48 Facts About Tetsu Ikuzawa

Tetsu Ikuzawa is a Japanese former racing driver, team executive, and businessman from Tokyo, Japan.

Tetsu Ikuzawa is one of the most successful and prolific Japanese drivers from the early years of the nation's automobile racing history.

Tetsu Ikuzawa was one of the first Japanese drivers to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, making his first start in 1973 for Sigma Automotive alongside his countryman, Hiroshi Fushida.

In domestic competition, Tetsu Ikuzawa won the 1964 and 1967 Japanese Grand Prix sports car races, and the 1977 Fuji Grand Champion Series.

Tetsu Ikuzawa was the last out of twelve riders classified, yet he earned a special "Fighting Spirit Award" from the organisers of the event just for being able to run until the end of the race without quitting.

Tetsu Ikuzawa was one of the first riders that went to the new Suzuka International Racing Course, taking part in the inaugural Japan National Road Racing Championships.

Tetsu Ikuzawa finished fifth in the 125cc race on a Tohatsu.

Tetsu Ikuzawa switched from motorcycles to cars, beginning with the inaugural Japanese Grand Prix sports and touring car race meeting at Suzuka in May 1963.

Tetsu Ikuzawa signed a works driver contract with the Prince Motor Company, and entered the Grand Prix in the new Skyline Sport Coupe.

Later that afternoon, Tetsu Ikuzawa won the T-V touring car race in a more conventional Skyline 1500, coming back from as low as 20th place on the opening lap to win the race.

In 1965, Tetsu Ikuzawa raced in the All-Japan Car Club Championship at Funabashi Circuit, driving his personal Honda S600.

Tetsu Ikuzawa finished second in the GT-I sports car race to the Toyota Sports 800 of close friend Tojiro Ukiya.

Tetsu Ikuzawa drove one of Prince's four new mid-engined R380 sports prototypes.

Tetsu Ikuzawa retired from the race due to a gearbox failure, while Sunako went on to win the 60 lap main event.

Tetsu Ikuzawa returned to defend his Japanese Grand Prix victory in 1968.

In 1969, Tetsu Ikuzawa entered the inaugural JAF Grand Prix formula car race at Fuji.

Tetsu Ikuzawa won the pole in his Mitsubishi Colt F2C, but retired from the race due to an engine failure.

Tetsu Ikuzawa returned for the 1970 JAF Grand Prix at Fuji in the upgraded Colt F2D, but , he retired from the race due to a mechanical issue.

Tetsu Ikuzawa was initially banned from racing in Japan for one year by the JAF as a consequence.

Tetsu Ikuzawa signed a contract with Stirling Moss' Motor Racing Stables team to compete in the British Formula Three Championship in 1966.

Tetsu Ikuzawa finished ninth in the British Formula 3 Championship with 26 points.

Tetsu Ikuzawa won the non-championship Martini International Formula 3 Trophy race at Silverstone Circuit.

Tetsu Ikuzawa ventured outside Britain for the first time in his F3 career, racing at Zandvoort, Montlhery, Reims, Rouen, Hameenlinna, and Karlskoga.

Tetsu Ikuzawa negotiated with Surtees Racing Organisation to secure a step up to Formula 2 and Formula 5000 for the 1969 season.

Negotiations between Surtees and Tetsu Ikuzawa broke down, and Tetsu Ikuzawa joined Michael Spence Limited for a reduced schedule of F3 races.

Tetsu Ikuzawa won the non-championship Guards 4,000 Guineas at Mallory Park.

Tetsu Ikuzawa was nominated as a reserve driver for the Porsche System Engineering works team in the BOAC 500 Miles at Brands Hatch.

In 1973, Tetsu Ikuzawa made his first appearance in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as part of a landmark entry.

Tetsu Ikuzawa started the race, giving him the honours of being the very first Japanese driver to do a race stint at Le Mans, followed by Fushida and Dal Bo.

For 1970, Ikuzawa secured his step up to the European Formula Two Championship as a privateer, entering a Lotus 69-Ford under the Tetsu Ikuzawa Racing Partnership banner.

In just his second European F2 race, Tetsu Ikuzawa nearly won the Deutschland Trophy race at the Hockenheimring.

Tetsu Ikuzawa scored points at Tulln and at Imola, finishing behind drivers who were not eligible for points.

Tetsu Ikuzawa finished the season tied for sixth in the championship with nine points.

Tetsu Ikuzawa scored no points in 1971 with the same Lotus 69 from last season, finishing seventh at Tulln and at Mantorp Park.

In 1972, Tetsu Ikuzawa signed with upstart constructor Group Racing Developments, in a partnership that would see him driving GRD vehicles in Europe, and back home at Japan in the upstart Fuji Grand Champion Series.

Tetsu Ikuzawa remained a fixture in the Japanese racing circuit throughout the 1970s.

Tetsu Ikuzawa returned to domestic competition at the 1971 Japanese Grand Prix, and finished third.

Tetsu Ikuzawa primarily competed in the Fuji GC, at the wheel of his GRD S74 he finished fourth or better in the standings every year between 1974 and 1977.

Tetsu Ikuzawa finished second in the championship to Noritake Takahara in 1976.

In 1977, Tetsu Ikuzawa put together a consistent season to win the Grand Champion Series title by a single point over Kazuyoshi Hoshino.

Tetsu Ikuzawa competed in the 1977 All-Japan Formula 2000 Championship, finishing 13th in the championship.

In 1990, Tetsu Ikuzawa became the manager of Nissan Motorsports Europe.

Team Tetsu Ikuzawa was involved in motorcycle road racing, winning the 1989 Suzuka 8 Hours with riders Dominique Sarron and Alex Vieira on their Honda RVF750.

Tetsu Ikuzawa entered the 1979 race in a Mazda RX-7 alongside Yojiro Terada and Claude Buchet, but their car failed to qualify by less than seven tenths of a second.

Tetsu Ikuzawa came back for 1980, this time in a Kremer Racing prepared Porsche 935 K3.

Tetsu Ikuzawa's final start at Le Mans came in 1981, back in an RX-7 prepared by Mazdaspeed in conjunction with Tom Walkinshaw Racing.

Tetsu Ikuzawa recruited former Williams manager Peter Windsor and former Lotus designer Enrique Scalabroni to help establish a new prospective Formula One team.

Many of the staff recruited by Tetsu Ikuzawa would go on to join Stewart Grand Prix, who made their F1 debut in 1997.