Takuma Satō

**Takuma Satō**
Nation:	Japan
Formula 1 world championship
First start:	2002 Australian Grand Prix
Last start:	2008 Spanish Grand Prix
Constructors
	2002 Jordan • 2003–2005 BAR • 2006–2008 Super Aguri
statistics
World Cup balance:	World Cup eighth ( 2004 )
World Cup points :	44
Podiums :	1
Leadership laps :	2 over 10.3 km

Takuma Satō ( Japanese 佐藤琢磨 Satō Takuma ; born January 28, 1977 in Shinjuku , Tokyo ) is a Japanese automobile racing driver who has been active in the IndyCar Series since 2010 . In 2001 he became British Formula 3 champion. From 2002 to 2008 Satō started for various teams in 90 Formula 1 races.

Satō won the Indianapolis 500 in 2017 , he is the first Asian driver to win this race. He is also the first Japanese Formula 1 driver to qualify for the front row of the Grand Prix. He is also the father of Marino Satō .

Career

Beginnings in motorsport (1996-2001)

Satō began his motorsport career in 1996 in karting , in which he was active until 1997. He was a member of the Honda Suzuka Racing School in 1997 . In 1998 he started at a race in the Japanese Formula 3 championship . However, he ended his engagement after one race and moved to Europe. He competed in the British Formula Vauxhall Junior. 1999 Satō was sixth in the Formula Opel Euroseries . He also entered the national class of the British Formula 3 Championship and finished the season in fourth place.

In 2000, Satō moved to Carlin Motorsport and was third in British Formula 3 with four wins from twelve races. 2001 Satō stayed in the British Formula 3 championship and won 12 of 25 races. He decided the title duel against his teammate Anthony Davidson with 345 to 272 points for himself. He also won the Formula 3 Masters and the Macau Grand Prix . This season Satō was also a test driver for the Formula 1 team British American Racing .

Formula 1 (2002-2008)

Jordan (2002)

In 2002 Satō received a Formula 1 cockpit at Jordan . He was supported by Jordan's engine partner Honda on his Formula 1 debut . While his teammate Giancarlo Fisichella was able to score points in some races, Satō was often noticed by accidents. At the Austrian Grand Prix he collided with Nick Heidfeld and was initially unable to leave the car. At the season finale, his home race in Suzuka , Satō achieved his first point placement with a fifth place. He finished the season in 15th place overall.

BAR (2003-2005)

In 2003 Honda ended the collaboration with Jordan and Satō became a test driver for British American Racing, who drove with Honda engines. After he was signed for the 2004 season as a pilot alongside Jenson Button , Jacques Villeneuve , who was supposed to replace Satō , left the team prematurely and Satō entered 2003 at his home Grand Prix . As in the previous year, he again managed to score points in this race. He finished the season in 18th place in the drivers' championship.

Satō is happy about his third place at the 2004 US Grand Prix in Indianapolis

In 2004, British American Racing had a competitive car and finished second in the constructors' championship. Satō managed to stand on the podium for the first time in third at the US Grand Prix in Indianapolis . In the second half of the season he managed to get into the points in almost every race. Although he achieved his best overall result of his career with an eighth place in the drivers' world championship, he was clearly defeated by his team-mate Button with 85 to 34 points.

In 2005 Satō did not build on the results of the previous year. At the second race, the Malaysian Grand Prix , he had to take a break due to an illness and was replaced by his former Formula 3 team-mate Davidson. In the further course Satō had to skip further Grand Prix, as his team was disqualified due to underweight and excluded for two races. At the Japanese Grand Prix he was disqualified because of a collision with Jarno Trulli that he was responsible for . He finished the season with one point in 23rd place overall.

British American Racing was taken over by Honda after this season, but Satō was replaced by Rubens Barrichello .

Super Aguri (2006-2008)

Satō in Super Aguri, 2006

For the 2006 season , Satō was initially without a cockpit. Finally, Honda gave him another season in Formula 1 with the newly founded Super Aguri F1 racing team . Team owner Aguri Suzuki initially used old Arrows chassis. Although Sato did not score any points this season, he managed to prevail against his three alternating teammates. As in the previous year, he was 23rd overall.

At the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, Satō (back) put Fernando Alonso (front) under pressure

In 2007 Super Aguri was more competitive than last year thanks to a new chassis. With Davidson Satō got a new teammate. At the Spanish Grand Prix , he scored the first point for his team with eighth place. Two races later, at the Canadian Grand Prix , in the closing stages of the race, thanks to a different strategy, he overtook Fernando Alonso , the reigning world champion, and finished the race in sixth. At the end of the season he finished 17th overall. His teammate Davidson remained without points this season.

