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Aguri Suzuki

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Aguri Suzuki
Suzuki in 2008, as the supervisor of ARTA.
Born (1960-09-08) 8 September 1960 (age 64)
Tokyo, Japan
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityJapan Japanese
Active years19881995
TeamsLarrousse, Zakspeed, Footwork, Jordan, Ligier
EnginesFord, Yamaha, Lamborghini, Mugen-Honda, Hart
Entries88 (65 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums1
Career points8
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1988 Japanese Grand Prix
Last entry1995 Japanese Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years1986–1988, 1990, 1996–1999
TeamsNissan Motorsport, Toyota Team Tom's, Nismo (Nismo/TWR)
Best finish3rd (1998)
Class wins0

Aguri Suzuki (鈴木 亜久里, Suzuki Aguri, born 8 September 1960) is a Japanese former racing driver. In Formula One, he participated in 88 Grands Prix between 1988 and 1995, achieving a best result of third at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix, which made him the first Asian driver to score a podium finish. He also won the Japanese Top Formula Championship in 1988, and later finished third overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998 and won races in the All-Japan GT Championship.

He became involved in team ownership after his Formula One career, first forming Autobacs Racing Team Aguri (ARTA) in 1997 in partnership with Autobacs. ARTA has competed mostly in Super GT, where they have won titles in both the GT500 and GT300 classes. He was the owner of the Super Aguri F1 team, which participated in Formula One from 2006 to 2008. He also formed Team Aguri, which raced in Formula E from 2014 to 2016.

Racing career

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Early career

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Suzuki began racing karts in 1972, at the age of 12. In 1978 he won the Japanese kart championship and in 1979 made his debut in the Japanese Formula Three (All-Japan F3) championship. He continued in karting and in 1981 was again Japanese Kart Champion. In 1983 he finished second in the All-Japan F3 series, driving a Hayashi-Toyota. He then turned to touring car racing and, driving for the Nissan factory team won the Japanese title in 1986. The same year he made his debut in Japanese F2 and drove in the Le Mans 24 Hours. In 1987 he finished runner-up in the Japanese F3000 series, winning one race (Suzuka). In 1988, driving a March-Yamaha he won the title with three wins (Fuji, Nishi-Nippon and Suzuka).[citation needed]

Formula One career

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In 1988, Suzuki raced in European F3000 with Footwork, before he debuted in Formula One on October 30 at his home race, replacing the ill Yannick Dalmas in the Larrousse-Lola. Zakspeed, who were using Yamaha engines, hired Suzuki for 1989, but he failed to pre-qualify in all 16 races.

Suzuki demonstrates his Larrousse-Lola 90 at Suzuka in 2012 - the scene of his podium finish 22 years earlier.

For 1990 and 1991, he drove again for Larrousse. He finished sixth three times, before finishing third at Suzuka – the first ever podium for an Asian driver in F1. He also set the second-fastest lap.[citation needed]

In 1992 and 1993, he was at Footwork alongside Michele Alboreto and then Derek Warwick, but both usually outperformed him. He shared a Ligier with Martin Brundle in 1995, but only scored one point in his races, and was criticised by Mika Salo after the two collided in Buenos Aires. A massive crash in practice for the 1995 Japanese Grand Prix caused a neck injury which saw him miss the race,[1] and he immediately announced his retirement.

Suzuki scored a total of eight championship points in F1. At the time he retired, he was the second most successful Japanese F1 driver after Satoru Nakajima in terms of points scored, but Takuma Sato and Kamui Kobayashi have since passed them both.

After Formula One

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Suzuki later raced in the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, and remained involved in Japanese driver development. In 2000, with long-term sponsor Autobacs, he ran Autobacs Racing Team Aguri, which won the GT300 title in 2002, and expanded to Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters a season later. He also launched Super Aguri Fernandez Racing with Adrian Fernandez, running cars in the Indy Racing League.

Team ownership

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Takuma Sato driving for Super Aguri F1 at the 2007 Malaysian Grand Prix

From 2006 Suzuki ran the Super Aguri F1 Formula One team with the backing of Honda. He put his new team together in four and half months from his initial announcement on 1 November 2005.[2] The team's initial entry was rejected by the FIA after they failed to secure financial guarantees before the entry deadline, and their acceptance was not formally confirmed until 26 January 2006.[3] The team made its debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix on 12 March 2006. In 2007, Takuma Sato scored two top-eight finishes, earning the team its first points, and Super Aguri ended up ninth in the Constructors' World Championship. On 6 May 2008, after competing in the opening four races of the season, the team withdrew from Formula One due to financial problems.[4]

Helmet

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Suzuki's helmet is white with a red line with black sides surrounding the top, a red and black line going from the Rear down the chin (forming an A) and a black circle on the top.

