Kazuki Nakajima: Bad luck or just a bad driver?

[woody2goody]

As I might not be here for a while (come on Luca :D ), I thought I'd start this thread concerning a guy who many have differing opinions about.

What I want to know is do you think that Nakajima has just been unfortunate, not been good enough, or a bit of both?

I actually think he's had a better season this year than last, but has had bad luck in the races, as opposed to last year when his qualifying wasn't very good but he had good races.

What does everyone else think?

[wedge]

Stereotypical lairy Japanese F1 driver.

I thought he was better last year even if he did bash into DC a couple of times and Rosberg this year has raised his game a bit carrying Williams.

[DexDexter]

As I might not be here for a while (come on Luca :D ), I thought I'd start this thread concerning a guy who many have differing opinions about.

What I want to know is do you think that Nakajima has just been unfortunate, not been good enough, or a bit of both?

I actually think he's had a better season this year than last, but has had bad luck in the races, as opposed to last year when his qualifying wasn't very good but he had good races.

What does everyone else think?

This is maybe bit harsh but IMO he is a typical Japanese driver: very quick on his day but makes too many mistakes and doesn't seem to progress/learn.

[ioan]

He's a very fast driver but not lucky enough TBH and a bit error prone, but that's common to all the younger drivers.

'Typical Japanese' driver? That's BS, not to mention racist.
Sato was laughed at by many and than when in the smallest team on the grid he showed he's a good F1 driver and beat the very praise Davidson!

I'm wondering if people are bashing Sato and Nakajima because they are Japanese and not English like Davidson (to pick just one example)? It pretty much looks like that.

[DexDexter]

He's a very fast driver but not lucky enough TBH and a bit error prone, but that's common to all the younger drivers.

'Typical Japanese' driver? That's BS, not to mention racist.
Sato was laughed at by many and than when in the smallest team on the grid he showed he's a good F1 driver and beat the very praise Davidson!

I'm wondering if people are bashing Sato and Nakajima because they are Japanese and not English like Davidson (to pick just one example)? It pretty much looks like that.

Typical Japanese driver in a sense that consistency isn't there. Aguri Suzuki was a very good driver on his day (a podium in Japan 1990), but was up and down. Katayama also showed flashes of speed particularly in 1994 but didn't do it on a regular basis, Sato also at Jordan at least. They all seemed/seem to lack the consistency compared to their teammates. I'm sure people do have a certain attitude towards Japanese drivers because at first they were pay-drivers, for example the first Japanese Satoru Nakajima was brought into F1 by Honda as I'm sure you know. Davidson seems to pop up here no matter what :)

[ioan]

Typical Japanese driver in a sense that consistency isn't there. Aguri Suzuki was a very good driver on his day (a podium in Japan 1990), but was up and down. Katayama also showed flashes of speed particularly in 1994 but didn't do it on a regular basis, Sato also at Jordan at least. They all seemed/seem to lack the consistency compared to their teammates. I'm sure people do have a certain attitude towards Japanese drivers because at first they were pay-drivers, for example the first Japanese Satoru Nakajima was brought into F1 by Honda as I'm sure you know. Davidson seems to pop up here no matter what :)

That makes a lot of sense, I just don't like such generalizations. ;)

[woody2goody]

Sato did lack consistency up until he went to Super Aguri.

For example, his drive in the 2004 US GP was immense, as was his effort at the Nurburgring in the same year, but he threw that away with a reckless move.

Nakajima has qualified much better this year (I know the car is faster), but doesn't seem to be ruthless enough at the starts, and really pushing throughout the race.

However, his best two races this year, was a great drive in Turkey until a terrible pit stop cost him points, and Silverstone, where he did absolutely nothing wrong, and ended up going from 4th to 11th. He didn't make any mistakes that day. He did go missing in the second stint, but he probably wondered "how the heck am I all the way down here?"

He is getting better though, and I think he'll remain with Williams next year.

