ZIONSVILLE, Ind. — Takuma Sato, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, is returning to the IndyCar cockpit in May for his 15th attempt at the "500."
In a press release Thursday, Rahal Letterman Lanigan racing announced the 47-year-old Japanese driver will drive the No. 75 Honda during the 108th Indianapolis 500.
(NOTE: The video in the player above is an interview with Takuma Sato after he won the 2020 Indianapolis 500.)
It will be Sato's third stint with the team, having driven for RLL in 2012 and then again from 2018 to 2021. He will be sponsored by Amada America, Inc. in the 2024 race.
Last year, Sato drove a part-time schedule for Chip Ganassi Racing, splitting the No. 11 Honda with Marcus Armstrong. Sato drove the oval events while Armstrong drove the rest of the schedule.
“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," team co-owner Bobby Rahal said.
Sato won the 2020 race while driving for RLL and came close to winning the race for the team in 2012, but famously spun while going for the lead on the last lap. He was credited with a 17th place finish, while Dario Franchitti went on to win the race.
"My journey with RLL spans over a decade 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," Sato said.