Racing record

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Career summary

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Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
1979 Japanese Formula Three Team Italya With Tetsu 2 0 0 0 0 2 14th
1980 Japanese Formula Three Team Italya With Tetsu 4 0 0 0 0 14 13th
1981 Japanese Formula Three N/A 7 0 0 ? 1 30 7th
1982 Japanese Formula Three Hayashi Racing 9 0 0 ? 5 74 4th
World Sportscar Championship Kaoru Hoshino 1 0 0 0 0 8 55th
1983 Japanese Formula Three Hayashi Cars 7 2 3 1 5 62 2nd
World Sportscar Championship Panasport Japan 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1984 Japanese Formula Three N/A 3 1 0 ? 1 28 7th
All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship Autobacs Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1985 Japanese Formula Three N/A ? ? ? ? ? 77 2nd
All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship Central 20 Racing Team 4 0 0 0 0 11 29th
Japanese Formula Two NC Speed 2 0 0 0 0 4 16th
World Sportscar Championship Central 20 Racing Team 2 0 0 0 0 1.5 92nd
Macau Grand Prix Nissan Motorsport 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
1986 Japanese Touring Car Championship NISMO ? ? ? ? ? 92 1st
All-Japan Endurance Championship Person's Racing 4 0 0 0 0 11 29th
World Sportscar Championship Nissan Motorsports 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Japanese Formula Two Yura Takuya Racing Team 1 0 0 0 0 6 13th
1987 Japanese Formula 3000 Footwork Sports Racing Team 9 2 1 ? 6 107 2nd
All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship Footwork Sports Racing Team 5 0 1 0 0 6 41st
World Sportscar Championship Nissan Motorsports 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1988 Japanese Formula 3000 Footwork Sports Racing Team 8 3 3 3 6 45 1st
All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship Nissan Motorsports 5 0 1 0 2 30 11th
World Sportscar Championship 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
International Formula 3000 Footwork 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship Nissan Motorsports 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Formula One Larrousse Calmels 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1989 Formula One West Zakspeed Racing 0 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1990 Formula One Espo Larrousse F1 16 0 0 0 1 6 12th
24 Hours of Le Mans Toyota Team Tom's 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
1991 Formula One Larrousse F1 12 0 0 0 0 1 22nd
1992 Formula One Footwork Mugen Honda 14 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1993 Formula One Footwork Mugen Honda 16 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1994 Japanese Touring Car Championship Toyota Team Tom's 15 0 1 1 7 102 5th
Formula One Sasol Jordan 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1995 Formula One Ligier Gitanes Blondes 5 0 0 0 0 1 17th
1996 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship Nismo Team Zexel 6 0 0 0 2 46 6th
24 Hours of Le Mans Nismo 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
International Touring Car Championship UPS Mercedes-AMG 1 0 0 0 0 0 27th
1997 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship Nismo 6 1 0 1 3 60 4th
24 Hours of Le Mans Nissan Motorsports 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
FIA GT Championship AMG-Mercedes 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1998 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship Nismo 6 0 0 0 1 29 8th
24 Hours of Le Mans Nissan Motorsports 1 0 0 0 1 N/A 3rd
1999 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship Nismo 7 0 0 0 2 40 6th
24 Hours of Le Mans Nissan Motorsports 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNS
2000 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship Autobacs Racing Team Aguri 7 1 0 0 1 24 13th
2007 Formula One Super Aguri F1 Test driver

Complete Japanese Formula 3000 Championship results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Points
1985 NC Speed SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUZ FUJ
DNS
SUZ
8
SUZ
10
16th 4
1986 Yura Takuya Racing Team SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUZ FUJ SUZ SUZ
6
13th 6
1987 Footwork Sports Racing Team SUZ
2
FUJ
2
MIN
4
SUZ
3
SUZ
2
SUG
Ret
FUJ
Ret
SUZ
1
SUZ
1
2nd 107
1988 Footwork Sports Racing Team SUZ
2
FUJ
1
MIN
1
SUZ
1
SUG
Ret
FUJ
2
SUZ
2
SUZ
Ret
1st 45

Complete Macau Grand Prix results

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Year Team Chassis/Engine Qualifying Race1 Race2 Overall ranking
1985 Japan Nismo RaltNissan 28th 19 DNF DNF

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1986 Japan Nissan Motorsports Japan Kazuyoshi Hoshino
Japan Keiji Matsumoto
Nissan R86V C1 64 DNF DNF
1987 Japan Nissan Motorsports Japan Masahiro Hasemi
Japan Takao Wada
Nissan 87E C1 117 DNF DNF
1988 Japan Nissan Motorsports Japan Kazuyoshi Hoshino
Japan Takao Wada
Nissan (March) R88C C1 286 DNF DNF
1990 Japan Toyota Team TOM'S United Kingdom Johnny Dumfries
Italy Roberto Ravaglia
Toyota 90C-V C1 64 DNF DNF
1996 Japan NISMO Japan Masahiko Kageyama
Japan Masahiko Kondo
Nissan Skyline GT-R LM GT1 209 DNF DNF
1997 Japan Nissan Motorsports
United Kingdom TWR
Italy Riccardo Patrese
Belgium Eric van de Poele
Nissan R390 GT1 GT1 121 DNF DNF
1998 Japan Nissan Motorsports
United Kingdom TWR
Japan Kazuyoshi Hoshino
Japan Masahiko Kageyama
Nissan R390 GT1 GT1 347 3rd 3rd
1999 Japan Nissan Motorsports Japan Masami Kageyama
Belgium Eric van de Poele
Nissan R391 LMP 0 DNS DNS

