is a Japanese former racing driver and motorsport executive who competed in Formula One from to .
Suzuki entered 88 Formula One Grands Prix, achieving a best result of third at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix, becoming the first Asian driver to score a podium finish. He also won the Japanese Formula 3000 Championship in 1988, and later finished third overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998. He was also a race-winner in the All-Japan GT Championship.
Suzuki 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 to . He also formed Team Aguri, which raced in Formula E from 2014 to 2016.
Early life
Suzuki was born in Tokyo; his father Masashi Suzuki was of mixed ancestry from Japan and Martinique. Masashi Suzuki had worked as an aircraft technician for Honda Airways, and in 1973 established a go-cart shop.
Suzuki was named after the main character in the Kuri-chan comic strip. He attended Josai University majoring in the sciences, but did not complete his degree.
Racing career
Early career 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. That 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).
Formula One career 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.
For 1990 and 1991, Suzuki 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.
In 1992 and 1993, Suzuki 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,Tremayne, David. "Schumacher asserts his authority". The Independent, 30 October 1995. Retrieved on 30 June 2013. 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
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
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.BBC. "New team bidding for F1 status". 1 November 2005. Retrieved on 30 June 2013. 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.BBC. "Super Aguri handed F1 green light". 26 January 2006. Retrieved on 30 June 2013. 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.BBC. "Struggling Super Aguri out of F1". 6 May 2008. Retrieved on 30 June 2013.
Helmet 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 Career summary SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition1979Japanese Formula ThreeTeam Italya With Tetsu20000214th1980Japanese Formula ThreeTeam Italya With Tetsu400001413th1981Japanese Formula ThreeN/A700?1307th1982Japanese Formula ThreeHayashi Racing900?5744thWorld Sportscar ChampionshipKaoru Hoshino10000855th1983Japanese Formula ThreeHayashi Cars72315622ndWorld Sportscar ChampionshipPanasport Japan100000NC1984Japanese Formula ThreeN/A310?1287thAll-Japan Sports Prototype ChampionshipAutobacs Racing100000NC1985Japanese Formula ThreeN/A?????772ndAll-Japan Sports Prototype ChampionshipCentral 20 Racing Team400001129thJapanese Formula TwoNC Speed20000416thWorld Sportscar ChampionshipCentral 20 Racing Team200001.592ndMacau Grand PrixNissan Motorsport10000N/ADNF1986Japanese Touring Car ChampionshipNISMO?????921stAll-Japan Endurance ChampionshipPerson's Racing400001129thWorld Sportscar ChampionshipNissan Motorsports200000NCJapanese Formula TwoYura Takuya Racing Team10000613th1987Japanese Formula 3000Footwork Sports Racing Team921?61072ndAll-Japan Sports Prototype ChampionshipFootwork Sports Racing Team50100641stWorld Sportscar ChampionshipNissan Motorsports100000NC1988Japanese Formula 3000Footwork Sports Racing Team83336451stAll-Japan Sports Prototype ChampionshipNissan Motorsports501023011thWorld Sportscar Championship200000NCInternational Formula 3000Footwork200000NCAsia-Pacific Touring Car ChampionshipNissan Motorsports100000NCFormula OneLarrousse Calmels100000NC1989Formula OneWest Zakspeed Racing000000NC1990Formula OneEspo Larrousse F1160001612th24 Hours of Le MansToyota Team Tom's10000N/ADNF1991Formula OneLarrousse F1120000122nd1992Formula OneFootwork Mugen Honda1400000NC1993Formula OneFootwork Mugen Honda1600000NC1994Japanese Touring Car ChampionshipToyota Team Tom's1501171025thFormula OneSasol Jordan100000NC1995Formula OneLigier Gitanes Blondes50000117th1996All Japan Grand Touring Car ChampionshipNismo Team Zexel60002466th24 Hours of Le MansNismo10000N/ADNFInternational Touring Car ChampionshipUPS Mercedes-AMG10000027th1997All Japan Grand Touring Car ChampionshipNismo61013604th24 Hours of Le MansNissan Motorsports10000N/ADNFFIA GT ChampionshipAMG-Mercedes100000NC1998All Japan Grand Touring Car ChampionshipNismo60001298th24 Hours of Le MansNissan Motorsports10001N/A3rd1999All Japan Grand Touring Car ChampionshipNismo70002406th24 Hours of Le MansNissan Motorsports10000N/ADNS2000All Japan Grand Touring Car ChampionshipAutobacs Racing Team Aguri710012413th2007Formula OneSuper Aguri F1Test driver
