Masami Kuwashima

Masami Kuwashima / Kuwajima (Japanese桑 岛 正 美, Kuwajima Masami, born 14 September 1950) is a former Japanese racing driver who participated in 1974-1979 in the Japanese Formula 2000 and Formula 2 Championship. Although he played only single selected events in each year and had only a limited experience, he reached repeated positioning in the front ranks. 1976 Kuwashima was reported at a World Cup race of the Formula 1. He took part here only on the free training and was replaced before the race by another driver. Kuwashima is usually described as the racer with the shortest Formula 1 career.

Career

Japanese Formula 2000 / Formula 2

From 1974 to 1977 Masami Kuwashima came to a total of eleven races in the Japanese Formula 2000. 1978 and 1979, as the racing series was held largely unchanged Regulations as Japanese Formula 2 Championship, followed by six other race participants. He finished almost each of these race with a finish line; overwhelmingly he also scoring championship points.

His first Formula 2000 race denied Kuwashima in the last race of the 1974 season at Suzuka, when he instituted a private March 742. Kuwashima finished with just 12 riders occupied race in third place. The thereby achieved 12 points were enough to finish the season scoring in 1974 as an equal third parties.

In the season 1975 Kuwashima participated in two of five races in the Japanese Formula 2000 Championship. In September, he played the race of 20 Great Racers and in November the XJAF Grand Prix, each of which was held in Suzuka. He finished both races in second place and was in the final standings of the year peer fourth.

1976 Kuwashima went only in one race of the Japanese Formula 2000 Championship at the start. In the second round the year, he was driving a March 752 for Sakai Racing. Here he finished fourth. After an unsuccessful attempt at Formula 1 races take part in Fuji, Kuwashima reported for the last race of the Formula 2000 season a private Nova 512 Ultimately, he did not go to the start. Kuwashima closed the season as eleventh.

1977 was the only season the Japanese Formula 2000 Championship, in Kuwashima participated regularly in races. Kuwashima drove this year a structurally simple Nova 522 for Sakai Racing. His best result was a second place in the second race of the year in Suzuka. Overall, he finished the season in fourth place.

1978 denied Kuwashima three races of the newly formed Japanese Formula 2 Championship for Sakai Racing. He scored eleven points with different cars and ended the season in eleventh place.

In 1979, he once again took part in three races of the Formula 2 Championship. Again he drove a eleven points, with which he was regarded as the end of twelfth overall. Then Kuwashima ended his motorsport career.

Formula 1 World Championship

Since the beginning of the year 1976, Kuwashima tried about being able to make his Formula 1 debut at the Grand Prix of Japan at the end October 1976. In spring 1976 he signed a contract with the British privateer team, RAM Racing, who was willing to give him for this race a previously used mainly by Lella Lombardi Brabham BT44B. However, this arrangement failed in late summer, the reasons are not fully understood this.

Instead Kuwashima was hired for the Japanese Grand Prix, Frank Williams, had been taken over whose team was established in 1967 Frank Williams Racing Cars beginning of the season of Walter Wolf Walter Wolf Racing and now as took. The structures of the team met regardless of the new owner still those of previous years; this also applied to the financial circumstances that were problematic as before. The team was therefore remain dependent on Paydriver.

By convention took Kuwashima with a Williams FW05 on Friday before the Grand Prix of Japan at the free training part. He reached a training time, which exceeded that of the subsequent pole driver Mario Andretti five seconds. After Friday's practice to Kuwashimas sponsor withdrew surprising. Williams replaced Kuwashima then immediately by Hans Binder, who qualified for the 25th starting position, but failed in the race with a technical defect.

Another opportunity to participate in a Formula 1 race, did not result in Kuwashima.