Shingo Tachi

Partnered with veteran co-driver Keiichi Suzuki, Tachi won a record five out of six races in 1998, and scored 106 points en route to winning the title.

Tachi was killed in 1999 while testing a GT500 category Toyota Supra at the TI Circuit, in Okayama, Japan.

There was a technical failure and Tachi failed to slow down for the first corner, crashing into the tyre wall at unabated speed.

He suffered massive chest injuries from the steering wheel and died an hour later.

[1] Before his death, Tachi had signed for Team LeMans in JGTC alongside former Formula One driver Hideki Noda, and was also set to make his Formula Nippon debut for Team TMS.