Kohei Hirate

Kohei Hirate (Japanese平手 晃 平Kohei Hirate; born March 24, 1986 in Komaki ) is a Japanese racing driver. He joined from 2008 to 2011 in both the Formula Nippon as well as in the Super GT to.

Career

Hirate began his motorsport career in 1999 in karting, where he was active until 2001. Among other things, in 1999 he was Japanese ICA Junior Kart Champion. In 2002 he moved to Formula racing and was with four wins right off the bat second in the Japanese Formula Toyota.

2003 moved Hirate to Europe and competed in several Formula Renault championships. The most successful was he for the Prema Powerteam in the Italian series. While his team-mate Franck Perera won the championship title, Hirate was a win eighth in the drivers' standings. In addition, he was 21 in the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup and he took part in several races of the German and Dutch Formula Renault. 2004 decided Hirate six races in the Italian Formula Renault for himself and was at 266 to 362 points in the duel with Pastor Maldonado runner-up. In addition, he took part in races of the Formula 3 Euro Series and the German and Asian Formula Renault.

2005 Hirate changed completely in the Formula 3 Euro Series and went to a team -mate of Giedo van der Garde for Team Rosberg. With a third place as the best result, he finished the season in twelfth championship course. The team-internal duel with van der Garde he lost with 18 to 34 points. In 2006, Hirate within the Formula 3 Euro Series Manor Motorsport, where he was the driver trio along with Esteban Guerrieri and Kazuki Nakajima. Hirate won a race and finished the season with a total of five podium finishes in third place behind the champion Paul di Resta and Sebastian Vettel. In addition Hirate graduated this year Formula 1 test driving for Toyota.

2007 moved Hirate in the GP2 Series for Trident Racing, where he was first team-mate Maldonado. Hirate achieved his best result only at the races at the Nürburgring and points with a second place. The season he finished 19th overall and was thus behind Maldonado, who failed due to an injury in the second half of the season. In addition Hirate was this season Formula 1 test driver for Toyota.

2008 Hirate returned to Japan and joined in for the team impulses in Formula Nippon. He won a race and finished the season in which he did not compete at a race weekend in fourth place in the championship from. In addition Hirate debuted in GT racing and was 15th in the GT300 Super GT rating. In 2009, he not only finished a Formula Nippon race in the points. In the Drivers' Championship, he finished with two third places for best results to fifth place. In addition, he re-entered in the Super GT, this time in the GT500 class of. With a podium placement he was denied Hirate 14, 2010, his third Formula Nippon season for the team impulses. While Hirate with a win in Fuji was again fifth, his teammate João Paulo de Oliveira won the championship. In the Super GT he improved this season to twelfth place.

2011 Hirate was again for the team impulses in Formula Nippon at the start. With a second place as best result he finished the season starting in eighth place overall. In addition Hirate was again active in the Super GT and was sixth overall.

Career stations

  • 2004: German Formula Renault ( 25th place )
  • 2004: Asian Formula Renault Challenge
  • 2005: Formula 3 Euro Series (No. 12)
  • 2006: Formula 3 Euro Series ( 3rd place)
  • 2007: GP2 Series ( No. 19 )
  • 2007: Formula 1 ( test driver )
  • 2008: Formula Nippon (4th place )
  • 2008: Super GT, GT300 ( 15th place)
  • 2009: Formula Nippon ( 5th place)
  • 2009: Super GT ( 14th)
  • 2010: Formula Nippon ( 5th place)
  • 2010: Super GT ( 12th place)
  • 2011: Formula Nippon (8th place )
  • 2011: Super GT ( 6th place)
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