PETRONAS Syntium Team
2008 Super Taikyu Endurance Series
Driver Profile
Manabu Orido: To the Max with Orido
Manabu “Max” Orido is one of those race car drivers that, by today’s standards, made his way up through the racing ranks in an unconventional way. He began his career as a street racer initially before progressing up to one make series. It was not before he would burst onto the mainstage, which he did in 1996, debuting in the Japan GT Championship (JGTC) and taking the GT300 title the following year. The man from Chiba spent several more seasons in the GT300 class before moving up to the GT500 class in 2000 with impressive results since then.
At the same time, Orido continued to occupy his time in other series, which included his participation in two Grand National Division West Series races in 1999, finishing 18th at Irwindale Speedway and 13th at the Twin Ring Motegi. Apart from GT racing, Orido is also a well known name in the Japanese endurance racing scene, with equally impressive results, including the coveted Super Taikyu Endurance championship title in 2005 after a commanding seven wins from eight rounds. His involvement in endurance racing was not just confined to Japan, with his participation in the infamous LeMans 24hours in 2004.
Orido’s long list of accomplishments also includes his credentials in drifting, playing his part as a D1 Grand Prix judge up to 2004. The following year, he swapped roles becoming a driver himself, though his career in drifting was shortlived after his car was destroyed in transport to an event.
A character on and off the track, Orido is a commanding presence wherever he goes, becoming a huge hit with racing fans both in and out of Japan. In addition to racing, Orido is also keen to impart his experience as well, a role he plays as a safety driving instructor at the Nihon Automobile High Technical School or NATS. Dividing his time between his various commitments, Orido continues to drive in the Super GT Championship. In 2008, he joins the PETRONAS Syntium Team ranks as a guest driver to compete at two major endurance races, the 24-hours of Tokachi (Hokkaido, Japan) and the PETRONAS Primax 3 Merdeka Millennium Endurance race at the Sepang International Circuit.
Manabu Orido: Profile
| Born: |
3 December 1968/Chiba (JPN) |
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Nationality:
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Japanese |
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Residence:
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Yokohama, Japan |
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Website:
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http://www.orido.jp |
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Career Highlights
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2008:
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• Japan Super GT Championship GT300
• Super Taikyu Endurance Series, 2nd place at 24-hours of Tokachi |
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2007:
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• Japan Super GT Championship GT 500, Overall 17th |
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2006:
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• Japan Super GT Championship GT 500, 19th Overall |
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2005:
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• Japan Super GT Championship GT 500, Overall 13th (1x win)
• Super Taikyu Endurance Series, Overall Champion (7 x wins)
• D1 Grand Prix Series |
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2004:
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• Japan GT Championship GT 500, Overall 12th
• Super Taikyu Endurance Series, Overall 2nd
• LeMans 24Hours, LMGT Class, 2nd |
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2003:
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• Japan GT Championship GT 500, Overall 6th (1x win, Autopolis)
• Super Taikyu Endurance Series, Class 1 |
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2002:
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• Japan GT Championship GT500, Overall 14th
• N1 Taikyu N-class, Series Champion |
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2001:
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• Japan GT Championship GT500, Overall 19th
• N1 Taikyu N-class, Overall Champion
• Macau Ghia Race (2nd place finish) |
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2000:
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• Japan GT Championship GT500, Overall 18th
• N1 Taikyu N-class |
| 1999: |
• Japan GT300, Overall 3rd
• N1 Taikyu N-class
• NASCAR Coca Cola 500 |
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1998:
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• Japan GT Championship GT300, Overall 2nd
• Mirage International Ralliart Cup Series, Overall Champion |
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1997:
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• Japan GT Championship GT300, Series Champion
• Mirage International Ralliart Cup Series, overall 2nd
• N1 Taikyu
• FIA GT Suzuka
• NASCAR Late model regional race series |
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1996:
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• Super SILVIA Cup Race, Overall Champion (pole position and wins in all races)
• N1 Taikyu Class 2, Overall 4th (2 x race wins)
• 24-hours of Tokachi N1 Class, Winner
• Spot entries Japan GT Championship, GT500 and GT300 |
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1995:
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• Video Option, Drift Champion
• Super SILVIA Cup Race, Overall Champion (pole position & wins in all races)
• Mitsubishi Mirage Int’l Cup
• N1 Taikyu |
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1994:
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• Super SILVIA Cup Race, Overall 2nd (2xpole position;1xracewin) |
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1993:
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• Suzuka Freshman, N2 1600 Class, Overall 3rd (3 x race wins) |
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1992:
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• Fuji Freshman Race, NA 1600 class, Series Champion |
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1990:
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• CARBOY magazine “Drift GP”, champion |
More on the MME
More on the PETRONAS Syntium Team
More on the drivers:
- Masataka Yanagida
- Fariqe Hairuman
- Tatsuya Kataoka
- Nobuteru Taniguchi
- Johannes Stuck (MME08)
- Reserve Drivers - Hiroki Yoshida / Johan Adzmi