The 2008 season started with some difficulties: Super Aguri did not finish their new car on time and the team started the first race with a considerable development deficit. As expected, the Japanese cars were at the back of the field. After four races, the team dropped out of the current World Championship due to financial problems. Satō was thus without a racing cockpit. He finished 21st overall at the end of the season.

Satō then tried to get a cockpit for the 2009 season . Although he did test drives for Scuderia Toro Rosso , Sébastien Buemi was preferred to him for the racing cockpit .

IndyCar Series (since 2010)

After Satō had not started in any other racing series in 2009, he switched to the American IndyCar Series at KV Racing Technology in 2010 . His vehicle was painted in the traditional racing colors of the British manufacturer Lotus and he was supported by Lotus. Satō was also noticed by his speed, but mostly he came into the public eye due to accidents. He dropped out 9 times in 17 races. With a ninth place in Edmonton as the best result, he finished his debut season in 21st place in the championship.

Satō in qualifying for his home race in Motegi 2011

In 2011 Satō completed his second season in the IndyCar Series for his team, which this season competed as KV Racing Technology - Lotus . In fifth place, he achieved his best IndyCar placement at the season opener in Saint Petersburg . In the fourth race in São Paulo , which took place under wet conditions, Satō led the race in a controlled manner and had a good chance of victory. However, a strategy error by his team prevented this result and he finished in eighth place. On the oval course in Newton , Satō achieved his first pole position in the IndyCar Series. In the race he was eliminated. In Edmonton he achieved pole position again. The chance of a podium placement was negated by a collision with Ryan Hunter-Reay . Hunter-Reay was subsequently given a drive-through penalty by the race management, while Satō fell backwards. A race later in Lexington , Satō again missed the podium with a fourth place, but achieved his best IndyCar result to date. He finished the season in 13th place in the overall standings.

In 2012 , Satō moved to Rahal Letterman Lanigan in the IndyCar Series , who started with Honda engines. At the season opener in St. Petersburg , which he led in the meantime, he retired with technical problems. Two races later in Long Beach Satō was at the beginning of the final lap in third place. However, he eventually collided with Hunter-Reay and failed to reach the goal. He was rated eighth. At the fourth race in São Paulo he finally achieved his first podium finish in the IndyCar Series with a third place. In the following race, the Indianapolis 500 , Satō attacked the leader Dario Franchitti in the last lap . He got too far inside with one wheel, so that he lost control of his vehicle and drove into the wall. He was rated 17th. At the Edmonton Indy Satō achieved his best placement in the IndyCar Series with a second place. In the closing stages he was within striking distance of the eventual winner Hélio Castroneves . In the last race of the season, the MAVTV 500 , Satō retired again shortly before the end of the race in the leading group. At the end of the season Satō was 14th in the driver standings. He did not finish in 10 of 15 races this season. Following the season, Satō was active in other racing series. First, it took four races of the Formula Nippon for the Team Mugen part. He remained without points and was 15th in the drivers' championship. On the other hand, he competed for OAK Racing in two races of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). He formed a driver trio with Bertrand Baguette and Dominik Kraihamer . Satō finished 80th in the drivers' world championship.

2013 Satō stayed in the IndyCar Series and changed teams again. He started for AJ Foyt Enterprises this season . In the first nine races, Satō only dropped out once and made it into the top 10 four times. At the season opener in Saint Petersburg , he finished second in qualifying. In the race he finished in eighth position. Two races later in Long Beach , Satō scored his first IndyCar victory with a convincing performance. A race later in São Paulo , he led the race for most laps. However, on the final corner he made a small mistake that allowed James Hinchcliffe to drive past and win. Satō finished second and went as overall leader in the Indianapolis 500 , which he finished in 13th place. He lost the championship lead after this race and was fourth in the drivers' standings after the ninth race . In the second half of the season, however, Satō did not succeed in building on the performance from the first races. In these ten races he only crossed the finish line once and a 14th place was his best result. As a result, he was pushed back in the drivers' standings and was only in 17th position at the end of the season. Satō also took part in five Super Formula races , the successor to Formula Nippon, for Team Mugen in 2013 . Eighth place was his best result and he was 18th in the overall ranking. In 2014 , Satō entered the IndyCar Series again for AJ Foyt Enterprises. He started from pole position twice and a fourth place in Sonoma was his best result. He finished the championship in 18th place. After the end of the IndyCar season, Satō took part in the Beijing ePrix , the first race of the FIA Formula E Championship 2014/15 , as a substitute for António Félix da Costa . He started for his former Formula 1 racing team Super Aguri, which competes in this series as Amlin Aguri . He retired, but drove the fastest lap so that he received two points. In 2015 , Satō stayed in the IndyCar Series with AJ Foyt Enterprises. At the second Detroit race he came second. He reached 14th place in the drivers' championship.

