'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgf/2gAIAQEAAAAAWVr/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oACAECEAAAAE//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAEDEAAAAD//xAAiEAACAAUDBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABBAACBQYRAxUhEhMigdH/2gAIAQEAAT8AshSgMKU3bNJ5PQXqDGEPDsLzjiaeUHq5wTE1ugZG9XD6qB+R/8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECESH/2gAIAQIBAT8AkqeH/8QAFhEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEh/9oACAEDAQE/AFT/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Takuma Sato
Sato is probably best known now as a double Indy 500 champion, the first Japanese and the first Asian driver to win the Great Race.
Among Formula 1 drivers, Sato saw limited success, with a best finish of third at the US Grand Prix in 2004. The Honda-backed driver never tasted Grand Prix victory, whereas his teammate Jenson Button went on to win the 2009 world champion after Takuma had made the switch to racing in America.
Possibly his best achievement among Formula 1 drivers was in Canada in 2007, when Sato had a great battle with reigning champion Fernando Alonso, eventually passing the Spaniard's McLaren for a well-deserved sixth-place finish.
Toranosuke Takagi
Takagi was taken under the wing of Satoru Nakajima in Japanese F3. He drove full time in F1 for the underfunded Tyrrell and Arrows teams, without ever scoring points among Formula 1 drivers.
Takagi, nicknamed Tora ,which means Tiger, was known as one of the most fierce Formula 1 drivers who never really had many changes in F1. He switched back to Formula Nippon after his F1 stint, winning eight out of 10 races to take the title. Subsequently he moved to America, where his open-wheel career very much paved the way for compatriot Sato.
Satoru Nakajima
The first Japanese driver to run full time among Formual 1 drivers, rather than making one-off appearances, Nakajima started 74 races for Lotus and Tyrrell. He immediately woke up the European F1 establishment with a points finish in his second Grand Prix.
Satoru took 16 career points and showed Japan that Formula 1 was a career option for a competitive racer.
Kazuki Nakajima
The son of Satoru, Kazuki leveraged his Toyota backing to drive for two seasons with Williams. Nakajima, like his father, scored multiple points finishes among Formula 1 drivers, and while not as fast as teammate Nico Rosberg, he was a consistent and reliable competitor.
Kazuki Nakajima went on to become the second Japanese driver to win a FIA world championship as the World Endurance Champion of the 2018-2019 season alongside teammates Fernando Alonso and Sebastien Buemi.
