Ronnie Quintarelli

Last updated
Ronnie Quintarelli
Ronnie Quintarelli.jpeg
Quintarelli in 2015 SUPER GT Motegi
NationalityFlag of Italy.svg  Italian
Born (1979-08-09) 9 August 1979 (age 44)
Negrar, Italy
Super GT career
Debut season 2005
Current team NISMO
Car number23
Former teams SARD, Lexus Team Cerumo, Lexus Team Kraft, Hasemi Motorsport, Team Impul, Mola
Starts146
Championships4 (2011, 2012, 2014 & 2015)
Wins18
Podiums45
Poles16
Finished last season3rd
Previous series
2005-2008 Formula Nippon
Championship titles
2011-12, 14-15
2004 		Super GT
Japanese Formula 3 Championship

Ronnie Quintarelli (born 9 August 1979) is an Italian racecar driver, currently competing in Super GT. A four-time champion, he holds the all-time record for the most drivers' championship titles won in the GT500 class of Super GT. [1]

Contents

Biography

Quintarelli first encountered motorsports at age 6 when his father gave him a small go-kart. After starting his karting career in 1990, he scored two second place finishes in the World Formula Super A championship and a European Formula C title. [2] He made his single seaters debut in 2000 when he entered the Italian Formula Renault Championship and ended up third with Prema Powerteam. He also entered the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, the German Formula Three Championship and the Formula Volkswagen Germany.

In 2005, he scored his maiden GT win in the 1000 km Suzuka race with André Couto and Hayanari Shimoda and later made his way to the Super GT. After spending two seasons under the Lexus banner, Quintarelli moved to the Nissan camp, securing multiple victories. Driving for the Mola team, he won two consecutive titles in 2011 and 2012 partnered by Masataka Yanagida. He later joined the Nismo Official Team alongside Tsugio Matsuda. The pairing cruised to two more titles in 2014 and 2015 which made Quintarelli the most titled driver in the history of the series. While still fighting for the title in 2016 with a third place, the Nissan teams struggled at the beginning of the following year but Quintarelli and Matsuda rallied to finish the season in second place. In 2018, they were again steadily at the front of the Nissan roster, and managed to snatch a win at Fuji Speedway. Unfortunately, they would not hit the top-5 again, eventually taking eighth place in the championship. [3]

In 2019, the Nismo pairing completed the championship in third position with four podium finishes and three pole positions scored by Quintarelli himself. In 2020, they remained in contention for the title until the very last race by taking two wins in the two rounds held at Suzuka. The final event of the season at Fuji Speedway (the track hosted four events to simplify logistics during the COVID-19 pandemic) saw a record 11 teams in contention for the title with tight margins. Quintarelli moved from sixth place to the lead in the opening lap, although tyre issues cost him track position later. He and Matsuda would eventually end up ninth in the race and sixth in the championships. They returned to the Nismo team for 2021.

Quintarelli driving in the 2014 Super GT season at Suzuka Ronnie Quintarelli 2014 Super GT Suzuka Q2.jpg
Quintarelli driving in the 2014 Super GT season at Suzuka

The 2021 season started with a double retirement as contact involving team-mate Tsugio Matsuda at Okayama and a broken engine at Fuji Speedway impacted the rest of the season. The number 23 Nismo car still secured one win at Suzuka and a third place at Autopolis, but the Quintarelli-Matsuda pairing had to settle for ninth in points. For the 2022 season, all the Nissan teams debuted the new Z GT500 model. However, the Nismo team suffered the tragic loss of its Director Yutaka Suzuki, who prematurely died during the winter. Despite the positive start at Okayama with a third place, contact and a mechanical issue jeopardized the following two events. A brilliant second place in wet conditions at Sugo put Quintarelli and Matsuda back in title contention. Unfortunately, two more technical problems in the two final events at Autopolis and Motegi forced the pairing to seventh place in the standings.