In 2016 Satō completed another IndyCar season for AJ Foyt Enterprises. With two fifth places as the best results, he finished the season in 17th place overall. For the 2017 season he moved to Andretti Autosport , this year he won the Indianapolis 500 .

Personal

Satō is married and has two children.

statistics

Career stations

1996-1997: karting
1998: British Formula Vauxhall Junior
1999: Formula Opel Euroseries (6th place)
1999: British Formula 3 , national class (4th place)
2000: British Formula 3 (3rd place)
2001: British Formula 3 (champions)
2001 : Formula 1 (test driver)
2002 : Formula 1 (15th place)
2003 : Formula 1 (18th place)
2004 : Formula 1 (8th place)

2005 : Formula 1 (23rd place)
2006 : Formula 1 (23rd place)
2007 : Formula 1 (17th place)
2008 : Formula 1 (21st place)
2010 : IndyCar Series (21st place)
2011 : IndyCar Series (13th place)
2012 : IndyCar Series (14th place)
2012 : Formula Nippon (15th place)
2012 : WEC (80th place)
2013 : IndyCar Series (17th place)

2013 : Super Formula (18th place)
2014 : IndyCar Series (18th place)
2015 : Formula E (24th place)
2015 : IndyCar Series (14th place)
2016 : IndyCar Series (17th place)
2017 : IndyCar Series (8th place)
2018 : IndyCar Series (12th place)
2019 : IndyCar Series (9th place)

Statistics in the Formula 1 World Championship

These statistics include all the driver's participations in the Formula 1 World Championship .

general overview

season	team	chassis	engine	run	Victories	Second	Third	Poles	nice Race laps	Points	WM-Pos.
2002	DHL Jordan Honda	Jordan EJ12	Honda 3.0 V10	17th	-	-	-	-	-	2	15th
2003	Lucky Strike BA R Honda	BAR 005	Honda 3.0 V10	1	-	-	-	-	-	3	18th
2004	Lucky Strike BA R Honda	BAR 006	Honda 3.0 V10	18th	-	-	1	-	-	34	8th.
2005	Lucky Strike BA R Honda	BAR 007	Honda 3.0 V10	15th	-	-	-	-	-	1	23.
2006	Super Aguri Formula 1	Super Aguri SA05 / SA06	Honda 2.4 V8	18th	-	-	-	-	-	-	23.
2007	Super Aguri Formula 1	Super Aguri SA07	Honda 2.4 V8	17th	-	-	-	-	-	4th	17th
2008	Super Aguri F1 team	Super Aguri SA08	Honda 2.4 V8	4th	-	-	-	-	-	-	21st
total				90	-	-	1	-	-	44

Single results

season	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	11	12	13	14th	15th	16	17th	18th	19th
2002
2002	DNF	9	9	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	10	16	DNF	DNF	8th	10	11	12	11	5
2003
2003																6th
2004
2004	9	15 *	5	16 *	5	DNF	DNF	DNF	3	DNF	11	8th	6th	DNF	4th	6th	4th	6th
2005
2005	14th	INJ	DNF	DSQ	EX	EX	12	DNF	DNS	11	16	12	8th	9	16	DNF	10	DSQ	DNF
2006
2006	18th	14th	12	DNF	DNF	17th	DNF	17th	15th	DNF	DNF	DNF	13	NC	16	DSQ	15th	10
2007
2007	12	13	DNF	8th	17th	6th	DNF	16	14th	DNF	15th	18th	16	15th	15 *	14th	12
2008
2008	DNF	16	17th	13

Legend
colour	abbreviation	meaning
gold	-	victory
silver	-	2nd place
bronze	-	3rd place
green	-	Placement in the points
blue	-	Classified outside the point ranks
violet	DNF	Race not finished (did not finish)
violet	NC	not classified
red	DNQ	did not qualify
red	DNPQ	failed in pre-qualification (did not pre-qualify)
black	DSQ	disqualified
White	DNS	not at the start (did not start)
White	WD	withdrawn
Light Blue	PO	only participated in the training (practiced only)
Light Blue	TD	Friday test driver
without	DNP	did not participate in the training (did not practice)
	INJ	injured or sick
	EX	excluded
	DNA	did not arrive
	C.	Race canceled
		no participation in the World Cup
other	^P / bold	Pole position
	_SR / italic	Fastest race lap
	*	not at the finish, but counted due to the distance covered
	()	Streak results
	underlined	Leader in the overall standings

