to 9^th in the championship. He remained at ART Grand Prix a further two seasons, with season’s results of 11^th and 6^th Overall respectively.

 

In February, 2016 Matsushita was named a McLaren F1 Development Driver, and then the following year he tested for   Sauber during the Post Hungarian F1 Test session, naturally due to Honda’s wishes to place a Japanese driver with one of it’s supplied engine “Partners,” albeit the Sauber Honda deal ultimately fell thru, with the Swiss based team remaining a Ferrari customer team, while Red bull took up the Honda supply deal for it’s Formula 1 “B Team.”

 

In the inaugural 2017 FIA Formula 2 season, Nobuharu claimed a further two Sprint race wins and finished 45 points ahead of rookie team-mate Alexander Albon, who became a Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 driver in 2019 before being obliterated by Red Bull Racing’s De Facto Numero Uno Max Verstappen between 2019-20.

 

For 2018 Matsushita returned to Japan to contest the Super formula series, presumably in part to the Sauber Honda engine, Err Power Unit (PU) deal faultering? Before returning to F2 with Carlin for 2019, arguably his best Formula 2 season on the basis of winning the Austrian and Italian Feature races enroute to a second sixth place season’s finish.

 

Now in his fifth season in F2, and having been previously passed up by Red Bull in favour of Albon who finished third overall in 2018 for the Toro rosso Hondre’ ride, Matsushita spent his final F2 campaign with MP Motorsport, but Quit in September following the Mugello round, claiming P15 in the championship standings.

 

Returning to Japan, Nobuharu like those before him is now splitting his time between driving “Saloons” in the Super GT series along with contesting the Open Wheel Super Formula Championship.

 

 

 

Marino Sato

Series: FIA Formula 2 Championship

Years: 2019-Present

 

First ‘N Foremost, don’t be Fooled by that last name, as Marino is Not related to Takuma Sato, Y’all know that guy who’s won some ‘lil ‘Ol 500 miler’ Oval race at Mother Speedway twice!

 

Marino began his Single Seater career competing in the Italian F4 Championship between 2015-16 with Overall finishes of 10th and 18th respectively, along with claiming his lone series victory in 2016.

 

For 2017 Sato graduated to the F3 European Championship, again with less than flattering results, finishing 19^th and 16^th Overall.

 

For 2019 Marino moved onto the Euro Formula Open Championship which he thoroughly Dominated wit an impressive nine wins en route to the title, along with helping Motopark, who he’d raced for the past two years in the F3 European Championship to also win the Euro Formula Open Teams Championship.

 

Following the annual Formula 1 Summer Break, Sato made his Formula 2 debut for Campos Racing at the Mighty Spa’, (Spa Francorchamps) as Arjun Maini’s replacement for the remainder of the season, finishing  22^nd.

 

Marino contested his first full F2 season with a switch to Trident Racing where he finished a modest 8^th place. Sato was retained for another Formula 2 season with Trident, alongside his new team-mate, the rookie Niederlander’ Bent Viscaal for 2021.

 

Sato took part in the 2020 Season’s end Formula 1 Young Drivers outing at Abu Dhabi for Scuderia AlphaTauri alongside countryman Yuki Tsunoda, where he finished a respectable P13.