Finishing in 3rd in Okayama International Circuit in the first race of the 2022, the Italian driver extended his all-time record streak in Super GT to 15th consecutive year at least 1 podium/season as a non-Japanese driver.

Personal life

Based in Yokohama, Kanagawa. Quintarelli speaks Japanese fluently and serves as a TV color commentator for the Super Formula series. In recent years, he devoted his efforts towards the people affected by earthquakes, raising awareness and providing support to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami relief. Together with fellow Super GT regular Andrea Caldarelli, he led a fundraising campaign in favour of the populations impacted by the 2016–2017 Central Italy earthquakes. His cross-border charity efforts, together with his sporting results, earned him the title of Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy. [4]

Awards

ITA OSI 2011 Uff BAR.svg
5th Class/Officer: Order of the Star of Italy : 2015 [5]

Racing record

Career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesPolesWinsPointsPosition
2000 Formula Renault 2000 Italia Prema Powerteam *21*3rd
2001 Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup Cram Competition 511667th
2002 Formula Volkswagen Team Penker Racing*42*2nd
GC-21 INGING Motorsport 101N/ANC
2003 Japanese Formula 3 Championship INGING Motorsport 20002004th
Macau Grand Prix JB Motorsport with INGING 10004th
Korea Super Prix 100016th
2004 Japanese Formula 3 Championship INGING Motorsport 20482511st
Macau Grand Prix 10008th
Bahrain Super Prix 100022nd
2005 Formula Nippon Kondo Racing Team 600129th
Super GT SARD 8002116th
1000 km Suzuka 101N/A1st
2006 Formula Nippon Team Boss INGING 900610th
Super GT Cerumo 100924th
Formula One Midland F1 Test driver
2007 Formula Nippon Team Boss INGING 901277th
Super GT Bandai Toyota Team Kraft300224th
2008 Formula Nippon Cerumo/INGING 80021.59th
Super GT Hasemi Motorsport9113912th
2009 Super GT Hasemi Motorsport911497th
2010 Super GT Team Impul 701475th
2011 Super GT Mola811901st
2012 Super GT Mola812931st
2013 Super GT Nismo 810506th
2014 Super GT Nismo 822811st
2015 Super GT Nismo 822791st
2016 Super GT Nismo 802623rd
2017 Super GT Nismo 811822nd
2018 Super GT Nismo 811438th
2019 Super GT Nismo 83052.53rd
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 1000NC†
2020 Super GT Nismo 802516th
2021 Super GT Nismo 801419th
2022 Super GT Nismo 810377th
Super Taikyu - ST-Q NISMO
2023 Super GT Nismo 811563rd
2024 Super GT - GT500 NISMO 400238th*
Super Taikyu - ST-Q

† As Quintarelli was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score championship points.
* Season still in progress.

Complete Japanese Formula 3 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamEngine1234567891011121314151617181920DCPts
2003 INGING Toyota SUZ
1
3		 SUZ
2
3		 FUJ
1
3		 FUJ
2
5		 TAI
1
3		 TAI
2
3		 MOT
1
5		 MOT
2
6		 SUZ
1
6		 SUZ
2
6		 SUG
1
2		 SUG
2
2		 TSU
1
4		 TSU
2
2		 SUG
1
4		 SUG
2
3		 MIN
1
4		 MIN
2
2		 MOT
1
2		 MOT
2
2		4th200
2004 INGING Toyota SUZ
1
9		 SUZ
2
6		 TSU
1
13		 TSU
2
1		 OKA
1
2		 OKA
2
1		 MOT
1
2		 MOT
2
1		 SUZ
1
4		 SUZ
2
1		 SUG
1
1		 SUG
2
1		 MIN
1
3		 MIN
2
6		 SEN
1
2		 SEN
2
13		 MIN
1
1		 MIN
2
1		 MOT
1
Ret		 MOT
2
3		1st251