Individual results in the IndyCar Series

year	team	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	11	12	13	14th	15th	16	17th	18th	19th	Points	rank
2010	KV Racing Technology	SAO	STP	ALA	LBH	KAN	INDY	TXS	IOW	WGL	GOAL	EDM	MDO	SNM	CHI	KTY	MOT	HMS			214	21st
2010	KV Racing Technology	22nd	22nd	25th	18th	24	20 ³¹	25th	19th	15th	25th	9	25th	18th	26th	27	12	18th			214	21st
2011	KV Racing Technology - Lotus	STP	ALA	LBH	SAO	INDY	TXS		Mil	IOW	GOAL	EDM	MDO	NHA	SNM	BAL	MOT	KTY	LSV		297	13.
2011	KV Racing Technology - Lotus	5	16	21st	8th	33 ¹⁰	5	12	8th	19th	20th	21st	4th	7th	18th	18th	10	15th	C.		297	13.
2012	Rahal Letterman Lanigan	STP	ALA	LBH	SAO	INDY	DET	TXS	Mil	IOW	GOAL	EDM	MDO	SNM	BAL	HAIRDRYER					281	14th
2012	Rahal Letterman Lanigan	22nd	24	8th	3	17 ¹⁹	20th	22nd	20th	12	9	2	13	27	21st	7th					281	14th
2013	AJ Foyt Enterprises	STP	ALA	LBH	SAO	INDY	DET		TXS	Mil	IOW	POC	GOAL		MDO	SNM	BAL	HOU		HAIRDRYER	322	17th
2013	AJ Foyt Enterprises	8th	14th	1*	2 *	13 ¹⁸	19th	23	11	7 *	23 ⁷	22nd	24	20th	22nd	23	24	17 °	14th	17th	322	17th
2014	AJ Foyt Enterprises	STP	LBH	ALA	IMS	INDY	DET		TXS	HOU		POC	IOW	GOAL		MDO	Mil	SNM	HAIRDRYER		350	18th
2014	AJ Foyt Enterprises	7 °	22nd	13	9	19 ¹⁸	18th	18 °	18th	22 °	19th	21st	22nd	23	5	18th	15th	4 °	6th		350	18th
2015	AJ Foyt Enterprises	STP	NOL	LBH	ALA	IMS	INDY	DET		TXS	GOAL	HAIRDRYER	Mil	IOW	MDO	POC	SNM				323	14th
2015	AJ Foyt Enterprises	13	22nd	18th	17th	9	13	11 °	2	16	10	18 °	14th	19th	24	6 °	8th				323	14th
2016	AJ Foyt Enterprises	STP	PHO	LBH	ALA	IMS	INDY	DET		ROA	IOW	GOAL	MDO	POC	TXS	WGL	SNM				320	17th
2016	AJ Foyt Enterprises	6th	15th	5	13	18th	26 ¹²	11	10	17th	11	5	9	22nd	20th	17th	14th				320	17th
2017	Andretti Autosport	STP	LBH	ALA	PHO	IMS	INDY	DET		TXS	ROA	IOW	GOAL	MDO	POC	STL	WGL	SNM			441	8th.
2017	Andretti Autosport	5 °	18th	9	16	12	1 ° ⁴	8th	4 °	10	19th	16	16	5	13	19th	19th	20th			441	8th.
2018	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	STP	PHO	LBH	ALA	IMS	INDY	DET		TXS	ROA	IOW	GOAL	MDO	POC	STL	POR	SNM			351	12.
2018	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	12	11	21st	8th	10	32 ¹⁶	5	17th	7th	4th	3 °	22nd	17th	21st	9 °	1 °	25th			351	12.
2019	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	STP	COA	ALA	LBH	IMS	INDY	DET		TXS	ROA	GOAL	IOW	MDO	POC	STL	POR	LAG			415	9.
2019	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	19th	7th	1*	8 °	14th	3 ° ¹⁴	3	14th	15 °	10	22 °	20th	19th	21st	1 °	15th	21st			415	9.
2020	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	TXS	IMS	ROA		IOW		MDO		INDY	STL		IMS		STP						99	17th
2020	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	24	10	9	8th	10 °	21st														99	17th

( Legend )

Individual results in the Super Formula

year	team	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	Points	Item
2012	Team Mugen	SUZ	MOT	AUT	FUJ	MOT	SUG 9	SUZ 17	SUZ 10	0	15th
2013	Team Mugen	SUZ 15	AUT	FUJ	MOT	SUG 11	SUZ 9	SUZ 8		0.5	18th

Individual results in the FIA Formula E Championship

year	team	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	11	Points	rank
2014/15	Amlin Aguri	China People's Republic AT	Malaysia PUT	Uruguay PUN	Argentina BUE	United States MIA	United States LBH	Monaco MON	Germany BER	Russia MOS	United Kingdom LON		2	24.
2014/15	Amlin Aguri	DNF											2	24.