Takuma Sato | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
佐藤 琢磨 | |||||||
.jpg) Sato at the 2021 Grand Prix of Long Beach | |||||||
| Born | 28 January 1977 Shinjuku, Toyko, Japan | ||||||
| Spouse |
Chiharu (m. 2005) | ||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||
| IndyCar Series career | |||||||
| 221 races run over 15 years | |||||||
| Team(s) | No. 75 (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) | ||||||
| Best finish | 7th (2020) | ||||||
| First race | 2010 São Paulo Indy 300 (São Paulo) | ||||||
| Last race | 2024 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| First win | 2013 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (Long Beach) | ||||||
| Last win | 2020 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| |||||||
| Formula One World Championship career | |||||||
| Nationality |  Japanese | ||||||
| Active years | 2002–2008 | ||||||
| Teams | Jordan, BAR, Super Aguri | ||||||
| Engines | Honda | ||||||
| Entries | 92 (90 starts) | ||||||
| Championships | 0 | ||||||
| Wins | 0 | ||||||
| Podiums | 1 | ||||||
| Career points | 44 | ||||||
| Pole positions | 0 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 0 | ||||||
| First entry | 2002 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||
| Last entry | 2008 Spanish Grand Prix | ||||||
| Championship titles | |||||||
| 2017, 2020 2001 2001 2001 | Indianapolis 500 Macau Grand Prix Masters of Formula 3 British Formula Three | ||||||
Takuma "Taku" Sato (Japanese: 佐藤 琢磨, Hepburn: Satō Takuma, born 28 January 1977) is a Japanese racing driver, currently competing part-time in the IndyCar Series for RLL. Sato competed in Formula One from 2002 to 2008. In American open-wheel racing, Sato is a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 in 2017 and 2020, remaining the only Asian driver to win the event.
Born and raised in Tokyo, Sato began his career in karting before moving to Europe in 1999 with support from Honda. Progressing directly to Formula Three, Sato finished third in the British Championship in 2000 before dominating the series in 2001 with Carlin. During the latter, he also won the Macau Grand Prix and the Masters of Formula 3. Sato signed for Jordan in 2002, making his Formula One debut at the Australian Grand Prix, under Honda power. He moved with Honda to join BAR in 2003 as a reserve driver, replacing Jacques Villeneuve at his home Grand Prix in Japan and returning as a full-time driver in 2004. Sato achieved his only podium finish at the United States Grand Prix as he finished a career-best eighth in the World Drivers' Championship. Following struggles at BAR in 2005, Sato moved to Super Aguri for his 2006 campaign onwards. Amidst financial troubles, Super Aguri withdrew from the sport after the 2008 Spanish Grand Prix, ending both Sato and teammate Anthony Davidson's driving careers in Formula One.
After a year hiatus, Sato returned to open-wheel racing in the IndyCar Series with KV in 2010. He took his maiden pole position at the Iowa Corn Indy 250 in 2011, and became the first Asian driver to win an IndyCar race at the Grand Prix of Long Beach in 2013 with Foyt. His one-off entry in Formula E at the 2014 Beijing ePrix marked the first—and to this date, only—time that Sato competed without a Honda power unit in his professional career, using a spec McLaren powertrain. Sato signed for Andretti in 2017, winning the Indianapolis 500 for the first time. He took several further wins across his 2018 and 2019 seasons with RLL, before again winning at Indianapolis in 2020. Sato competed for DCR in 2022, before moving into part-time roles from 2023 onwards.
Sato is a widely popular figure amongst fans and media worldwide, renowned for his aggressive driving style and motto "No Attack, No Chance".[a]
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