Complete Formula Nippon results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrant1234567891011DCPoints
2005 Kondō Racing MOT SUZ SUG FUJ
5		 SUZ
5		 MIN
2		 FUJ
Ret		 MOT
5		 SUZ
10		9th12
2006 Team Boss INGING FUJ
5		 SUZ
Ret		 MOT
Ret		 SUZ
Ret		 AUT
5		 FUJ
10		 SUG
4		 MOT
9		 SUZ
12		10th6
2007 FUJ
5		 SUZ
6		 MOT
5		 OKA
1		 SUZ
Ret		 FUJ
7		 SUG
8		 MOT
6		 SUZ
14		7th27
2008 Cerumo / INGING FUJ
5		 SUZ
8		 MOT
Ret		 OKA
7		 SUZ
10		 SUZ
9		 MOT
Ret		 MOT
13		 FUJ
6		 FUJ
3‡		 SUG
7		9th21.5

‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.

Complete Super GT results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCarClass123456789DCPts
2005 SARD Toyota Supra GT500 OKA
8		 FUJ
Ret		 SEP
9		 SUG
2		 MOT
14		 FUJ
12		 AUT
11		 SUZ
11		16th21
2006 Lexus Team Cerumo Lexus SC430 SUZ OKA FUJ SEP SUG SUZ
7		 MOT AUT FUJ 24th9
2007 Lexus Team Kraft SUZ OKA FUJ SEP
11		 SUG
9		 SUZ
Ret		 MOT AUT FUJ 24th2
2008 Hasemi Motorsport Nissan GT-R SUZ
15		 OKA
10		 FUJ
15		 SEP
9		 SUG
11		 SUZ
5		 MOT
1		 AUT
6		 FUJ
13		12th39
2009 OKA
12		 SUZ
13		 FUJ
7		 SEP
1		 SUG
9		 SUZ
2		 FUJ
6		 AUT
8		 MOT
12		7th49
2010 Team Impul SUZ
Ret		 OKA
4		 FUJ
6		 SEP
1		 SUG
4		 SUZ
12		 FUJ
C		 MOT
5		5th47
2011 MOLA OKA
6		 FUJ
10		 SEP
2		 SUG
1		 SUZ
2		 FUJ
7		 AUT
2		 MOT
2		1st90
2012 OKA
7		 FUJ
8		 SEP
14		 SUG
3		 SUZ
1		 FUJ
2		 AUT
1		 MOT
2		1st93
2013 NISMO OKA
3		 FUJ
Ret		 SEP
9		 SUG
3		 SUZ
2		 FUJ
9		 AUT
8		 MOT
8		6th50
2014 OKA
7		 FUJ
8		 AUT
1		 SUG
14		 FUJ
2		 SUZ
2		 BUR
10		 MOT
1		1st81
2015 OKA
13		 FUJ
1		 CHA
5		 FUJ
4		 SUZ
7		 SUG
6		 AUT
1		 MOT
2		1st79
2016 OKA
1		 FUJ
1		 SUG
9		 FUJ
4		 SUZ
6		 CHA
14		 MOT
9		 MOT
7		3rd62
2017 Nissan GT-R Nismo OKA
7		 FUJ
4		 AUT
5		 SUG
4		 FUJ
2		 SUZ
2		 CHA
9		 MOT
1		2nd82
2018 OKA
5		 FUJ
1		 SUZ
6		 CHA
12		 FUJ
9		 SUG
7		 AUT
15		 MOT
7		8th43
2019 OKA
2‡		 FUJ
2		 SUZ
Ret		 CHA
11		 FUJ
3		 AUT
13		 SUG
3		 MOT
8		3rd52.5
2020 FUJ
11		 FUJ
9		 SUZ
1		 MOT
8		 FUJ
11		 SUZ
1		 MOT
7		 FUJ
9		6th51
2021 OKA
Ret		 FUJ
Ret		 MOT
9		 SUZ
1		 SUG
7		 AUT
3		 MOT
15		 FUJ
7		9th41
2022 Nissan Z GT500 OKA
3		 FUJ
4‡		 SUZ
12		 FUJ
14		 SUZ
5		 SUG
2		 AUT
14		 MOT
13		7th37
2023 OKA
1		 FUJ
7		 SUZ
13		 FUJ
13		 SUZ
DSQ		 SUG
2		 AUT
10		 MOT
2		3rd56
2024 OKA
5		 FUJ
2		 SUZ
10		 FUJ
13		 SUZ
SUG
AUT
MOT
8th*23*

‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed. * Season still in progress.