Complete Japanese Formula 3000 Championship results (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 SpeedSUZFUJMINSUZSUZ FUJ SUZ SUZ 16th 4 1986 Yura Takuya Racing TeamSUZFUJMINSUZSUZFUJSUZ SUZ 13th 6 1987 Footwork Sports Racing Team SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUZ SUG FUJ SUZ SUZ 2nd 107 1988 Footwork Sports Racing Team SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUG FUJ SUZ SUZ 1st 45
Complete Macau Grand Prix results Year Team Chassis/Engine Qualifying Race1 Race2 Overall ranking 1985 Nismo Ralt・Nissan28th19DNFDNF
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1986 Nissan Motorsports Kazuyoshi Hoshino Keiji Matsumoto Nissan R86V C1 64 DNF DNF 1987 Nissan Motorsports Masahiro Hasemi Takao Wada Nissan 87E C1 117 DNF DNF 1988 Nissan Motorsports Kazuyoshi Hoshino Takao Wada Nissan (March) R88C C1 286 DNF DNF 1990 Toyota Team TOM'S Johnny Dumfries Roberto Ravaglia Toyota 90C-V C1 64 DNF DNF 1996 NISMO Masahiko Kageyama Masahiko Kondo Nissan Skyline GT-R LM GT1 209 DNF DNF 1997 Nissan Motorsports TWR Riccardo Patrese Eric van de Poele Nissan R390 GT1 GT1 121 DNF DNF 1998 Nissan Motorsports TWR Kazuyoshi Hoshino Masahiko Kageyama Nissan R390 GT1 GT1 347 3rd 3rd 1999 Nissan Motorsports Masami Kageyama Eric van de Poele Nissan R391 LMP 0DNSDNS
Complete International Formula 3000 results (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 SIL MNZ PER BRH BIR BUG ZOL DIJ NC 0
Complete Formula One results (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 Ford Cosworth DFZ 3.5 V8 BRA SMR MON MEX CAN DET FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPN AUS NC 0 1989 West Zakspeed Racing Zakspeed 891 Yamaha 0X88 3.5 V8 BRA SMR MON MEX USA CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPN AUS NC 0 1990 Espo Larrousse F1 Lola LC89 Lamborghini LE3512 3.5 V12 USA BRA 12th 6 Lola LC90 SMR MON CAN MEX FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPN AUS 1991 Larrousse F1 Larrousse Lola LC91 Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8 USA BRA SMR MON CAN MEX FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPN AUS 22nd 1 1992 Footwork Mugen Honda Footwork FA13 Mugen Honda MF-351H 3.5 V10 RSA MEX BRA ESP SMR MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR JPN AUS NC 0 1993 Footwork Mugen Honda Footwork FA13B Mugen Honda MF-351HB 3.5 V10 RSA BRA NC 0 Footwork FA14 EUR SMR ESP MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR JPN AUS 1994 Sasol Jordan Jordan 194 Hart 1035 3.5 V10 BRA PAC SMR MON ESP CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR EUR JPN AUS NC 0 1995 Ligier Gitanes Blondes Ligier JS41 Mugen Honda MF-301 3.0 V10 BRA ARG SMR ESP MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR EUR PAC JPN AUS 17th 1
Complete Japanese Touring Car Championship (1994-) results 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 AUT1 AUT2 SUG1 SUG2 TOK1 TOK2 SUZ1 SUZ2 MIN1 MIN2 AID1 AID2 TSU1 TSU2 SEN1 SEN2 FUJ1 FUJ2 5th 102
Complete JGTC results (key) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 DC Pts 1996 Nismo Team Zexel Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500SUZ4FUJRetSEN7FUJ3SUG5MIN36th46 1997 Nismo Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500SUZ1FUJ4SEN2FUJ10MIN9SUG3 4th 60 1998 Nismo Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500SUZRetFUJCSEN2FUJ7MOT11MIN5SUG9 8th 29 1999 Nismo Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500SUZ5FUJ11SUG9MIN12FUJ12TAI2MOT26th40 2000 Autobacs Racing Team Aguri Honda NSX GT500MOT7FUJRetSUG15FUJ1TAIRetMINRetDSQ 13th 24
References
External links
Official Site Driver profile Suzuki's short biography An article of Suzuki in French Suzuki featured at itv-f1.com Aguri Suzuki's profile and statistics at Formula One DataBase 2005 Super GT GT500 profile 2005 Super GT GT300 profile