View source for Taki Inoue

{{short description|Japanese racing driver (born 1963)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox F1 driver
| name          = Taki Inoue
| nationality   = {{flagicon|JPN}} Japanese
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1963|9|5|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Kobe]], [[Hyōgo Prefecture|Hyōgo]], Japan
| Years         = {{F1|1994}}–{{F1|1995}}
| Team(s)       = [[Simtek]], [[Footwork Arrows|Footwork]]
| Races         = 18 (18 starts)
| Championships = 0
| Wins          = 0
| Podiums       = 0
| Poles         = 0
| Fastest laps  = 0
| Points        = 0
| First race    = [[1994 Japanese Grand Prix]]
| First win     =
| Last win      =
| Last race     = [[1995 Australian Grand Prix]]
}}
'''Takachiho''' "'''Taki'''" '''Inoue''' (井上 隆智穂 ''Inoue Takachiho'',<ref name="takichiho">{{cite web |url=https://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns00478.html |title=Inoue joins Minardi |website=GrandPrix.com |date=12 February 1996 |access-date=20 November 2022 |archive-date=20 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120110609/https://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns00478.html |url-status=live }}</ref> born 5 September 1963) is a Japanese former [[racing driver]].

==Biography==
Inoue was born in [[Kobe]]. He competed in the [[British Formula Ford Championship]] in 1988, followed by a spell in [[All-Japan Formula Three]] from 1989 to 1993 and a season in the [[International Formula 3000]] championship in [[1994 Formula 3000 season|1994]].

===Formula One===
[[File:Inoue Footwork Monaco.jpg|thumb|left|Inoue's damaged car is towed back to the pits after his bizarre practice accident at the [[1995 Monaco Grand Prix]].]]
He participated in 18 [[Formula One]] Grand Prix races. His first appearance was a one-off race for [[Simtek]] at the [[1994 Japanese Grand Prix]], from which he retired. For the next year he moved to [[Footwork Arrows]]. Over the course of his career he scored no championship points. He is perhaps best remembered for two bizarre incidents while driving for [[Footwork Arrows|Footwork]] in 1995.<ref name="unsafe"></ref> The first occurred after a practice session at Monaco, when his stalled car was being towed back to the pits when it was hit by a course car, driven by [[Jean Ragnotti]], causing it to roll into the barriers, although Inoue was fit to race the next day. The second happened on [[1995 Hungarian Grand Prix|Hungarian GP]] on live TV worldwide&nbsp;– attempting to assist the marshals in putting out the engine fire which had forced him out of the race, a safety car [[Tatra 623]] driven to the scene by a marshal hit him, injuring his leg, although he recovered for the next race.<ref name="MTX">{{cite web|url=https://static.modestmachines.com/archive/tatra-t-623|title=Tatra T-623|work=Banovsky's Car of the Day|date=9 April 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422033715/https://static.modestmachines.com/archive/tatra-t-623|archive-date=22 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.f1rejects.com/drivers/inoue/biography.html |title=Taki Inoue - Biography |publisher=F1 Rejects |access-date=28 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725092840/http://f1rejects.com/drivers/inoue/biography.html |archive-date=July 25, 2008 }}</ref><ref name="unsafe">{{cite web |url=https://racingspot.pirelli.com/global/en-ww/race/taki-inoue-safety-car |title=Take Inoue and the Safety Car |website=The Racing Spot |access-date=20 November 2022 |archive-date=20 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120032628/https://racingspot.pirelli.com/global/en-ww/race/taki-inoue-safety-car |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Taki Inoue Top Gear"/>

[[File:Taki Inoue 1995 Britain.jpg|thumb|Inoue driving for [[Footwork Arrows|Footwork]] at the [[1995 British Grand Prix]]]] 
For most of the season his team-mate was [[Gianni Morbidelli]], but late in the season [[Max Papis]] replaced Morbidelli, and was sometimes outpaced by Inoue. Entering the {{F1|1996}} season, Inoue lobbied [[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]] for a drive, but the team chose [[Ukyo Katayama]] with his [[Mild Seven]] sponsorship money from [[Japan Tobacco]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.grandprix.com/news/katayama-at-tyrrell-again.html |title=Katayama at Tyrrell again |website=GrandPrix.com |date=15 January 1996 |access-date=20 November 2022 |archive-date=20 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120110609/https://www.grandprix.com/news/katayama-at-tyrrell-again.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Instead, he was announced in January to drive for the [[Minardi]] team.<ref name="takichiho" /> However, one of his personal sponsors pulled out at the last minute and Inoue withdrew from F1. Minardi took on [[Giancarlo Fisichella]] instead.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns00507.html |title=F1 News > Minardi to get Fisichella? |website=GrandPrix.com |date=4 March 1996 |access-date=20 November 2022 |archive-date=29 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329050744/http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns00507.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Fisichella, the team's test driver in 1995, had backing from [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro Italy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns00435.html |title=Five drivers bidding for Minardi |website=Grand Prix.com |date=15 January 1996 |access-date=20 November 2022 |archive-date=5 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505224257/http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns00435.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

