Naoki Hattori

Naoki Hattori, born on June 13, 1966, is a versatile Japanese figure known for his careers as a motoring journalist and a racing driver. Hattori's racing journey saw him compete in various disciplines, including a brief stint in Formula One. After winning the Japanese Formula 3 Championship in 1990, he entered two F1 Grand Prix events with Coloni in 1991, though he failed to pre-qualify for either race. In 1997, he tested a Formula One prototype, the F105, for Dome F1.

Beyond Formula One, Hattori achieved success in other racing categories. He was the Japanese F3 champion in 1990 and spent thirteen seasons in the Japanese Formula 3000/Formula Nippon series, finishing as vice-champion in both 1996 and 2001. He also participated in the Indy Lights Series for two seasons and briefly raced in the CART Championship in 1999 with Walker Racing. In 1991, Hattori, along with David Brabham and Anders Olofsson, secured a victory in the Spa 24 Hours driving a Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R. Five years later, in 1996, he clinched the Japanese Touring Car Championship title with a Honda Accord.