[ClarkFan]

However, his best two races this year, was a great drive in Turkey until a terrible pit stop cost him points, and Silverstone, where he did absolutely nothing wrong, and ended up going from 4th to 11th. He didn't make any mistakes that day. He did go missing in the second stint, but he probably wondered "how the heck am I all the way down here?"

He is getting better though, and I think he'll remain with Williams next year.

I thing that "going missing of the second stint" is a consistency problem.

Not sure they the Japanese Driver Syndrome continues in F1 - perhaps the best drivers can do what they wish and Japan and see no need to go abroad, so the ones in F1 are a bit desperate. It is also true that few of them have actually accumulated much F1 experience, so that "syndrome" may just be a collection of new drivers trying too hard to prove themselves. Sato definitely showed signs of making the transition to a seasoned F1 driver at Super Aguri, but then the team folded. I don't recall another Japanese driver who has accumulated a similar length of experience as Sato.

I doubt Nakajima will remain at Williams if they switch engines. The team's finances are pressed enough in recent years that the second driver has to help pay for horsepower. It is unlikely that Nakajima brings in currency to pay for Renault ponies.

ClarkFan

[I am evil Homer]

To me he can be summed up in one word: "enigma". I simply can't work him out....he seems to have all the talent required to be a very good F1 driver, clearly the pace is there with some of the lap times he puts in.

But the results have never come. Sure some of that is bad luck but maybe also he lacks ability to set a car up, or give his engineers the feedback required to get it dialled in.

I'd like to see him stay in F1 as I think he has ability.

[Kevincal]

I'm not racist at all but I also have noticed Japanese drivers in F1 tend not to be very good...

[jens]

It's a bit unfair to compare Nakajima to "other Japanese driver" and say he is like them, because for instance IMO Katayama and Sato were much better than Naka. Sato may have been inconsistent, but he put in good drives here and there, whereas Naka never manages to put together a great weekend. So there is a clear difference. And Katayama had a fantastic 1994 season, when he outdrove Mark Blundell (albeit scored less points due to lesser reliability).

For me Nakajima isn't a "typical" Japanese driver, because he is just too... invisible. A typical Japanese driver creates attention either with crazy moves (strangely Kaz doesn't seem aggressive at all unlike "typical" Jap) and at times even by sheer speed. A "typical" Japanese driver isn't invisible and unnoticable. For me the main F1 drivers so far to possess that 'real Japanese racing spirit' were indeed Katayama and Sato. Takagi had potential too, but his physical preparation and knowledge of English were too poor to really materialize his talent.

[ioan]

As I might not be here for a while (come on Luca :D ), I thought I'd start this thread concerning a guy who many have differing opinions about.

What I want to know is do you think that Nakajima has just been unfortunate, not been good enough, or a bit of both?

I actually think he's had a better season this year than last, but has had bad luck in the races, as opposed to last year when his qualifying wasn't very good but he had good races.

What does everyone else think?

One more thing.

You are one of the biggest Luca BADoer apologists around here and you go on to start a thread called: 'Kazuki Nakajima: Bad luck or just a bad driver?'

If you think that BADoer isn't a bad driver how on earth can you even think about calling Nakajima a bad driver?! :rolleyes:

[F1boat]

A mix of both, IMO.

[Dzeidzei]

If you think that BADoer isn't a bad driver how on earth can you even think about calling Nakajima a bad driver?! :rolleyes:

Come on guys, there is an answer: they both sukc.

[ioan]

Come on guys, there is an answer: they both sukc.

Not really. While Nakajima might not be the best overall driver he would wipe the floor with BADer in the same car.

[Sonic]

Kazu has done a better job this season and has been unfortunate not to score points. However I do not see him remaining at Williams next season as the team are;

a) looking to get out of their Toyota deal so have no need to keep Nakajima on board.

b) Possibly loosing their lead driver who is performing out of his skin at the moment. If the Hulk gets his shot at the drive next year there is no way on gods green earth that Kazuki can lead the team.

c) Looking to move back to the front and having a pay driver on the books is no way to move to the head of the pack.

