Yoshimi Katayama (片山義美, Katayama Yoshimi, May 15, 1940 – March 26, 2016) was a Japanese professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and auto racer.[1]

Yoshimi Katayama
Katayama at the TT at the Dutch TT (24 June 1967)
NationalityJapan Japanese
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years19641967
First race1964 125cc Japanese Grand Prix
Last race1967 50cc Belgian Grand Prix
First win1966 50cc Japanese Grand Prix
Last win1967 50cc Dutch TT
Team(s)Suzuki
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
17 4 12 0 6 87

Motorsports career

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Born in the Hyōgo Prefecture, Katayama began his Grand Prix career in 1964 with Suzuki.[1] He enjoyed his best season in 1967 when he won two races, including the French Grand Prix held at the challenging Circuit de Charade. [2] He finished the season in second place behind his Suzuki teammate, Hans-Georg Anscheidt in the 50cc world championship.[2] He also finished the 1967 season in fourth place in the 125cc championship.[2] Katayama won four Grand Prix races in his career.[2]

Katayama would later switch to cars, competing in domestic series mainly as Mazda's factory driver until he retired at the end of 1990.[1] He finished second in the 1983 James Hardie 1000, held at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, Australia co-driving with four-time winner Allan Moffat in a factory supported Mazda RX-7. His previous visits to the race were in 1977 when he spectacularly rolled his Mazda RX-3 at Murray's Corner on lap 103, and 1982 where he finished in 6th place again partnering Moffat.

In 1990, Katayama placed 20th overall and won the GTP class in the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans driving a Mazda 767.

Career Results

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Motorcycle Grand Prix results[2]

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Year Class Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Points Rank Wins
1964 125cc Suzuki USA ESP FRA IOM NED FRG DDR ULS FIN NAT JPN
3
4 11th 0
1965 125cc Suzuki USA FRG ESP FRA IOM NED
2
DDR CZE ULS FIN NAT JPN 6 11th 0
250cc Suzuki USA FRG ESP FRA IOM NED
4
BEL
4
DDR CZE ULS FIN NAT JPN 6 14th 0
1966 50cc Suzuki ESP FRG NED
5
IOM NAT JPN
1
10 5th 1
125cc Suzuki ESP FRG NED DDR CZE FIN
5
ULS IOM NAT JPN
2
14 6th 0
1967 50cc Suzuki ESP
2
FRG FRA
1
IOM NED
1
BEL
2
28 2nd 2
125cc Suzuki ESP
3
FRG
1
FRA
3
IOM NED
4
DDR CZE FIN ULS NAT CAN JPN 19 4th 1

Complete Bathurst 1000 results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1977   Craven Mild Racing   Geoff Leeds Mazda RX-3 2001cc – 3000cc 103 DNF DNF
1982   Peter Stuyvesant International Racing   Allan Moffat Mazda RX-7 A 156 6th 6th
1983   Peter Stuyvesant International   Allan Moffat Mazda RX-7 A 162 2nd 2nd

24 Hours of Le Mans results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1983   Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.   Yojiro Terada
  Takashi Yorino
Mazda 717C C Jr. 302 12th 1st
1984   B. F. Goodrich Company   John Morton
  John O'Steen
Lola T616-Mazda C2 320 10th 1st
1985   Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.   Yojiro Terada
  Takashi Yorino
Mazda 737C C2 264 24th 6th
1986   Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.   Yojiro Terada
  Takashi Yorino
Mazda 757 GTP 59 DNF DNF
1987   Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.   Yojiro Terada
  Takashi Yorino
Mazda 757 GTP 34 DNF DNF
1988   Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.   Marc Duez
  David Leslie
Mazda 767 GTP 330 17th 2nd
1990   Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.   Yojiro Terada
  Takashi Yorino
Mazda 767B GTP 304 20th 1st

References

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  1. ^ a b c "RIP Yoshimi Katayama, 1940 — 2016". japanesenostalgiccar.com. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Yoshimi Katayama Grand Prix motorcycle racing career results". motogp.com. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
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