





Small Japanese team founded by Kenji Mimura entered the F1 scene in 1974 with Maki F101. Ever since Honda left the sport after 1968 season, it was first Japanese attempt in F1. Maki Engineering has ambitious plans to develop completely Japanese car with the original engine, but started with conventional DFV-engined ‘kit car’. The F101 was designed by Mimura and Masao Ono and featured aluminium monococque, tall air box, broad front wing and full length side-pods. The car seems unnecessarily bulky being at 150 kg over the minimum weight stipulated in the regulations. The prototype was built in Japan late in 1973, while components for a second example were shipped to England where they were assembled in the shop of the team’s lead driver Howden Ganley. The F101 painted in Japanese racing colours of white with a red circle was launched in London and then tested in Goodwood and Silverstone by Ganley and Japanese driver Shaw Hayami. The real name of the Japanese is Shotetsu Arai, and Shaw Hayami was the nickname he used as racing driver. Hayame raced in England in minor formulas and later in 1975 had a couple of starts in the British F3 Championship driving GRD 375 – Ford. Maki F101 debuted at British GP where Ganley failed to qualify, and then badly injured his legs at the following German Grand Prix. The team then withdrew to Japan to repair and modify the car. Later the team returned to F1 scene in 1975 and 1976 but none of the drivers qualified for the race. As to Hayami, he was seen sporadically in Japanese Formula 2 Championship in 1977 – 1978, and then disappeared from the racing scene. In 2000s Arai was a city council member of Hiroshima, his home city, and has been a candidate for the mayor for a few years running. The car driven by Hayami in Goodwood and Silverstone tests still exists and was seen at Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Season | Series | Event |
1974 | F1 | Tests |
Driver | No. | Entrant |
Shaw Hayami (Shotetsu Arai) | Maki Engineering | |
Scale | Manufacturer | Collection |
1:43 | PCT (Premium X) | |
Cat. No. | Quality | Rarity |
KBX002 | ![]() | ![]() |