Taki Inoue
| Formula One World Championship career | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Japanese |
| Active years | 1994–1995 |
| Teams | Simtek, Footwork |
| Entries | 18 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1994 Japanese Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1995 Australian Grand Prix |
Takachiho "Taki" Inoue (井上 隆智穂 Inoue Takachiho,[1] b. September 5, 1963 in Kobe) is a retired motor racing driver from Japan.
Inoue competed in the British Formula Ford Championship in 1988, followed by a spell in All-Japan Formula Three from 1989 to 1993 and a season in the International Formula 3000 championship in 1994.
He participated in 18 Formula One Grand Prix races, debuting on November 6, 1994. He scored no championship points, and is remembered for two bizarre incidents while driving for Footwork in 1995. The first occurred after a practice session at Monaco, when his stalled car was being towed back to the pits when it was hit by a course car, driven by Jean Ragnotti, causing it to roll into the barriers, although Taki was fit to race the next day. The second happened in Hungary on live TV worldwide - attempting to assist the marshals in putting out the engine fire which had forced him out of the race, a vehicle driven to the scene by a marshal hit him, injuring his leg, although he recovered for the next race. [2]
For most of the season his team-mate was Gianni Morbidelli, but late in the season Max Papis replaced Morbidelli, and was sometimes outpaced by Taki.
Entering the 1996 season, Inoue lobbied Tyrrell for a drive, but was beaten down by Ukyo Katayama and his Mild Seven sponsorship money from Japan Tobacco.[3] Instead, he was announced in January to drive for the Minardi team.[1] However, one of his personal sponsors pulled out at the last minute and the team took on the more talented Giancarlo Fisichella instead.[4] Fisichella, the team's test driver in 1995, had backing from Marlboro Italy.[5]
With these opportunities closed up, Taki was out of a drive. After brief forays into sportscars, he retired from racing at the end of 1999 and now manages drivers in his own country.
Complete Formula One results
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | MTV Simtek Ford | Simtek S941 | Ford V8 | BRA |
PAC |
SMR |
MON |
ESP |
CAN |
FRA |
GBR |
GER |
HUN |
BEL |
ITA |
POR |
EUR |
JPN Ret |
AUS |
NC | 0 | |
| 1995 | Footwork Hart | Footwork FA16 | Hart V8 | BRA Ret |
ARG Ret |
SMR Ret |
ESP Ret |
MON Ret |
CAN 9 |
FRA Ret |
GBR Ret |
GER Ret |
HUN Ret |
BEL 12 |
ITA 8 |
POR 15 |
EUR Ret |
PAC Ret |
JPN 12 |
AUS Ret |
NC | 0 |
References
- ^ a b Grand Prix.com - Inoue joins Minardi http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns00478.html
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PJsFyLQXr4&feature=PlayList&p=25D73462E341AF64&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=58
- ^ Grand Prix.com, Katayama at Tyrrell again - http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns00507.html
- ^ "F1 News > Minardi to get Fisichella?".
- ^ Grand Prix.com, Five drivers bidding for Minardi - http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns00435.html