Hideki Mutoh (武藤 英紀, Mutō Hideki, born October 6, 1982) is a Japanese race car driver from Tokyo who last raced in the 2022 Super GT Season for Autobacs Racing Team Aguri.
| Hideki Mutoh | |
|---|---|
 Hideki Mutoh at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2010. | |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Born | October 6, 1982 Tokyo, Japan |
| Super GT career | |
| Debut season | 2006 |
| Car number | 55 |
| Former teams | Nakajima Racing, Team Mugen, Team Kunimitsu, Real Racing, Autobacs Racing Team Aguri |
| Starts | 83 |
| Wins | 3 |
| Poles | 3 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Best finish | 1st in 2013 |
| Previous series | |
| 2003–2004 2006, 2011 2007 2008-2011 2012-2013 2013-2014 | Japan Formula 3 Formula Nippon Indy Pro Series IndyCar Series Super GT GT300 Super Formula |
| Championship titles | |
| 2013 2002 | Super GT - GT300 Formula Dream |
| Awards | |
| 2008 | IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year |
Career
editHistory
editHe began karting at age 12 in 1996 and quickly moved through the ranks, becoming a part of Honda's Formula Dream Project. He moved to Europe in 1998 to compete in Formula Vauxhall. He then moved on to the Formula Ford European Championship and competed in the Formula Ford Festival, finishing seventh in 2000 and third in 2001. He then moved back to Asia to compete in Asian Formula 2000 and Formula Dream, where he finished second in his rookie season. He won the Formula Dream championship in his second year in 2003. Mutoh then moved to Japan Formula 3, finishing 9th and third in his two seasons there. In 2006, he drove in Formula Nippon and Super GT 500–class.
2007
editIn 2007, Autobacs Racing Team Aguri (ARTA) announced that Mutoh had been signed to drive their new entry in the Indy Pro Series in a car prepared by Panther Racing, who had last competed in IPS in 2003, winning the championship with driver Mark Taylor. Mutoh captured his first win in Liberty Challenge Race 1 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on United States Grand Prix weekend.
On September 9, Mutoh made his Indy Racing League IndyCar Series debut with Panther Racing at Chicagoland Speedway in the Peak Antifreeze Indy 300 in the one-off entry #60 car, sponsored by the Formula Dream Project. Mutoh finished 8th and clocked the fastest lap of the race. On October 31, 2007, it was announced Mutoh would replace 2007 IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti at Andretti Green Racing in the team's full-time #27 IndyCar for 2008.[1]
2008
edit
Mutoh made his debut for Andretti Green Racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway in March and in May was the highest qualifying rookie for the 2008 Indianapolis 500. He finished 7th in the race, the second best finishing position for a Japanese driver in the history of the race.
Mutoh scored his best finish of his IndyCar Series career in June at the Iowa Speedway, finishing second to Dan Wheldon, setting a new mark for best IndyCar finish by a Japanese driver, surpassing the 3rd place of Tora Takagi at Texas Motor Speedway in 2003. He failed to finish higher than 6th in the remainder of the season, but beat transitional driver Justin Wilson to the Rookie of the Year title and 10th place overall in the series.
2010
editMutoh participated in the 2010 IndyCar Series season with Newman/Haas Racing. He finished 18th in the final point standings.
2011
editMutoh has been announced as an Aguri Suzuki Honda driver in the Super GT series in Japan for 2011, alongside Takashi Kobayashi.[2]
On September 1, Mutoh confirmed he would be part of the 2011 Indy Japan: The Final race at Motegi to drive No. 17 for Sam Schmidt Motorsports/AFS Racing.[3] Mutoh finished 19th on the lead lap.
Motorsports career results
editComplete Formula Nippon/Super Formula results
edit(key)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Nakajima Racing | FUJ 19 |
SUZ 6 |
MOT 8 |
SUZ Ret |
AUT 17 |
FUJ 16 |
SUG 10 |
MOT 10 |
SUZ Ret |
14th | 1 |
| 2011 | Real Racing | SUZ | AUT | FUJ | MOT 10 |
SUZ | SUG | MOT1 Ret |
MOT2 9 |
15th | 0 | |
| 2013 | Docomo Team Dandelion Racing | SUZ 13 |
AUT Ret |
FUJ 13 |
MOT 12 |
SUG 10 |
SUZ1 12 |
SUZ2 10 |
NC | 0 | ||
| 2014 | Docomo Team Dandelion Racing | SUZ 10 |
FUJ1 10 |
FUJ2 12 |
FUJ 11 |
MOT 5 |
AUT 10 |
SUG 12 |
SUZ1 13 |
SUZ2 12 |
15th | 4 |
Complete Super GT results
edit‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.
