Ukyo Katayama

Details
200px Ukyo Katayama
Name	Ukyo Katayama
Born	29 May 1963
Nationality	Japanese
Achievements
1992 All-Japan F3000 Champion

Ukyo Katayama (born 29 May 1963 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese former racing driver.

Racing Career

Born in Tokyo, Katayama started his career in Formula Three. He started with Hasemi Motorsports in Japanese F3 in 1985, before relocating to Europe for further his career. He spent two seasons in French F3 with limited success before returning to Japan and spending 1988 and 1989 driving in Japanese F3000.

Formula 3000

Katayama made his Formula 3000 debut in 1990. His rookie campaign was impressive, bringing in no fewer than five podium finishes, leading to a haul of 28 points and a sixth-place finish in the Championship. For 1991, he moved to the Pacific team, but struggled to match up against his teammate Karl Wendlinger. At the Bugatti Circuit on 25th September, Katayama crashed into the back of Neil McEwan's Dome. Observers had originally feared for Katayama's life, but thanks to a swift response from the Le Mans marshals and excellent medical attention, Katayama was fit to drive again in 1992.

1992: The busiest man in motorsports

All Japan Formula 3000

After failing to achieve his goal of getting an F1 seat, Katayama returned to Japan, where he would sign with All-Japan F3000 front runners Heroes Racing, who were sponsored by Cabin, a Cigarette brand from Japan Tobacco, Katayama's main backers. In an incredibly competitive field featuring the likes of Eddie Irvine, Aguri Suzuki, Shinji Nakano, Hideki Noda, Naoki Hattori, Akihiko Nakaya, Jeff Krosnoff, teammate Takuya Kurosawa, Ross Cheever, Toshio Suzuki, Tom Kristensen and Stefano Modena, among others, a resurgent Katayama overcame the odds and would win the 1992 All-Japan F3000 title with 2 races to spare.

Katayama was also rumoured his debut at the 1992 Japanese Grand Prix, expected to take a one-off drive for the struggling Leyton House March team. Unfortunately, this opportunity fell through as Toshio Suzuki was preferred for the opportunity.

WTCM and WSC stint

Katayama's connections with Japan Tobacco, helped him to secure a Toyota factory drive for TOM's at the World Touring Car Masters and some rounds of the World Sportscar Championship. He was immediately at home behind the wheel of a touring car, starring at Okayama to bring his Toyota Carina home in second place in the feature race to the delight of the local fans.

In the WSC, Katayama was paired Australia's David Brabham in the second Toyota. On the back of his drives here, as well as in Japanese F3000 and the WTCM, Tyrrell approached Katayama for one of their 1993 race seats. Katayama accepted, fulfilling his dream of making it to F1.

Formula One

In 1992, Katayama had impressed Ken Tyrrell enough that he signed the Japanese driver for the 1993 season, with Japan Tobacco's brand Mild Seven becoming main sponsor for the Surrey outfit. Katayama would pair up with the team's 1992 driver Christian Fittipaldi, the pair running brand new Ilmor engines.

Unfortunately for Katayama, his dream would turn into a bit if a nightmare, as he was well off the pace of his brazilian teammate Fittipaldi for much of the season, only doing no better than 8th. In the cutthroat world of F1, There is no room for average performances, and Katayama would find himself on the unemployment line in the off-season, seemingly condemned to once again return to Japan for 1994...

Racing Career Results

International Formula 3000 Championship

Season	Team	Car	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Pts	Pos
1990	Madgewick International	Lola-Mugen-Honda	DON 3	SIL 2	PAU 3	MON Ret	JER 2	IMO 18†	ENN Ret	HOC Ret	BRH 5	BIR Ret	BUG 10	MAG 2	DIJ 18†	28	6th
1991	Pacific Racing	Lola-Cosworth	IMO 8	SIL Ret	PAU 15	JER 5	MUG 11	ENN Ret	HOC 12	BRH 8	SPA 11	BUG 14†	MAG INJ			2	16th