Katayama, Ukyo
Name: Katayama, Ukyo
Date of birth: May 29th, 1963
Place of birth: Tokyo, Japan
Minardi link: Ukyo Katayama raced 17 times for Minardi in 1997. He scored no points for Minardi.
Original article: Simon Vigar
Date of birth: May 29th, 1963
Place of birth: Tokyo, Japan
Minardi link: Ukyo Katayama raced 17 times for Minardi in 1997. He scored no points for Minardi.
Original article: Simon Vigar
Japanese drivers often flatter to deceive in Formula One leading to the observation that they come from the Land of the Rising Hype. Ukyo Katayama is different, indeed many sages in the press box say he remains the best Japanese to compete at the highest level. The "Tiny Warrior" proved doubters wrong by overcoming the physical demands of F1 and was a smiling presence in the paddock. He's best known for his four years with Ken Tyrrell's fading team but his final Grands Prix were as a Minardi man.
Ukyo won junior single-seater titles in Japan in 1983 and '84 and then moved to Europe to race in Formula Renault and Formula Three. By 1988 he was back in his homeland in Formula 3000 and he won the title in 1991. The following year he had his F1 debut with Larrousse and did reasonably well against team-mate Bertrand Gachot. His partnership with Tyrrell began in '93 thanks to its engine supplier Yamaha but Ukyo struggled. He went off so much he made notorious team-mate Andrea De Cesaris look the master of racecraft. Some said that struggle was simply down to his small frame but the Tiny Warrior battled on and 1994 was his best season in Formula One as he frequently outclassed team-mate Mark Blundell. For '94 the FIA had banned the gizmos of traction control and active suspension so this provided an opportunity for brains to win over brawn/money. Harvey Postlethwaite duly designed a basic but tidy car for Tyrrell. It helped Ukyo score two finishes in fifth position at Interlagos and Imola and Autosport hailed him as the most improved driver of the season. Although Blundell finished higher in the championship, Ukyo had outdriven the Englishman. Sadly, he also suffered more breakdowns.
It was the last hurrah for Tyrrell as Yamaha was no match for Renault or Ford and certainly no replacement for arch-rivals Honda. Tyrrell itself was very short of sponsorship and just a couple of years from the BAR buy-out. Thanks to the Mild Seven backing for both Tyrrell and Benetton it is widely believed Ukyo was offered a drive alongside the new World Champion Michael Schumacher for '95. Contractual problems stopped this as Ken was clearly keen to keep his man. Also Ukyo now received some bad news: he had cancer on his back adipex. Information he would keep secret until his retirement three years later. It wasn't terminal but it did make driving a Grand Prix car even less comfortable than usual.
1995 was a poor season for both driver and team notable only for a huge shunt at Estoril. One could say it was Ukyo's "first contact" with Minardi as he humped Luca Badoer's car at the start. Wreckage littered the grid causing a red flag but Ukyo and Luca did not suffer serious injuries. Yamaha and Katayama were to stay with Tyrrell for just one more season, where he was again out-classed by Mika Salo, before Ukyo signed for Faenza. Sadly 1997 with Minardi-Hart was not the crowning glory of Ukyo's career. He was partnered by an impressive Italian rookie called Jarno Trulli and by season's end Ukyo decided to quit F1.
He came second at Le Mans in 1999 with Toyota before turning his back on motor racing to indulge in his other great passion, mountaineering and essay writing. He is reportedly the first Japanese to conquer Everest without oxygen tanks. Then it was back to cars competing in the Japanese GT Championship in 2001 and the incredible weight loss pills Arras-Dakar Rally the following year.
Web 2.0 Design
This page belongs to the drivers category.
There are 7 comments on this page. [Display comments]