Records

All-time Super GT records

As of the Super GT – 2020 Takanokono Hotel Fuji GT race:

DescriptionRecordDrivers matched
Championships
Most Drivers' Championships4Stands alone
Most Drivers' Championships as a non-Japanese driver4Stands alone
Most Drivers' Championships won in GT500 class4Stands alone
Most consecutive season with at least 1 podium/season as non-Japanese driver16Stands alone

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satoshi Motoyama</span> Japanese racing driver

Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese professional racing driver and team manager. He is best known for racing in the Super GT Series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) as a factory driver for Nissan, and for racing in the Formula Nippon Championship. He is a three-time champion of the GT500 class of Super GT, and a four-time Formula Nippon/Super Formula champion, making him one of the most successful Japanese racing drivers of all-time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bertrand Baguette</span> Belgian professional racing driver

Bertrand Marcel Nicolas Baguette is a Belgian professional racing driver. In 2013, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMP2 class and the FIA WEC LMP2 class title. In 2017, he won the final running of the Suzuka 1000km in Super GT. Bertrand is the 2022 Super GT 500 Champion with Nissan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuhi Sekiguchi</span> Japanese racing driver

Yuhi Sekiguchi is a Japanese racing driver. He currently competes in the GT500 class of the Super GT Series for TGR Team SARD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tsugio Matsuda</span> Japanese racing driver

Tsugio Matsuda is a Japanese professional racing driver for Nissan and Kondo Racing in the Super GT Series, and a team ambassador for KCMG in the Super Formula Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Super GT Series</span> Touring car racing season in Japan

The 2011 Autobacs Super GT Series was the nineteenth season of the Japan Automobile Federation Super GT Championship including the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) era and the seventh season as the Super GT series. It also marked the twenty-ninth season of a JAF-sanctioned sports car racing championship dating back to the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship. It is a series for Grand Touring race cars divided into two categories: GT500 and GT300. The season began on May 1 and ended on November 13, 2011 after 8 races and 1 non-championship race. The season was due to start on April 2, but the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami caused its postponement.

The 2012 Autobacs Super GT Series was the twentieth season of the Japan Automobile Federation Super GT Championship including the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) era and the eighth season as the Super GT series. It also marked the thirtieth season of a JAF-sanctioned sports car racing championship dating back to the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship. The season began on April 1 and ended on November 18, 2012, after eight championship races and a non-championship race.

Wei Fung Shaun Thong 唐偉楓 is a racecar driver from Hong Kong. Born in 1995, He is the 2017 Blancpain GT Series Asia Silver Cup champion and the 2020 Super Taikyu Series Champion. Thong is the first and only Chinese driver so far to win the Super Taikyu Series title in history. Thong began karting at the age of 14 and participated in various Asian Karting Championships including the Chinese Karting Championship (CKC), Asian Karting Open Championship (AKOC), Hong Kong Kart Club Championship (HKKC) and CIK KF1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomoki Nojiri</span> Japanese racing driver

Tomoki Nojiri is a Japanese racing driver who currently competes as a Honda factory driver in Super GT for ARTA and in Super Formula for Team Mugen, where he won the championship title in 2021 and 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katsumasa Chiyo</span> Japanese racing driver

Katsumasa Chiyo is a Japanese factory racing driver, currently competing in the Autobacs Super GT Series as a factory driver for Nissan. He is a graduate of the Nissan Driver Development Program (NDDP), and a past champion of the Bathurst 12 Hour race, and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sho Tsuboi</span> Japanese racing driver

