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Top 10 Interesting Facts about Daijiro Kato

Daijiro Kato won in Japan GP 1998. Photo by: Rikita.

Daijiro Kato was a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, the 2001 250cc world champion, and the 2000 and 2002 Suzuka 8 Hours winner.

Daijiro Kato only commenced his full-time World Championship career in 2000 but was already on his way to becoming Japan’s most successful GP rider of all time when, by the end of 2001, he had secured the 250cc world title and scored 17 GP wins to equal Japan’s greatest GP winner Tetsuya Harada.

Let’s take a look at some of the most interesting facts about him;

1. Kato started Motor Racing at the Age of 5

Kato started motorcycle racing at the tender age of five, in a Pocket Bike competition. He showed a lot of promise at that very tender age and his star started rising from then.

By 1985 he had won the Japanese Championship, then moved on to larger Mini Bikes, taking four National Championship titles.

Kato moved to real motorcycles on his 16th birthday, racing 125 and 250 machines until 1994 when he contested the All Japan series and won his first big race at Aida.

2. Kato Finished Third in the 250cc World Championship in his Debut Season

File:Daijiro Kato 2003 Japanese GP. Photo by: Rikita.

Kato finished third in the 250cc World championship in his debut season, scoring four grand Prix victories. Kato’s 2001 season was a little short of sensational.

He scored 11 victories on his way to the world crown, beating Mike Hailwood’s previous record of ten wins in a season.

For 2002 Kato moved to MotoGP, initially racing an NSR500 two-stroke, but was promoted to an RC211V at the German GP, in July. Kato raced to a second-place finish on each machine during the season, eventually finishing seventh in the series.

3. He won Numerous Awards in his Short Career

Talent with a tragic end. Daijiro Kato claims his sixth win of the year at Donington Park. Courtesy: Box Repsol.

Kato won several awards in his short career before he got an accident that claimed his life.

These awards include; The MotoGP 250cc World Championship scoring 322 points and 11 wins, and the 250cc Japanese Grand Prix as a Wild card.

He also won several other mini awards before he joined the main sport, the Motor GP world championships.1988-91 he won Japanese Mini Bike Champion, and 1985 Japanese Pocket Bike Champion.

4. Motor GP Mourned his Death in South Africa 

MotoGP mourned him after his death as one of its brightest stars. He had been tipped as a pre-season title favourite by none other than Valentino Rossi, and almost certainly represented Japan’s greatest chance to date of a first premier class World Champion.

MotoGP mourned Kato’s loss at round two in South Africa, and his Gresini teammate Sete Gibernau took an emotional victory (less than a week after Kato’s death) which he dedicated to the Japanese, pointing skywards on the podium in a clear gesture to the lost #74.

He later said “Daijiro was riding with me,” during an interview.

5. An Investigation Committee was Formed to find out the Course of his Death

An investigation committee was set up to determine the cause of the crash that claimed the life of Daijiro Kato in 2003.

They told the world of their findings in a press briefing in Tokyo, Japan. They said, ” Kato received a cervical spine injury when he momentarily plunged into the side of the foam barrier in the area where the tire barrier and foam barrier meet.”

” The direct cause of death was the high-speed collision with the barriers and, in particular, the fact that having been dragged along the tire barrier, Kato received a cervical spine injury when he momentarily plunged into the side of the foam barrier in the area where the tire barrier and foam barrier meet.

They also explained precisely the damage accrued by Kato’s machine and riding attire in the accident and the course of treatment the Honda rider was submitted.

6. He was Awarded a Fully Factory supported Four-Stroke Honda RC211V

Honda NSR250 2001 belongs to Daijiro Kato. Photo by: Rikita.

He put some strong performances on his initial bike the Honda NSR500 two-stroke bike in the first half of the season including second place at the 2002 Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez circuit.

These great performances made him be given a full factory-supported four-stroke Honda RC211V for the rest of the season; his best result on the RC211V was second place at the Czech Grand Prix at Brno.

7. An Access Road in the Misano World Circuit was in his Honour

Memorial space of KATO Daijiro in SUZUKA CIRCUIT.

In 2006, an access road was named after him in his honour. The Misano World Circuit honoured Kato, who lived part of the season in the area, by naming a new access road to the circuit Via Daijiro Kato.

That circuit’s offices are still located on the road named in his memory to date. They still refer to him as one of the best Motor GP stars the country ever had.

8. When Kato had an Accident, the Race was not Stopped

On April 6, 2003, during the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, Kato crashed hard and sustained severe head, neck and chest injuries, however, the race was not stopped as is the norm.

Normally, when a motorcycle and/or rider are incapacitated on the race track, a red flag is waved and the race stopped so the track can be safely cleared. This did not happen following Kato’s accident. Instead, the corner workers moved him onto a stretcher and off the circuit.

Questions were raised regarding the actions of the corner workers immediately following the crash.

9. Motor GP Race has not been held at Suzuka since Kato’s Crash

There has not been a Grand Prix motorcycle race held at Suzuka following Kato’s crash, with safety issues at the facility being cited as the reason.

The FIM also retired his motorbike #74 number and since never been used by any rider on their motorbike in his respect.

10. Kato Died Two Weeks after the Accident Aged 26

Kato spent two weeks in a coma following the accident before dying as a result of the injuries he sustained. The cause of death was listed as brain stem infarction. He died aged just 26 years.

Many of the MotoGP riders wore black armbands or placed small #74s on their leathers and bikes at the following race in South Africa to pay tribute to the fallen racer.