Ukyo Katayama

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Ukyo Katayama
Image:Ukyo Katayama.jpg
Formula One Career
Nationality	Image:Flag of Japan (bordered).svg Japanese
Active years	1992 - 1997
Team(s)	Larrousse, Tyrrell, Minardi
Grands Prix	97
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podium finishes	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First Grand Prix	1992 South African Grand Prix


Last Grand Prix	1997 European Grand Prix

Ukyo Katayama (片山右京Katayama Ukyō, born May 29, 1963) is one of several Japanese drivers to try their hand at F1 without making a major impact. However, Katayama was popular in the paddock for his unshakeably sunny disposition and self-deprecating sense of humour ("It is possible to do more with this car - the only problem is my driving!"). Born in Tokyo, he first raced in Europe in 1986 in France before returning home to win the Japanese F3000 series in 1991.

His sponsors, Cabin Club, arranged a Formula One seat for Katayama in 1992, with the Larrousse team. The car was unreliable and a distinct midfielder, with team-mate Bertrand Gachot getting the lion's share of the team's meagre resources. However, Katayama impressed by running in 5th at the Canadian Grand Prix until his engine blew, but was eventually left with a brace of 9th places as his best result. Unfortunately, the year was also remembered for two embarrassing collisions with Gachot in Canada and at home in Japan.

Cabin Club managed to arrange a switch to Tyrrell for 1993, but the team were at a nadir, with the interim 020C essentially three years old, and the new 021 proving uncompetitive. 10th place at the Hungarian Grand Prix was his best result, in a year in which he attracted more attention for accidents.

1994 was to see a considerable turnaround for Tyrrell and Katayama. He impressed with the new 022, scoring two 5th places and a 6th. He also impressed with a number of excellent qualifying performances, running 3rd at the German Grand Prix before his throttle stuck open, and generally putting more experienced and acclaimed team-mate Mark Blundell in the shade.

He stayed on with Tyrrell for the next two seasons, but suffered a mystifying loss of form, with two 7th places in high-attrition races his best results, thus scoring no points whilst being outpaced by rookie team-mate Mika Salo. During these years his habit of crashing would re-emerge, notably with a spectacular barrel-roll at the start of the 1995 Portuguese Grand Prix, and, as a rather short man, was highly disadvantaged by the regulation changes which led to walls being built up around the cockpit, a response to the death of Ayrton Senna. However, it would later emerge that in late 1994 he had been diagnosed with a cancer in his back; while non-threatening, it was painful, and his Grand Prix commitments delayed treatment. Katayama did not announce this until he retired from Formula One, not wanting anyone's sympathy to make excuses for him.

After leaving Tyrrell, his Mild Seven backing landed him a seat at Minardi, but they too were at a low ebb, and two 10th places were his best result. At his home Grand Prix, he emotionally announced his retirement from Formula One.

Still popular in his homeland, Katayama has since dabbled in sportscars and GT racing, as well as his other love of mountaineering.

He participated in 97 grands prix, debuting on March 1, 1992. He scored a total of five championship points.

He is frequently referred to as 'Kamikaze Ukyo' or simply 'Kamikaze'.

1 Complete Formula One results
2 Trivia
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Complete Formula One results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Team	WDC	Points
1992	Larrousse	RSA 12	MEX 12	BRA 9	ESP DNQ	SMR Ret	MON DNPQ	CAN Ret	FRA Ret	GBR Ret	GER Ret	HUN Ret	BEL 17	ITA 9	POR Ret	JPN 11	AUS Ret		Larrousse	NC	0
1993	Tyrrell	RSA Ret	BRA Ret	EUR Ret	SMR Ret	ESP Ret	MON Ret	CAN 17	FRA Ret	GBR 13	GER Ret	HUN 10	BEL 15	ITA 14	POR Ret	JPN Ret	AUS Ret		Tyrrell	NC	0
1994	Tyrrell	BRA 5	PFC Ret	SMR 5	MON Ret	ESP Ret	CAN Ret	FRA Ret	GBR 6	GER Ret	HUN Ret	BEL Ret	ITA Ret	POR Ret	EUR 7	JPN Ret	AUS Ret		Tyrrell	17th	5
1995	Tyrrell	BRA Ret	ARG 8	SMR Ret	ESP Ret	MON Ret	CAN Ret	FRA Ret	GBR Ret	GER 7	HUN Ret	BEL Ret	ITA 10	POR Ret	EUR Inj	PFC 14	JPN Ret	AUS Ret	Tyrrell	NC	0
1996	Tyrrell	AUS 11	BRA 9	ARG Ret	EUR DSQ	SMR Ret	MON Ret	ESP Ret	CAN Ret	FRA Ret	GBR Ret	GER Ret	HUN 7	BEL 8	ITA 10	POR 12	JPN Ret		Tyrrell	NC	0
1997	Minardi	AUS Ret	BRA 18	ARG Ret	SMR 11	MON 10	ESP Ret	CAN Ret	FRA 11	GBR Ret	GER Ret	HUN 10	BEL 14	ITA Ret	AUT 11	LUX Ret	JPN Ret	EUR 17	Minardi	NC	0

[edit] Trivia

In Brazil, Ukyo Katayama was called Katagrama (more explicitly Cata-Grama, Portuguese for "grass-eater"), because of his constant retirements (62 in his 97 races, meaning he abandoned two out of three races). It was just a local pun that reinforced his given nickname of "Kamikaze".

In 2001 he climbed the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest. On December 1 2006, it was reported that he had achieved his lifetime ambition of climbing Manaslu, the eighth-highest mountain in the world, after un unsuccessful attempt in 2004.<ref>"Katayama scales Mt. Manaslu", Autosport.com, 2006-12-01. Retrieved on 2006-12-01.</ref>