Sho Tsuboi is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing and TOM'S Racing, who currently competes in the Super GT Series GT500 class and Super Formula Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B-Max Racing Team</span> Japanese racing team

B-Max Racing Co., Ltd also known as B-Max Racing Team and B-Max Engineering is a Japanese race car constructor and racing team headquartered in Ayase, Kanagawa, Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ritomo Miyata</span> Japanese racing driver (born 1999)

Ritomo Miyata is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who is currently competing in the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship for Rodin Motorsport and the 2024 European Le Mans Series for Cool Racing. He is the reigning champion of the Super GT and Super Formula championships, having won both titles in 2023 with TOM'S, and previously won the 2020 Super Formula Lights championship, as well as back-to-back titles in the FIA F4 Japanese Championship.

Kiyoto Fujinami is a Japanese professional racing driver who currently competes in Super GT for Team Mach. He is a two-time champion in the series, having won the GT300 class title with Kondō Racing in 2020 and 2022.

The 2022 Autobacs Super GT Series was a motor racing championship based in Japan for grand touring cars, sanctioned by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) and run by the GT Association (GTA). It was the thirtieth season of the JAF Super GT Championship which includes the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship era, and the eighteenth season under the Super GT name. It was also the fortieth overall season of a national JAF sportscar championship dating back to the All Japan Endurance/Sports Prototype Championship.

Mitsunori Takaboshi is a Japanese racing driver. In 2017, he was crowned champion in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship.

Atsushi Miyake is a Japanese racing driver who is currently set to compete in Super Formula for ThreeBond Racing. He previously raced in the series for Team Goh during the 2022 season, and competed full-time for Max Racing in Super GT between 2020 and 2023. Since 2024, Miyake will race for Nismo NDDP team in Super GT.

Kazuki Hiramine is a Japanese racing driver, currently racing in the Super GT Series as a Nissan factory driver with Team Impul. He won the Super GT GT500 Championship in 2022, alongside co-driver Bertrand Baguette.

The 2024 Autobacs Super GT Series is a motor racing championship based in Japan for grand touring cars. The series is sanctioned by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) and run by the GT Association (GTA). It is the thirty-second season of the JAF Super GT Championship, which includes the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship era, and the twentieth season under the Super GT name. It is also the forty-second overall season of a national JAF sportscar championship dating back to the All Japan Endurance/Sports Prototype Championship.

Riki Okusa is a Japanese racing driver. He currently competes in the GT500 class in Super GT for Nakajima Racing for the 2024 season and previously in the GT300 class in for GAINER, partnered with Hironobu Yasuda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nissan GT-R in motorsport</span> Japanese car adapted for racing

The Nissan GT-R upheld its predecessor's exceptional pedigree in motorsports, competing across a range of racing disciplines and attaining success. Notable motorsport achievements came through from its participation in sports car racing, including championship triumphs in the approvingly competitive FIA GT1 World Championship, GT World Challenge and in the Super GT series. As well as in endurance races, consistently vying at the top in the Bathurst 12 Hour, Nürburgring 24 Hours, Spa 24 Hours among others. The car was used as official safety cars in numerous motorsport events, such as in the Super GT series, FIA GT1 World Championship, British Superbike Championship, and in the Supercars Championship as well.

References

  1. ↑ "Ronnie Quintarelli, In Search Of More History With NISMO | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  2. ↑ CIK-FIA History
  3. ↑ SUPER GT’S 7 Most Dominant Champions
  4. ↑ Onorificenze
  5. ↑ "Onoreficenze". quirinale.it (in Italian). 28 December 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
Sporting positions
Preceded by All-Japan Formula 3 Championship
Champion
2004 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Super GT
GT500 Champion
2011 – 2012
With: Masataka Yanagida 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Super GT
GT500 Champion
2014–2015
With: Tsugio Matsuda 		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.