Complete International Formula 3000 results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points
1988 Footwork JER VAL PAU
11
SIL
DNQ
MNZ PER BRH
Ret
BIR BUG ZOL DIJ NC 0

Complete Formula One results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicates fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Points
1988 Larrousse Calmels Lola LC88 Cosworth V8 BRA SMR MON MEX CAN DET FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPN
16
AUS NC 0
1989 West Zakspeed Racing Zakspeed 891 Yamaha V8 BRA
DNPQ
SMR
DNPQ
MON
DNPQ
MEX
DNPQ
USA
DNPQ
CAN
DNPQ
FRA
DNPQ
GBR
DNPQ
GER
DNPQ
HUN
DNPQ
BEL
DNPQ
ITA
DNPQ
POR
DNPQ
ESP
DNPQ
JPN
DNPQ
AUS
DNPQ
NC 0
1990 Espo Larrousse F1 Lola LC89 Lamborghini V12 USA
Ret
BRA
Ret
12th 6
Lola LC90 SMR
Ret
MON
Ret
CAN
12
MEX
Ret
FRA
7
GBR
6
GER
Ret
HUN
Ret
BEL
Ret
ITA
Ret
POR
14
ESP
6
JPN
3
AUS
Ret
1991 Larrousse F1 Larrousse Lola LC91 Cosworth V8 USA
6
BRA
Ret
SMR
Ret
MON
Ret
CAN
Ret
MEX
Ret
FRA
Ret
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
HUN
Ret
BEL
DNQ
ITA
DNQ
POR
Ret
ESP
DNQ
JPN
Ret
AUS
DNQ
22nd 1
1992 Footwork Mugen Honda Footwork FA13 Mugen Honda V10 RSA
8
MEX
DNQ
BRA
Ret
ESP
7
SMR
10
MON
11
CAN
DNQ
FRA
Ret
GBR
12
GER
Ret
HUN
Ret
BEL
9
ITA
Ret
POR
10
JPN
8
AUS
8
NC 0
1993 Footwork Mugen Honda Footwork FA13B Mugen Honda V10 RSA
Ret
BRA
Ret
NC 0
Footwork FA14 EUR
Ret
SMR
9
ESP
10
MON
Ret
CAN
13
FRA
12
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
HUN
Ret
BEL
Ret
ITA
Ret
POR
Ret
JPN
Ret
AUS
7
1994 Sasol Jordan Jordan 194 Hart V10 BRA PAC
Ret
SMR MON ESP CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR EUR JPN AUS NC 0
1995 Ligier Gitanes Blondes Ligier JS41 Mugen Honda V10 BRA
8
ARG
Ret
SMR
11
ESP MON CAN FRA GBR GER
6
HUN BEL ITA POR EUR PAC
Ret
JPN
DNS
AUS 17th 1

Complete Japanese Touring Car Championship (1994-) results

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Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 DC pts
1994 Toyota Team Tom's Toyota Corona AUT
1

9
AUT
2

5
SUG
1
SUG
2
TOK
1

3
TOK
2

2
SUZ
1

5
SUZ
2

4
MIN
1

Ret
MIN
2

3
AID
1

2
AID
2

2
TSU
1

3
TSU
2

DNS
SEN
1

3
SEN
2

Ret
FUJ
1

5
FUJ
2

8
5th 102

Complete JGTC results

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(key)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 DC Pts
1996 Nismo Team Zexel Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 SUZ
4
FUJ
Ret
SEN
7
FUJ
3
SUG
5
MIN
3
6th 46
1997 Nismo Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 SUZ
1
FUJ
4
SEN
2
FUJ
10
MIN
9
SUG
3
4th 60
1998 Nismo Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 SUZ
Ret
FUJ
C
SEN
2
FUJ
7
MOT
11
MIN
5
SUG
9
8th 29
1999 Nismo Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 SUZ
5
FUJ
11
SUG
9
MIN
12
FUJ
12
TAI
2
MOT
2
6th 40
2000 Autobacs Racing Team Aguri Honda NSX GT500 MOT
7
FUJ
Ret
SUG
15
FUJ
1
TAI
Ret
MIN
Ret
SUZ
DSQ
13th 24

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Tremayne, David. "Schumacher asserts his authority". The Independent, 30 October 1995. Retrieved on 30 June 2013.
  2. ^ BBC. "New team bidding for F1 status". 1 November 2005. Retrieved on 30 June 2013.
  3. ^ BBC. "Super Aguri handed F1 green light". 26 January 2006. Retrieved on 30 June 2013.
  4. ^ BBC. "Struggling Super Aguri out of F1". 6 May 2008. Retrieved on 30 June 2013.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by Japanese Touring Car Championship
Champion

1986
Succeeded by
Preceded by Japanese Formula 3000
Champion

1988
Succeeded by