By nGO
July 5 2006

Having had a hard time in F1 and getting his Super License revoked, Ide has found employment in Japan as race driver for DoCoMo team Dandelion racing, competing in Formula Nippon.

Ide will race for the last six rounds starting with Suzuka, returning back to Japan racing in the series he competed in before his fruitless entry into F1. Despite this Ide has not given up hope of returning to F1 some day, "I have been considering my options over the last few weeks and have decided to compete in the Formula Nippon category once again. I am grateful to DoCoMo TEAM DANDELION RACING for giving me this opportunity half-way through the season. I have not yet given up hope on returning to Formula One, but for now what I need to do is to concentrate on the races that lie ahead and perform well. I apologise to all my fans who have been worried for me and I hope that they continue to support me in the future."

Aguri Suzuki believes the experiance Ide gained in the four F1 races he competed in has made him better, "I am happy that Yuji Ide is able to compete in the Japanese Championship Formula Nippon once again. Although it was only for four races, I am confident that his experiences gained in the Formula One category will help him in the future. I appreciate that DoCoMo TEAM DANDELION RACING has seen Yuji’s capabilities and given him a seat in their team.”

now we know where Ide will go, but it is unknown whether or not Yamamoto will replace Montagny as race driver for the french grand prix.