10/3/1955
Record updated
Toshio Suzuki was a successful single seater driver in Japan.
He won the 1979 Japanese Formula 3 title.
He raced in Europe during 1980-81, and was a leading contender in the Japanese F2 and F3000 series for more than a decade.
He finished runner-up in the series to Mauro Martini in 1992 and was a front-runner again in 1993.
In 1993 Toshio Suzuki took part in a Grand Prix for the first time at the age of 38, having arranged a two-race deal with Larrousse in place of Philippe Alliot.
In 1995 he won the All-Japan F3000 series at the last gasp for Hoshino Racing.
But it was in sports car racing that Toshio found his greatest success. After driving Toyotas, he joined Nissan to team up with Kazuyoshi Hoshino, the pair becoming a formidable combination not only at home but also on the international stage, their proudest triumph coming in the 1992 Daytona 24 Hours when, with Masahiro Hasemi, they became the first all-Japanese crew to win a major race.
The veteran has recently been a regular in the All-Japan GT championship, racing a Toyota Supra, and a member of the driver line-up for the Japanese giants Le Mans assault.
After finishing ninth in the 1998 Le Mans 24 Hours with the Toyota GT-One, Toshio teamed up again with Ukyo Katayama and Keiichi Tsuchiya to finish a fine second a year later.
c) 'Who is Who' by Steve Small, 2000