1999 - Le Mans - Ukyo Katayama's puncture

The Japanese crew (Ukyo Katayama, Keiichi Tsuchiya and Toshino Suzuki) Toyota GT One is stuck behind Thomas Bscher in his own BMW V12 LM98 and is having trouble getting past. It is involved in its own battle (and probably isn't keen to let the Toyota through)

At exactly 3.06pm, Katayama's left rear tyre has blown on the way into Indianapolis. It is now coming in very slowly, but it is probably too soon to try and run through from this stop. There doesn't appear to be much damage though so they might be able to get it through. They are in the pits and the 52 Viper is coming in. It will park just in front of them and the BMW has just gone through to force the Toyota to lose a lap.

Meanwhile the Toyota crew have got the bodywork off and are now tiewrapping it back. Having just seen a rerun of the tyre blowout, how Katayama held it out of the Armco is anyone's guess. And the BMW is about to come round again, while they try to reattach the bodywork. Right rear pin won't secure properly but he goes back out to try and catch up. This may turn out to be the decisive moment of the race.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• 1999
• Le
• Mans
• Ukyo
• Katayama
• flat
• tyre
• puncture
• Toyota
• GT
• One
• BMW
• V12
• LM98
• Thomas
• Bscher
• scrap
• battle

[striderhiryu201]

Perfect car control Ukyo knows how to drive!

[Kw12345ff]

TS020 was the best touring car ever... This BMW is only a piece of crap. Looks like my bathtub.

[wololo10]

Probably the 2 best looking race cars ever!

[dtmfan]

@spectre1209 Its not a bad one, but i am more used in straight paintjobs, sponsortship deals and so on. The paintjob from 98 is "to less european" for me, but definitly not ugly :)

[spectre1209]

@dtmfan I always loved the 98 tear design they used. The ones with the white streaks down the car.

[dtmfan]

@spectre1209 So there we go. In fact, they did run the practice with the barcode, but, the barcode never made it into the race - good decision, if you ask me. Just google for "Toyota GT1" and its gonne be one of the first 10 pics.

I just read on Wikipedia, the 3 Toyotas even had a different paintjob at the hood, cause they raced with different sponsorships - i bet, many don´t even know that, as the Nr.3-car (the Esso one) is something like the most popular one.

[spectre1209]

@dtmfan No problem. You might actually be able find a photo of the car with the barcode. I've heard they did run it very briefly, probably in testing.

[dtmfan]

@spectre1209 Cheers mate :) I´ve been thinking about that sponsorship for YEARS. Espacially the the fron is perfect for Marlboro, as Toyota placed there some other stickers and it basicly looks like the Marlboro logo, on the other hand, it is´nt. Just like McLaren did over years witk West/Mika/David/Kimi. Thanks again !

[spectre1209]

@dtmfan That car was endeed sponsored by Marlboro. The name just never made it to the car due to tobacco sponsorship restrictions.

[dtmfan]

Everytime, i see the Toyota, i think about a massive Marlboro sponsering. And if you look round about 6 minuts (basicly the scene, where the car is at the pits), you can see the rear winfs sideplates and the rear wing with some other liverie, just the Marlboro slogan is missing.

Question to everyone - has Marlboro sponsored Toyota ?

[Nitramrec]

@Kw12345ff

Design doesn't win a race!