With his sponsorship reduced, Inoue was out of a drive in Formula One. After a brief switch to sportscars, he retired from racing at the end of 1999 and now manages drivers in his own country. He is also known for his self-deprecating humour, as Inoue publicly proclaimed himself as the "worst driver in Formula One", admitted that he initially had no idea what a [[pit stop]] was, and in an interview with the ''[[Top Gear (magazine)|Top Gear]]'' magazine in 2015 stated that he was "not good enough to drive in F1".<ref name="Taki Inoue Red Bull Interview">{{Cite web|url=https://www.redbull.com/int-en/taki-inoue-fast-talk|title=RedBull.com speaks to the self proclaimed 'worst Formula One driver ever.'|website=RedBull.com|access-date=1 May 2019|date=8 October 2013|archive-date=1 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501152621/https://www.redbull.com/int-en/taki-inoue-fast-talk|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Taki Inoue Top Gear">{{Cite web|url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/adventures/interview-top-gear-meets-taki-inoue-f1s-worst-ever-driver|title=Interview: Top Gear meets Taki Inoue, F1's worst-ever driver|website=Top Gear|access-date=1 May 2019|date=13 August 2015|archive-date=1 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501152624/https://www.topgear.com/car-news/adventures/interview-top-gear-meets-taki-inoue-f1s-worst-ever-driver|url-status=live}}</ref> In another instance, after [[Nico Rosberg]]'s retirement at the end of [[2016 Formula 1 World Championship|2016]], Inoue put out a tongue-in-cheek advertisement as a replacement driver on Twitter detailing his F1 antics which gained notable traction on social media, as have other tweets since.

==Racing record==
===Career summary===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align:center"
!Season
!Series
!Team
!Races
!Wins
!Poles
!F/Laps
!Podiums
!Points
!Position
|-
!1990
|align=left|[[Japanese Formula 3 Championship|Japanese Formula 3]]
|align=left|Phoenix Racing Team With Plus B
|3
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|NC
|-
!1991
|align=left|[[Japanese Formula 3 Championship|Japanese Formula 3]]
|align=left|Dallara Japan Racing
|9
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|NC
|-
!1992
|align=left|[[Japanese Formula 3 Championship|Japanese Formula 3]]
|align=left|[[Super Nova Racing]]
|11
|0
|0
|0
|0
|5
|10th
|-
!1993
|align=left|[[Japanese Formula 3 Championship|Japanese Formula 3]]
|align=left|[[Super Nova Racing]]
|11
|0
|0
|0
|0
|6
|9th
|-
!rowspan=2|1994
|align=left|[[1994 International Formula 3000 Championship|International Formula 3000]]
|align=left|[[Super Nova Racing]]
|8
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|NC
|-
|align=left|[[1994 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Simtek|MTV Simtek Ford]]
|1
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|NC
|-
!1995
|align=left|[[1995 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Footwork Arrows|Footwork Hart]]
|17
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|NC
|-
!1996
|align=left|[[1996 BPR Global GT Series|BPR Global GT Series]]
|align=left|[[Konrad Motorsport]]
|1
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|NC
|-
!1999
|align=left|[[1999 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship|All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship]]
|align=left|Club: Yellow Magic
|4
|0
|0
|0
|0
|3
|32nd
|-
!colspan="10"|{{center|{{small|Sources:<ref name=DBResults>{{cite web|title=Taki Inoue|url=https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/taki-inoue|publisher=Driver Database|access-date=12 January 2024|archive-date=8 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808155630/https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/taki-inoue/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=MSportStats>{{cite web|title=Taki Inoue Results|url=https://motorsportstats.com/driver/taki-inoue/results|publisher=Motorsport Stats|access-date=12 January 2024|archive-date=12 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112192516/https://motorsportstats.com/driver/taki-inoue/results|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=MSportMagResults>{{cite web|title=Taki Inoue|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/drivers/taki-inoue/|work=[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport]]|access-date=12 January 2024|archive-date=12 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112192516/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/drivers/taki-inoue/|url-status=live}}</ref>}}}}
|}

