Yuji Ide (井出有治, Ide Yūji) (born 21 January 1975) is a Japanese racing driver. He is the 2005 Formula Nippon runner-up and the 2010 Suzuka 1000km winner. He competed in Formula One with the Super Aguri team in 2006, but was demoted to third driver after four races and subsequently lost his FIA Super Licence.[1]

Yuji Ide
In 2010, as a Super GT driver
Born (1975-01-21) 21 January 1975 (age 49)
Saitama, Saitama, Japan
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityJapan Japanese
Active years2006
TeamSuper Aguri
Entries4 (4 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry2006 Bahrain Grand Prix
Last entry2006 San Marino Grand Prix

Early career

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Ide's 2005 Formula Nippon Lola

Born in Saitama, Saitama, Ide started his racing career in 1990 with kart racing. In 1991, he won the Kantou National Cup Kart Championship. In 1992 he was second in the Regional Kart Championship East Kantou series A1 Class and also won the Japan Kart Grand Prix SS stock class National GP.[2] The following year he joined the All-Japan Kart Championship Series Formula A Class before progressing to the All-Japan Formula Three Championship.[2]

In 1999 he came second in the All Japan GT Championship GT300 Class Series.[2] He was also the Formula Dream series champion in Japan.[2] In 2002 Ide joined the French Formula Three Championship series and finished in seventh place. The following year, 2003, he joined the All Japan Championship Formula Nippon Series and also finished seventh.[2] In 2004, he claimed third spot before going on to win the Super Endurance Race Class 3 Series. He finished his first stint in Formula Nippon finishing second in the 2005 championship.[2]

Formula One

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Ide driving the Super Aguri SA05 at the 2006 Australian Grand Prix

At age 31, Ide became one of Formula One's oldest rookies when he landed a seat at Super Aguri for the 2006 season, in part due to Super Aguri's aspiration of fielding an all-Japanese team.[3] Ide had known Aguri Suzuki for a long time, according to a press release,[4] however Ide's meshing with the team had some issues with his lack of proficient English.[5]

In his debut race in Bahrain, Ide was significantly behind his more experienced teammate Takuma Sato and failed to finish. At the next race in Malaysia, he retired after 33 laps.

During qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix, Ide was blamed for blocking Rubens Barrichello during his qualifying lap, causing the Brazilian to be stuck in the first round of qualifying and start 16th on the grid.[6] Ide finished 13th in the race, two laps down. His weekend in Melbourne was notable for a number of spins, and team principal Aguri Suzuki subsequently suggested Ide's seat was not safe if his performances did not improve.

At Imola, Ide caused a first lap crash with Christijan Albers that put the Dutchman into a series of rolls which ended with Albers's car upside down.[7] Ide was reprimanded by the stewards and warned over future conduct. Aguri Suzuki said "He didn't have enough testing because he doesn't understand how to use the car".[8]

On 4 May 2006, Super Aguri announced that Ide would be dropped from the upcoming European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, following advice from the FIA that he needed more experience.[1] He was replaced by the team's third driver Franck Montagny. Ide was demoted to Montagny's seat as third driver.[9]

On 10 May 2006, the FIA revoked Ide's FIA Super Licence meaning he could no longer compete in F1 during the 2006 season.[10] A statement from Super Aguri said that "Aguri Suzuki and A.Company (Japan) shall continue to seek driving opportunities for Yuji and hopefully a path back into Formula One".[1]

Summary

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Overall during Ide's four-race F1 career, he finished once – a 13th place at the 2006 Australian Grand Prix.[11] His best qualifying effort was 21st of 22 cars at his debut at Bahrain,[11] where the 22nd starter, Kimi Räikkönen, did not complete a qualifying attempt. Super Aguri team principal Aguri Suzuki revealed that Ide had just 200 kilometres of experience in an F1 car before his debut.[12]

In the November 2009 issue of F1 Racing Magazine, Ide was named as one of the five worst F1 drivers in history. However, in December 2020 The Race noted that he was "a more capable driver than he was made to appear", with his brief F1 spell hampered by little testing, a language barrier and driving "very much the second car" of the new Super Aguri team.[13][12]

