was a Japanese professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and auto racer.
Motorsports career Born in the Hyōgo Prefecture, Katayama began his Grand Prix career in 1964 with Suzuki. He enjoyed his best season in 1967 when he won two races, including the French Grand Prix held at the challenging Circuit de Charade. He finished the season in second place behind his Suzuki teammate, Hans-Georg Anscheidt in the 50cc world championship. He also finished the 1967 season in fourth place in the 125cc championship. Katayama won four Grand Prix races in his career.
Katayama would later switch to cars, competing in domestic series mainly as Mazda's factory driver until he retired at the end of 1990. 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 sixth 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.
Katayama passed away on 26 March 2016 after a short illness, he was 75 years old.
Career Results Motorcycle Grand Prix results 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 JPN3 4 11th 0 1965 125cc Suzuki USA FRG ESP FRA IOM NED2 DDR CZE ULS FIN NAT JPN 6 11th 0 250cc Suzuki USA FRG ESP FRA IOM NED4 BEL4 DDR CZE ULS FIN NAT JPN 6 14th 0 1966 50cc Suzuki ESP FRG NED5 IOM NAT JPN1 10 5th 1 125cc Suzuki ESP FRG NED DDR CZE FIN5 ULS IOM NAT JPN2 14 6th 0 1967 50cc Suzuki ESP2 FRG FRA1 IOM NED1 BEL2 28 2nd 2 125cc Suzuki ESP3 FRG1 FRA3 IOM NED4 DDR CZE FIN ULS NAT CAN JPN 19 4th 1
Complete Bathurst 1000 results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 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 Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 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
External links Katayama 1977 Bathurst crash video