Takuma Sato, a two-time winner of the prestigious Indianapolis 500, is set to drive the No. 75 Honda-powered car, backed by primary sponsorship from AMADA AMERICA.
Having spent the previous season with Chip Ganassi Racing, focusing on oval rounds, the 47-year-old Japanese driver achieved a notable seventh-place finish at the Indy 500.
This return to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) will mark Sato’s third stint with the team, having previously raced for them in 2012 and from 2018 to 2021. Notably, four of his six career victories have been secured with RLL, including his thrilling Indy 500 win in 2020.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Sato said, “I’m absolutely thrilled to make my return to the 108th Indy 500 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. A heartfelt thank you to Bobby, Mike, David, and the entire organization for this incredible opportunity.
Gratitude overflows as I am driving the No.75 entry with primary sponsorship from AMADA. My journey with RLL spans over a decade and is marked by shared successes, and rejoining the team fills me with immense excitement. Here’s to reconnecting with familiar faces and forging new alliances. I just can’t wait to get to work.”
AMADA, a leading machine tool manufacturer in the sheet metal industry, will be making its debut in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” as the primary sponsor of Sato’s car. Moreover, they will also be a major associate sponsor of RLL’s No. 30 entry driven by Pietro Fittipaldi for the Grand Prix of Long Beach in April.
Bobby Rahal, co-owner of RLL, expressed his satisfaction with Sato’s return, stating, “We’re very pleased to welcome back Takuma to the team. We obviously had a great deal of success together, and as I’ve said many times, Takuma’s spirit is something that motivates not only me and the entire team, but also his fans. We’re looking forward to his contributions and having a successful Indy 500.”
Mike Lanigan, another co-owner of RLL, highlighted Sato’s valuable experience at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and expressed excitement about the partnership with AMADA, stating, “It’s exciting to have Takuma return to the team for the Indianapolis 500… It’s also particularly exciting to have a globally recognized company like AMADA join us in this program after first working together in 2023.”
Stephen Keating, Executive Vice President of Sales & Key Accounts for AMADA, emphasized the significance of their partnership with RLL, stating, “We are incredibly excited to partner with the renowned Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team at the 108th running of the Indy 500! Our partnership signifies a joint commitment to engineering excellence and innovation. We eagerly anticipate that this iconic race will demonstrate the strong collaboration between our two technology-driven organizations.”