Return to Japan

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In July 2006 it was announced that Ide would be racing for Team Dandelion Racing in the final six rounds of the Formula Nippon championship, with the aim of increasing his racing experience.[14] Ide contested the International Pokka 1000km round of the 2006 Super GT Series at Suzuka with Nismo in the No. 23 Nissan. During the race, he was penalized after making contact with the No. 55 car of Hidetoshi Mitsusada; Ide ignored the black flag, resulting in his team's disqualification from the race.[15]

In 2007, he remained in Formula Nippon with the Autobacs Racing Team Aguri (ARTA) team,[16] which is owned by Aguri Suzuki.[17] His best finish of the season was a third place, scored in round five at Suzuka.[18] Ide also raced as a third driver for ARTA in the 2007 International Pokka 1000km, where the team finished second overall, despite a large success ballast weight handicap.[19]

Ide raced as a full-time driver in Super GT for Team Kunimitsu in 2008 and 2009, and then for ARTA in 2010. He notably won the 2010 Pokka GT Summer Special and finished second at the 2008 event.[19] He also raced full-time in Formula Nippon in 2008 and 2010, but scored points just three times.

Racing record

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Career summary

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Season Series Team Name Races Wins Poles Points Position
1994 All-Japan Formula 3 Championship Active 6 0 0 0 NC
Asada Racing 0 0 0
1996 All-Japan GT Championship - GT300 Hoshino Racing 1 0 0 0 NC
1997 All-Japan Formula 3 Championship Asada Racing 2 0 0 0 NC
1998 All-Japan Formula 3 Championship Now Motorsports 7 0 0 0 NC
1999 All-Japan GT Championship - GT300 ARTA - NISMO 6 3 4 72 2nd
Formula Dream 5ZIGEN ARTA ? 1 ? ? 1st
2000 All-Japan Formula 3 Championship Mugen Dome Project 10 2 1 35 2nd
Macau Grand Prix Skill Speed 1 0 0 N/A 24th
Korea Super Prix 1 0 0 N/A 13th
All-Japan GT Championship NISMO 1 0 0 6 22nd
2001 All-Japan Formula 3 Championship Three Bond Racing 18 0 0 100 5th
All-Japan GT Championship - GT300 Hasemi Motorsport 7 0 0 53 4th
Macau Grand Prix Signature Team 1 0 0 N/A 5th
Korea Super Prix 1 0 0 N/A 12th
2002 French Formula 3 Championship Autobacs Racing Team Aguri 14 1 0 84 7th
European Formula 3 Cup 1 0 0 N/A 6th
Macau Grand Prix 1 0 0 N/A NC
Masters of Formula 3 1 0 0 N/A 25th
Korea Super Prix 1 0 0 N/A 10th
2003 Formula Nippon Racing Team Cerumo 10 0 0 19 7th
All-Japan GT Championship Team Impul 8 2 0 64 7th
2004 Formula Nippon Team Impul 9 1 1 32 3rd
All-Japan GT Championship Team Impul 7 1 1 35 11th
2005 Formula Nippon Team Impul 9 2 1 39 2nd
Super GT Team Impul 8 0 1 35 11th
2006 Formula One Super Aguri 4 0 0 0 25th
Formula Nippon Team Dandelion Racing 6 0 0 0 NC
Super GT NISMO 1 0 0 0 NC
2007 Formula Nippon Autobacs Racing Team Aguri 9 0 0 6 13th
Super GT Autobacs Racing Team Aguri 1 0 0 15 18th
2008 Formula Nippon Autobacs Racing Team Aguri 11 0 0 2 19th
Super GT Team Kunimitsu 9 0 0 41 11th
2009 Super GT Team Kunimitsu 9 0 0 29 13th
2010 Formula Nippon Motul Team 8 0 0 1 14th
Super GT Autobacs Racing Team Aguri 7 1 0 29 11th
2013 Super GT - GT300 Bonds Racing 1 0 0 6 22nd
2015 Super GT - GT300 Team Up Garage with Bandoh 6 0 0 2 25th
2017 Super GT - GT300 EIcars Bentley TTO 6 0 0 0 NC
Superrace Championship - Super 6000 Ecsta Racing Team 8 4 5 127 2nd
2018 Super GT - GT300 EIcars Bentley 7 0 0 0 NC
Superrace Championship - Super 6000 Ecsta Racing Team 9 1 0 116 3rd
2020 Super Taikyu - ST-TCR Floral Racing with Uematsu 5 2 1 194‡ 1st‡
2021 Super Taikyu - ST-X Floral Racing with ABSSA 4 0 1 108.5‡ 2nd‡
2022 Super GT - GT300 Busou Drago Corse 3 0 0 12.5 20th

‡ Team standings.

