(c) 'Who is Who' by Steve Small, 2000

Родился: 12.02.1974 Сидзуока Сезонов в Ф1: 2 Лет в Ф1: 2 Гран При: 32 Старты: 32 Победы: - подряд: Подиумы: - подряд: Поул-позиции: - подряд: Первый ряд: - подряд: Быстрые круги: - подряд: Лучший финиш: 7 Лучший старт: 13 Дубли: Хет-трики: Лидирование старт/финиш: Большие шлемы: Круги: 1274 - лидирования: Километры: 6037.7 - лидирования: Очки: - за один сезон: - подряд:

Ф1: 1998-1999

Год	Команда	Шасси
1998	PIAA Tyrrell	Tyrrell 026
1999	Repsol Arrows	Arrows A20

A protégé of Satoru Nakajima, Takagi has an apt forename since, in part, it means 'tiger' in Japanese, which fits this aggressive hard-charger's racing style. Conversely, off the track he is low-key, and is of a retiring and shy disposition.

After a brilliant karting career and a season in Formula Toyota, Takagi was picked by TOM'S to succeed Jacques Villeneuve in their F3 squad when he was aged just 18 back in 1993. He caught the eye of Nakajima, who gave him a chance to race in his F3000 team late the following year.

Three seasons were then spent in Formula Nippon, where he was a regular top-six runner and an occasional winner. The 1997 campaign also saw the Japanese driver clock up over 2000 km of testing in preparation for his inclusion in the Tyrrell line-up the following year.

Unfortunately he stepped into a team that was going through the motions, having been purchased by British American Racing. However, the year gave him a useful opportunity to learn the circuits and provided a good platform to build on when he took his sponsorship to Arrows for 1999. As at Tyrrell, Takagi impressed with a fair turn of speed but as often as not was found wanting when it came to putting everything together in the races.

One day, surely, a superstar driver will emerge from the Far East. On the basis, admittedly, of two years spent in poor cars, Takagi appears to be just the latest in a long line of Japanese hopefuls, and it seems that he will be returning to Formula Nippon with the Nakajima team in 2000.

(c) 'Who is Who' by Steve Small, 2000