Local hero Kazuki Nakajima, driver of the no1 Toyota TS040 hybrid, is counting down the hours to his home race at Fuji next month.
“I first raced at Fuji in 2003 when it was still the old track before it was upgraded in readiness for when the Grand Prix went there,” said the Japanese racer, who was born in in Okazaki, just a few hours from the Fuji Speedway.
“In 2005 I was there in Formula Three and managed to get some good results. The track itself is one of those circuits where the more you drive the more little tricks you discover. There are certain parts of the track that I know I can find a tiny bit extra. It takes time to discover the real Fuji.”
“Racing at home is nice of course and the fans are very special, they always have been. Their enthusiasm is unique and they have a great passion for racing,” continued Kazuki. “The flags and messages are really nice and they will be there from sunrise to sunset. It will be a special weekend, especially if it rains which will help us out a lot in terms of racing the Audis and Porsches.”
It has been a tough season for Nakajima and the Toyota Racing squad. After dominating the latter half of 2014 and being crowned drivers and manufacturer champions, 2015 has seen them racing only against each other.
“We still have a fight within the team, meaning the sister No.2 car, and the bosses still look at the lap times closely. There is still a lot to race for this season, but of course the main push now back at base is the new 2016 car. In times when you are battling and racing as hard as ever but not always seeing the results, these are the times when you find the true character of the team and without a doubt we will be back stronger.”
Sam Smith