Complete Japanese Formula 3 results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Engine Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 DC Pts
1994 Active Toyota SUZ
14
FUJ
Ret
TSU
17
SUZ
Ret
SEN
20
TOK MIN TAI SUG NC 0
Asada Racing Mugen SUZ
10
1995 Asada Racing Mugen J SUZ
12
TSU
12
MIN SUZ
Ret
TAI
Ret
SUG FUJ
14
SUZ
10
SEN
11
4th 22
1997 Asada Racing Mugen SUZ
Ret
TSU
Ret
MIN FUJ SUZ SUG SEN MOT FUJ SUZ NC 0
1998 Now Motorsports Toyota SUZ
9
TSU
10
MIN
16
FUJ
16
MOT
Ret
SUZ
19
SUG
13
TAI SEN SUG NC 0
2000 Mugen × Dome Project Mugen SUZ
Ret
TSU
1
FUJ
6
MIN
3
TAI
6
SUZ
2
SUG
5
MOT
3
SEN
6
SUZ
1
2nd 35
2001 Three Bond Racing Three Bond SUZ
1

Ret
SUZ
2

4
TSU
1

7
TSU
2

7
FUJ
1

5
FUJ
2

Ret
MIN
1

4
MIN
2

3
MOT
1

Ret
MOT
2

5
SUZ
5
SUG
1

5
SUG
2

5
SEN
1

6
SEN
2

6
TAI
1

5
TAI
2

8
MOT
1

8
MOT
2

8
5th 100

Complete Formula Nippon results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points
2003 Team Cerumo SUZ
4
FUJ
7
MIN
3
MOT
2
SUZ
7
SUG
10
FUJ
Ret
MIN
3
MOT
12
SUZ
5
7th 19
2004 Team Impul SUZ
12
SUG
2
MOT
2
SUZ
3
SUG
7
MIN
7
SEP
10
MOT
1
SUZ
2
3rd 32
2005 Team Impul MOT
2
SUZ
1
SUG
5
FUJ
7
SUZ
8
MIN
1
FUJ
3
MOT
4
SUZ
3
2nd 39
2006 Dandelion Racing FUJ SUZ MOT SUZ
12
AUT
12
FUJ
11
SUG
Ret
MOT
Ret
SUZ
10
21st 0
2007 Autobacs Racing Team Aguri FUJ
14
SUZ
10
MOT
16
OKA
Ret
SUZ
3
FUJ
16
SUG
Ret
MOT
Ret
SUZ
9
13th 6
2008 Autobacs Racing Team Aguri FUJ
9
SUZ
18
MOT
15
OKA
Ret
SUZ
15
SUZ
Ret
MOT
12
MOT
Ret
FUJ
Ret
FUJ
19
SUG
17
19th 2
2010 Motul Team Mugen SUZ
9
MOT
9
FUJ
10
MOT
9
SUG
9
AUT
DNS
SUZ
8
SUZ
8
14th 1