===Complete International Formula 3000 results===
([[:Template:Motorsport driver results legend|key]]) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position; races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap.)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Entrant
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! DC
! Points
|-
| [[1994 International Formula 3000 Championship|1994]]
! nowrap| [[Super Nova Racing]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Silverstone Circuit|SIL]]<br />{{small|15}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Pau Grand Prix|PAU]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Circuit de Catalunya|CAT]]<br />{{small|13}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Autodromo di Pergusa|PER]]<br />{{small|13}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Hockenheimring|HOC]]<br />{{small|12}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps|SPA]]<br />{{small|14}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Autódromo do Estoril|EST]]<br />{{small|9}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours|MAG]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
! NC
! 0
|-
!colspan="12"|{{center|{{small|Sources:<ref name=MSportStats/><ref name=MSportMagResults/>}}}}
|}

===Complete Formula One results===
([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 2|key]])
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! 17
! WDC
! [[List of Formula One World Championship points scoring systems|Points]]
|-
| {{F1|1994}}
! nowrap| [[Simtek|MTV Simtek Ford]]
! nowrap| [[Simtek]] [[Simtek S941|S941]]
! nowrap| [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] [[V8 engine|V8]]
| [[1994 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]
| [[1994 Pacific Grand Prix|PAC]]
| [[1994 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]
| [[1994 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]
| [[1994 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]
| [[1994 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]
| [[1994 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1994 British Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1994 German Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1994 Hungarian Grand Prix|HUN]]
| [[1994 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]
| [[1994 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]
| [[1994 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]
| [[1994 European Grand Prix|EUR]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1994 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|[[1994 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]
| 
! NC
! 0
|-
| {{F1|1995}}
! nowrap| [[Footwork Arrows|Footwork Hart]]
! nowrap| [[Footwork Arrows|Footwork]] [[Footwork FA16|FA16]]
! nowrap| [[Brian Hart Ltd.|Hart]] [[V8 engine|V8]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 Argentine Grand Prix|ARG]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1995 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|9}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 Hungarian Grand Prix|HUN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1995 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br />{{small|12}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1995 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|8}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1995 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />{{small|15}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 European Grand Prix|EUR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 Pacific Grand Prix|PAC]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1995 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]<br />{{small|12}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
! NC
! 0
|-|-
!colspan="23"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref>{{cite book|last=Small|first=Steve|title=Grand Prix Who's Who 3rd Edition|date=2000|publisher=Travel Publishing|page=300|isbn=1902007468}}</ref>}}}}
|}

=== Complete JGTC results ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
|-
! Year
! Team
! Car
! Class
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! DC
! Points
|-
| [[1999 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship|1999]]
! nowrap| Club: Yellow Magic
! nowrap| [[Ferrari F355|Ferrari F355 GT]]
! GT300
| [[Suzuka International Racing Course|SUZ]]
|bgcolor="#DFFFDF"| [[Fuji Speedway|FUJ]]<br />{{small|8}}
|bgcolor="#EFCFFF"| [[Sportsland Sugo|SUG]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
| [[Mine Circuit|MIN]]
|bgcolor="#CFCFFF"| [[Fuji Speedway|FUJ]]<br />{{small|12}}
| [[Okayama International Circuit|TAI]]
|bgcolor="#EFCFFF"| [[Twin Ring Motegi|MOT]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
! 32nd
! 3
|-
!colspan="13"|{{center|{{small|Sources:<ref name=DBResults/><ref>{{cite web|title=Autobacs Cup GT Championship 1999 – Series Ranking|url=http://supergt.net:8080/ftp/classic/supergt.net/jgtc/ex/gtc_cham/1999/srank99.htm|publisher=[[Super GT]]|access-date=12 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706165114/http://supergt.net:8080/ftp/classic/supergt.net/jgtc/ex/gtc_cham/1999/srank99.htm|archive-date=6 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}}}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Taki Inoue}}
* {{Twitter}}
{{Formula One drivers from Japan}}
{{Arrows}}
{{Simtek}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Inoue, Taki}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Japanese racing drivers]]
[[Category:Japanese Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Simtek Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Arrows Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Kobe]]
[[Category:International Formula 3000 drivers]]
[[Category:Super Nova Racing drivers]]
[[Category:Japanese Formula 3 Championship drivers]]
[[Category:Super GT drivers]]