He was killed at the age of 19 in a crash on the fifth round of the British Formula Ford Championship at Oulton Park.
[2] The Formula Ford championship, which Shanahan was contesting, is one of the most important training grounds for young drivers pursuing a career in motorsport, and the vast majority of current Formula One drivers, including all the Britons currently at the top level, competed in previous versions of the category.
In 1999, Shanahan signed for the Van Diemen Works Team in the United Kingdom to compete in the British and European Formula Ford Championship.
The Van Diemen Formula Ford team was the starting point for many successful drivers - the most notable being Ayrton Senna and Eddie Irvine.
[5] That year Shanahan was also named Motorsports News "Race Ace" for his overtaking maneuvers at Brands Hatch, in the fourth round of the season.