7/6/1962
Record updated 06-Jun-06
Japanese driver who was a test driver for Jordan before trying his hand in Indy cars. Had more success at home and returned to Japan in 2001 to race in donestic series.
Takuya Kurosawa is the son of the popular driver Motoharu Kurosawa, otherwise known as Gan-san. Born in Ibaragi he now resides in Gotenba Shizuoka, Japan, at the foot of Mt Fuji. He has two younger brothers who have both had success in racing on various levels in Japan.
Takuya began his racing career in 1987 competing in British Formula Ford 1600. Between 1987 and 1993 he also raced in the All-Japan Touring Car Championship, finishing runner up in 1997, the All-Japan Formula Three Championship, the All-Japan Formula 3000 Championship, posting four wins and numerous podium finishes, and the All-Japan Endurance Championship.
In 1993 he became a test driver for Jordan-Yamaha F1 team and competed in F3000
From 1994 until 1999 he competed in the Formula Nippon and All-Japan GT Championships. He raced at Le Mans and Spa in 1998, finishing 11th overall at Le Mans and was runner up in the All-Japan GT championship in 1999.
In 2000 he went to the States to join Dale Coyne Racing in Indy cars driving a Lola-Ford. He had never raced in open-wheel cars on oval courses before and in his first race on an oval and he had quite a torrid time. He finished 24th out of 25 drivers in the CART season-opener at Homestead. He missed two races after being knocked unconscious in a crash during the warm-up for the race on May 27 in Nazareth, Pa. Kurosawa’s career high finish was 12th at the Detroit Grand Prix on June 18 2000 before being knocked unconscious again in a hard crash during qualifying for the Michigan 500.
At the end of the season he returned to Japan for back surgery, deciding to stay at home and race in the Japan GT Championship again.