22/12/1954
Record updated
Matsuda is perhaps best known for his strong Indy 500 record. He is a popular driver there, having made the field four times since 1994. In 1996, he took a two-year old Lola-Ford all the way from the 10th row to 8th overall for Team Taisan/Beck Motorsports. In 1999, Hideshi achieved his best Indy qualifying run, putting his Beck Motorsports Dallara on the inside of the 4th row and bringing it home 10th.
Hideshi Matsuda also is no stranger to the victor's podium in road racing. He won the 1995 Japanese GT championship for Team Taisan in their Porsche GT-2. He began his winning ways in just his second racing season, winning at the world-famous Fuji circuit in just his third Formula 3 race of the 1984 season. Hideshi has a diverse driving background including Porsches, Ferraris and BMWs, Formulas 2, 3 and 3000 and also big-engine prototypes and Group C sportscars. He returns to Le Mans after a nine-year absence, having finished a creditable 12th overall there in 1992 driving a Judd-powered prototype. At Le Mans Matsuda will represent Laundry, one of the leading young people's fashion companies in Japan. Hideshi is also representing Denag, one of Japan's leading sellers of customized European automobiles.