Complete Super GT results

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Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Points
1999 ARTA-NISMO Nissan Silvia GT300 SUZ
9
FUJ
Ret
SUG
1
MIN
1
FUJ
Ret
TAI
1
MOT
4
2nd 72
2000 NISMO Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 MOT
6
FUJ SUG FUJ TAI MIN SUZ 22nd 6
2001 Hasemi Motorsport Nissan Silvia GT300 TAI
6
FUJ
2
SUG
12
FUJ
2
MOT
9
SUZ
2
MIN
12
4th 53
2003 Impul Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 TAI
12
FUJ
2
SUG
Ret
FUJ
1
FUJ
16
MOT
6
AUT
11
SUZ
1
4th 64
2004 Impul Nissan Z GT500 TAI
8
SUG
10
SEP
Ret
TOK
11
MOT
Ret
AUT
5
SUZ
1
11th 35
2005 Impul Nissan Z GT500 OKA
Ret
FUJ
15
SEP
8
SUG
5
MOT
3
FUJ
13
AUT
4
SUZ
9
11th 35
2006 NISMO Nissan Z GT500 SUZ OKA FUJ SEP SUG SUZ
DSQ
MOT AUT FUJ NC 0
2007 Autobacs Racing Team Aguri Honda NSX GT500 SUZ OKA FUJ SEP SUG SUZ
2
MOT AUT FUJ 18th 15
2008 Team Kunimitsu Honda NSX GT500 SUZ
13
OKA
9
FUJ
4
SEP
5
SUG
5
SUZ
2
MOT
16
AUT
9
FUJ
Ret
11th 41
2009 Team Kunimitsu Honda NSX GT500 OKA
8
SUZ
12
FUJ
11
SEP
4
SUG
4
SUZ
9
FUJ
12
AUT
6
MOT
8
13th 29
2010 Autobacs Racing Team Aguri Honda HSV-010 GT GT500 SUZ
Ret
OKA
6
FUJ
11
SEP
11
SUG
12
SUZ
1
FUJ
C
MOT
7
11th 29
2013 Bonds Racing Nissan GT-R GT3 GT300 OKA FUJ
5
SEP SUG SUZ FUJ FUJ AUT MOT 22nd 6
2015 Team Up Garage with Bandoh Toyota 86 GT300 OKA
19
FUJ
Ret
CHA
Ret
FUJ
Ret
SUZ SUG AUT
9
MOT
Ret
25th 2
2017 EIcars Bentley TTO Bentley Continental GT3 GT300 OKA
20
FUJ
16
AUT
19
SUG FUJ
18
SUZ
Ret
CHA MOT
22
NC 0
2018 EIcars Bentley Bentley Continental GT3 GT300 OKA
21
FUJ
22
SUZ
18
CHA FUJ
13
SUG
15
AUT
18
MOT
19
NC 0
2022 BUSOU Drago Corse Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 GT300 OKA
11
FUJ
2‡
SUZ
6
FUJ SUZ SUG AUT MOT 20th 12.5

Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.

Complete Formula One results

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(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 WDC Points
2006 Super Aguri F1 Team Super Aguri SA05 Honda RA806E 2.4 V8 BHR
Ret
MAL
Ret
AUS
13
SMR
Ret
EUR
*
ESP MON GBR CAN USA FRA GER HUN TUR ITA CHN JPN BRA 25th 0

* Ide was entered as third driver but did not take part in the race weekend.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Ide loses super license". motorsport.com. 11 May 2006. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Super Aguri F1 team driver profiles". Super Aguri F1 team driver profiles. 2006. Archived from the original on 24 March 2007. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
  3. ^ "Sato to become Aguri's first driver". GPUpdate.net. 27 January 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  4. ^ "Ide hoping for good season". GPUpdate.net. 27 February 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  5. ^ "Q & A with Aguri Suzuki". GPUpdate.net. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  6. ^ "Australian GP — Saturday — Qualifying Session 1 Report". GrandPrix.com. 2006. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2007.
  7. ^ "San Marino 2006: Schumacher's Imola role reversal". Autocourse. 23 April 2006. Retrieved 19 May 2007.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "Yuji Ide not out (yet)". GPUpdate.net. 24 April 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  9. ^ "Rookie Ide axed for European GP". news.bbc.co.uk. 4 May 2006. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  10. ^ "Ide's Superlicence revoked". pitpass.com. 10 May 2006. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  11. ^ a b All race entries, by Yuji Ide.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ a b "Ide lacked experience and English | F1 News | Autosport". Autosport.com. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Every Japanese Formula 1 driver ranked". The Race. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Ide makes racing return". F1 ITV. 6 July 2006. Archived from the original on 13 March 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  15. ^ "The perfect win". supergt.net. 20 August 2006. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012.
  16. ^ Super Aguri Company
  17. ^ "Key Personnel Info". Super Aguri F1 Team. Archived from the original on 30 May 2007. Retrieved 19 November 2008.
  18. ^ "Yuji Ide Point Standing". Formula Nippon. Archived from the original on 23 June 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2008.
  19. ^ a b O'Connell, R. J. (20 August 2017). "International Suzuka 1000km: Hall of Fame – 1999-2017". Super GT World. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
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