Kato/Panoz

[elan]

Derick Bell said on speedvision coverage at LaGuna what me and my friends have been wondering all year. Who IS this guy? Where did he come from? Runner up in all Japan F-3??!!!! Panoz has always hired winners. Insider to the team told me Johnny O threatened to quit when this guy came on. Was hoping Monday after the race I would read he had been fired. What's the deal????? He is
a loser adding nothing to team Panoz. How did he get here???????????

[marcus]

here is a heap of usefull or useless info I found on mr Katoh at the panoz site.

Name HIROKI KATOH
Nationality Japanese
Date of Birth 23-Feb-68
Place of Birth Kanagawa, Japan
Resident Kanagawa, Japan and Georgia, USA
Marital Status Single
First Drove First drove motorcycle at 12 and a car at 18
First Race Go Kart in 1990 in Japan
First Win 1990
Weight 58 kgs, 128 lbs
Height 1.64 meters, 5ft 6ins
Hobbies Karting, radio controlled cars, billiards

Favourite Food Burger King
Favourite Drink Dr Pepper
Education Prior to racing, was businessman specializing in sales and advertising

Competition Career Despite a late start to his racing career, Hiroki Katoh has been recognized as a talented driver who would no doubt have progressed further had it not been for lack of sponsorship in recent years. His fine showing at the 1999 Le Mans 24 Hours brought him to the attention of many including Panoz Motor Sports.
1990

Began in karting, at age 22. Japanese Central Region Champion.

1991

Japanese Karting Central Region Champion with 6 wins to his credit.

1992

Hiroki moved up to the Formula Toyota Championship with a very small private team which he and a friend owned. He acted as mechanic as well as driving.

1993 A second season in the Formula Toyota Championship saw his first win (in wet conditions) at the Tsukuba circuit. Good results, including 5 podium positions, secured 2nd position in the Championship.

1994

Hiroki progressed to the very competitive Japanese F3 Championship with a team called The Next One (sponsor name), and competed in seven rounds out of ten. Best result 7th.

1995

A second year in the Japanese F3 Championship with the same team paid dividends. Results including 5 podium finishes meant that he ended the season with 3rd position in the Championship. He also participated in the Macau Grand Prix.

1996

A frustrating season as he was due to do a full season in Formula Nippon but budgetary restrictions did not permit. He did however carry out 3 tests at the Sugo, Suzuka and Fuji circuits.

1997

Testing contract for Yokohama Tires in Formula Nippon. Participated in Japanese GT (300 class) Championship in a Toyota MR2 - 1 pole position.

1998

Japanese F3 Championship with Toda Racing and Japan GT 300 series, runner up in F3 with 1 win, 2 pole positions and 6 podiums finishes. In the GT Series he finished 4th with Hitotsuyama Racing (private team running a BMW M3). Another highlight of the year was the prestigious Macau Grand Prix where Hiroki qualified 12th and finished 6th overall. This year he was also nominated for the opportunity to test at the much sought-after Formula Nippon test day where, matched against more experienced drivers and past Champions, he set the 2nd quickest time of the day.

1999

Competed in Formula Nippon with Team Nova (driving a G-Force car) with Ralph Firman as team mate. Best result was 6th place. First time at Le Mans with Team Goh driving a BMW V12 LM - retired after 19 hours with a clutch problem. Finished 3rd in Fuji 1000Kms race in same car. Drove a Chrysler Viper in Suzuka 1000kms, finishing 2nd in class.

2000

Joins Panoz Motor Sports to compete in the American Le Mans Series, the first Japanese driver to compete in the Prototype class, to partner Johnny O’Connell in a Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S. With O’Connell and Pierre-Henri Raphanel, Hiroki finished 5th at Le Mans – the highest ever finishing place for a Panoz.


hope this gives you a little more info on his backdground.

[Liz]

The big rumour is that JJ Lehto will take this seat when BMW gets out of ALMS at the end of this year. I'd like to see that although I haven't got anythign against Katoh - he looked pretty good at Le Mans considering what he was up against - I think Lehto is a standout pilot and would hate to see him out of the ALMS, and with the new Panoz coming on stream, he wouldn't be off the pace coming in as a new pilot as they would all have to get up to speed on the new car.

What do you think?