Its a bit of a shame IMO as I think he is one of the best drivers his country has produced so far.

[Nikki Katz]

I think he's a good driver, it's just a strong field at the moment. He has been a little unlucky, but aside from Badoer he probably is the worst driver on the grid. But he's not embarrassed, aside from one or two accidents, especially his first race where he ran over his pit crew.

[wedge]

He's a very fast driver but not lucky enough TBH and a bit error prone, but that's common to all the younger drivers.

'Typical Japanese' driver? That's BS, not to mention racist.
Sato was laughed at by many and than when in the smallest team on the grid he showed he's a good F1 driver and beat the very praise Davidson!

I'm wondering if people are bashing Sato and Nakajima because they are Japanese and not English like Davidson (to pick just one example)? It pretty much looks like that.

No, I ain't racist.

I spent 6 months travelling in East Asia, stayed in Japan for 3 months and can speak reasonable Japanese, listen to Japanese hip hop, watch Anime and Japanese movies.

I was a Sato fan in his F3 days. He was my favourite driver then. I followed him because he was an exception to the rule not just his then flamboyant driving style. He paved the way for Japanese racers today which was to move to England/Europe and learn English fluently.

There's stereotypes in F1/racing in general eg. Latin temperament of Italian and South Americans. Mo Nunn completely dismissed Alex Zanardi in CART because he never came across an Italian who was championship material.


For me Nakajima isn't a "typical" Japanese driver, because he is just too... invisible. A typical Japanese driver creates attention either with crazy moves (strangely Kaz doesn't seem aggressive at all unlike "typical" Jap) and at times even by sheer speed. A "typical" Japanese driver isn't invisible and unnoticable. For me the main F1 drivers so far to possess that 'real Japanese racing spirit' were indeed Katayama and Sato. Takagi had potential too, but his physical preparation and knowledge of English were too poor to really materialize his talent.

He crashed into DC a few times last year.

[ioan]

He crashed into DC a few times last year.

Given DC's recent record I'd say it was probably the other way around! :D

[Saint Devote]

He has reached his limit and Sato has had his day.

I think the issue of racing drivers from Japan is similar to that of the United States today: domestic series' do not have what it takes to produce f1 quality drivers that are grand prix winners.

Just look at the Formula Nippon series - great looking cars, far better rules than GP2 - and the drivers leading the championship are from Europe and even they are not amongst the top drivers from European championships.

[Sleeper]

He's a decent driver but his qualifying just doesnt seem to be strong enough. Overtaking is missing a bit these days and he just gets bogged down in the midfield because he cant match Nico on a Saturday. He's not that bad for accidents though, certainly Sutil and Buemi, and formerly Piquet, are worse at that than he is.

[woody2goody]

One more thing.

You are one of the biggest Luca BADoer apologists around here and you go on to start a thread called: 'Kazuki Nakajima: Bad luck or just a bad driver?'

If you think that BADoer isn't a bad driver how on earth can you even think about calling Nakajima a bad driver?! :rolleyes:

For your information I think Kaz is really good.

A lot of people have been saying, in the media and a couple here, that they don't think he's good enough. i really like the guy, I just wanted to gauge the forum's opinion, and I'm actually pleasantly surprised by the good reaction.

So there :p

[ioan]

For your information I think Kaz is really good.

A lot of people have been saying, in the media and a couple here, that they don't think he's good enough. i really like the guy, I just wanted to gauge the forum's opinion, and I'm actually pleasantly surprised by the good reaction.

So there :p

That's good.

[stevie_gerrard]

I don't think he is good enough to be in the car. I know Rosberg has overacheived with the car, but if he can score points reguarly with the car, you expect someone with a similar car to show potential of scoring points now and again too. Nakajima has been consistent, but consistently poor during the races. He has shown potential with one lap pace, but hasn't been able to do it over race distances. I get the feeling he will miss out next season.