Shuhei Nakamoto
Encyclopedia
Shuhei Nakamoto is the vice-president of Honda Racing Corporation
.
in 1983 and his initial work was based around the corporation's motorcycle racing
operations at Honda Racing Corporation
(HRC). By 1984, Nakamoto was already project leader on the design of the Honda RS125 and RS250 production racing machines. By 1990 he had been moved up to the role of large project leader on both these machines.
Nakamoto continued to work with motorcycles, but moved to the Honda F1 project in 2000. He gained multiple promotions up until 2002 when he became the race and test team manager for Honda Racing Developments Ltd. (HRD). Another promotion in 2003 led to him becoming engineering director for Honda Racing Developments Ltd., and he stayed in this role until 2006.
During 2006, Nakamoto got his big break being appointed the Senior Technical Director for the Honda F1 team, taking over from Geoff Willis
, an aerodynamics
specialist.
The Honda RA107
, the first Formula One car designed under Nakamoto was very poor, mainly due to bad aerodynamics. The RA107 was even inferior to the Super Aguri SA07
, a re-worked model of Willis' Honda RA106
from the previous season
.
Various reasons have been proposed to explain why the car performed so poorly. One of which was that the wind tunnel
which was set up in July, 2006 broke at almost the same time that Geoff Willis
was replaced by Nakamoto. Thus, the new car being designed using a faulty wind tunnel.
To try to fix the aerodynamics problems Honda employed a number of new aerodynamicists including Loïc Bigois
, John Owen
(ex-BMW Sauber
), Ben Agathangelou
(ex-Red Bull
), Peter Coysh (ex-McLaren) and Francois Martinet (ex-Williams
) in July 2007.
On December 1, 2008, four days before Honda announced its withdrawal from Formula One, Nakamoto left the Honda F1 team and returned to HRC
as the vice-president where he serves as the team principal of the Repsol Honda
MotoGP team.
, Japan but now lives with his wife in Maidenhead
, England.
Honda Racing Corporation
Honda Racing Corporation is a division of the Honda Motor Company formed in 1982. The company combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of high potential racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of leading edge...
.
Career
Nakamoto joined the Honda Racing CorporationHonda Racing Corporation
Honda Racing Corporation is a division of the Honda Motor Company formed in 1982. The company combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of high potential racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of leading edge...
in 1983 and his initial work was based around the corporation's motorcycle racing
Motorcycle racing
Motorcycle sport is a broad field that encompasses all sporting aspects of motorcycling. The disciplines are not all "races" or timed-speed events, as several disciplines test a competitor's various riding skills.-Motorcycle racing:...
operations at Honda Racing Corporation
Honda Racing Corporation
Honda Racing Corporation is a division of the Honda Motor Company formed in 1982. The company combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of high potential racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of leading edge...
(HRC). By 1984, Nakamoto was already project leader on the design of the Honda RS125 and RS250 production racing machines. By 1990 he had been moved up to the role of large project leader on both these machines.
Nakamoto continued to work with motorcycles, but moved to the Honda F1 project in 2000. He gained multiple promotions up until 2002 when he became the race and test team manager for Honda Racing Developments Ltd. (HRD). Another promotion in 2003 led to him becoming engineering director for Honda Racing Developments Ltd., and he stayed in this role until 2006.
During 2006, Nakamoto got his big break being appointed the Senior Technical Director for the Honda F1 team, taking over from Geoff Willis
Geoff Willis
Geoffrey "Geoff" Willis is the Technology Director of Mercedes GP. He was also the Technical Director of Red Bull Racing team from 2007 to 2009 and Technical Director of Hispania Racing from 2010 to 2011....
, an aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
specialist.
Honda RA107
The Honda RA107 is a Formula One racing car with which Honda Racing F1 contested the 2007 Formula One season. A modified version of the RA107, renamed the Super Aguri SA08 was used by Super Aguri in the 2008 Formula One season.-Launch Information:...
, the first Formula One car designed under Nakamoto was very poor, mainly due to bad aerodynamics. The RA107 was even inferior to the Super Aguri SA07
Super Aguri SA07
The Super Aguri F1 SA07 was Super Aguri F1's Formula One car for the 2007 Formula One season. It was designed by Peter McCool and was driven by Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson.-Customer car controversy:...
, a re-worked model of Willis' Honda RA106
Honda RA106
The Honda RA106 was the car with which the Honda team competed in the Formula One season. It was driven by Rubens Barrichello, who joined from Ferrari, and Jenson Button, who had spent three seasons with the team as British American Racing...
from the previous season
2006 Formula One season
The 2006 Formula One season was the 57th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship which began on March 12 and ended on October 22 after eighteen races. The Drivers' Championship was won by Fernando Alonso of Renault F1 for the second year in a...
.
Various reasons have been proposed to explain why the car performed so poorly. One of which was that the wind tunnel
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
which was set up in July, 2006 broke at almost the same time that Geoff Willis
Geoff Willis
Geoffrey "Geoff" Willis is the Technology Director of Mercedes GP. He was also the Technical Director of Red Bull Racing team from 2007 to 2009 and Technical Director of Hispania Racing from 2010 to 2011....
was replaced by Nakamoto. Thus, the new car being designed using a faulty wind tunnel.
To try to fix the aerodynamics problems Honda employed a number of new aerodynamicists including Loïc Bigois
Loïc Bigois
Loïc Bigois is a Formula One aerodynamicist.After studying engineering in Paris and Aix-en-Provence, Bigois relocated to Toulouse and began working in the aerospace industry. He was recruited by the Ligier F1 team in 1990 and for several years moved between the mid-field teams...
, John Owen
John Owen
John Owen may refer to:*John Owen , dramatist and director*John Owen , Bishop of St David's, Principal of St David's College, Lampeter...
(ex-BMW Sauber
BMW Sauber
BMW has been involved in Formula One in a number of capacities since the inauguration of the World Drivers' Championship in . The company entered occasional races in the 1950s and 1960s , before building the BMW M12/13 inline-four turbocharged engine in the 1980s...
), Ben Agathangelou
Ben Agathangelou
Panayiotis "Ben" Agathangelou is a British automotive engineer, specialising in aerodynamics, who currently works for the HRT Formula One team.-Career:...
(ex-Red Bull
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...
), Peter Coysh (ex-McLaren) and Francois Martinet (ex-Williams
WilliamsF1
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...
) in July 2007.
On December 1, 2008, four days before Honda announced its withdrawal from Formula One, Nakamoto left the Honda F1 team and returned to HRC
Honda Racing Corporation
Honda Racing Corporation is a division of the Honda Motor Company formed in 1982. The company combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of high potential racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of leading edge...
as the vice-president where he serves as the team principal of the Repsol Honda
Repsol Honda
Repsol Honda is the official factory team of Repsol YPF and the Honda Racing Corporation in the MotoGP World Championship.-History:In the team entered a 3 rider lineup with Mick Doohan, Àlex Crivillé and Shinichi Itoh riding the Honda NSR500...
MotoGP team.
Personal life
Nakamoto was born in TottoriTottori
Tottori can refer to:* Tottori Prefecture - a Japanese prefecture with 613,229 people.* Tottori, Tottori - a Japanese city with 202,015 people.* Tottori Sand Dunes...
, Japan but now lives with his wife in Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
, England.