American open–wheel racing results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
Indy Lights
edit| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Super Aguri Panther Racing | HMS 3 |
STP1 2 |
STP2 4 |
INDY 5 |
MIL Ret |
IMS1 1 |
IMS2 3 |
IOW 3 |
WGL1 2 |
WGL2 6 |
NSH 6 |
MDO 5 |
KTY 1 |
SNM1 19 |
SNM2 10 |
CHI | 2nd | 481 |
IndyCar Series
edit| Year | Team | Chassis | No. | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Panther Racing | Dallara IR-05 | 60 | Honda HI7R V8 | HMS | STP | MOT | KAN | INDY | MIL | TXS | IOW | RIR | WGL | NSH | MDO | MIS | KTY | SNM | DET | CHI 8 |
25th | 24 | [4] | ||
| 2008 | Andretti Green Racing | 27 | HMS 24 |
STP 6 |
MOT1 11 |
LBH1 DNP |
KAN 6 |
INDY 7 |
MIL 12 |
TXS 6 |
IOW 2 |
RIR 13 |
WGL 9 |
NSH 14 |
MDO 9 |
EDM 27 |
KTY 18 |
SNM 13 |
DET 11 |
CHI 22 |
SRF2 8 |
10th | 346 | [5] | ||
| 2009 | STP 15 |
LBH 20 |
KAN 8 |
INDY 10 |
MIL 8 |
TXS 21 |
IOW 3 |
RIR 4 |
WGL 18 |
TOR 12 |
EDM 14 |
KTY 13 |
MDO 5 |
SNM 5 |
CHI 23 |
MOT 14 |
HMS 6 |
11th | 353 | [6] | ||||||
| 2010 | Newman/Haas Racing | 06 | SAO 20 |
STP 14 |
ALA 15 |
LBH 13 |
KAN 23 |
INDY 28 |
TXS 12 |
IOW 20 |
WGL 12 |
TOR 12 |
EDM 17 |
MDO 18 |
SNM 17 |
CHI 13 |
KTY 17 |
MOT 14 |
HMS 20 |
18th | 250 | [7] | ||||
| 2011 | Sam Schmidt Motorsports AFS Racing |
17 | STP | ALA | LBH | SAO | INDY | TXS1 | TXS2 | MIL | IOW | TOR | EDM | MDO | NHM | SNM | BAL | MOT 18 |
KTY | LVS | 43rd | 12 | [8] |
- 1 Run on same day.
- 2 Non-points race.
| Years | Teams | Races | Poles | Wins | Podiums (Non-win)** |
Top 10s (Non-podium)*** |
Indianapolis 500 Wins |
Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
- ** Podium (Non-win) indicates 2nd or 3rd place finishes.
- *** Top 10s (Non-podium) indicates 4th through 10th place finishes.
Indianapolis 500
edit| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish | Team | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Dallara | Honda | 9 | 7 | Andretti Green | Fastest rookie qualifier 2nd best rookie finisher |
| 2009 | Dallara | Honda | 16 | 10 | Andretti Green | Completed every lap |
| 2010 | Dallara | Honda | 9 | 28 | Newman/Haas Racing | Completed 76 laps |
References
edit- ^ Freeman, Glenn. Mutoh confirmed at AGR for 2008, Autosport.com, October 31, 2007
- ^ Beer, Matt. Mutoh returns to Japan in GT move, Autosport.com, February 7, 2011
- ^ Hideki Mutoh To Drive No. 17 AFS/SSM Entry at Motegi
- ^ "Hideki Mutoh – 2007 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
- ^ "Hideki Mutoh – 2008 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
- ^ "Hideki Mutoh – 2009 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
- ^ "Hideki Mutoh – 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
- ^ "Hideki Mutoh – 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
- Mutoh moving quickly as Indy 500 rookie Archived 2008-05-21 at the Wayback Machine
External links
edit