# Taki Inoue

Takachiho "Taki" Inoue (井上 隆智穂 Inoue Takachiho, 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 One

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 in 1995. 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 Hungarian GP on live TV worldwide – 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.
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 1996 season, Inoue lobbied Tyrrell for a drive, but the team chose Ukyo Katayama with his Mild Seven sponsorship money from Japan Tobacco. Instead, he was announced in January to drive for the Minardi team. However, one of his personal sponsors pulled out at the last minute and Inoue withdrew from F1. Minardi took on Giancarlo Fisichella instead. Fisichella, the team's test driver in 1995, had backing from Marlboro Italy.
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 in 2015 stated that he was "not good enough to drive in F1".

## Racing record
### Career summary

| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
| 1990 | Japanese Formula 3 | Phoenix Racing Team With Plus B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1991 | Japanese Formula 3 | Dallara Japan Racing | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1992 | Japanese Formula 3 | Super Nova Racing | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10th |
| 1993 | Japanese Formula 3 | Super Nova Racing | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9th |
| 1994 | International Formula 3000 | Super Nova Racing | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1994 | Formula One | MTV Simtek Ford | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1995 | Formula One | Footwork Hart | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1996 | BPR Global GT Series | Konrad Motorsport | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1999 | All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship | Club: Yellow Magic | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 32nd |
| Sources: ||||||||||

### Complete International Formula 3000 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | DC | Points |
| 1994 | Super Nova Racing | SIL 15 | PAU Ret | CAT 13 | PER 13 | HOC 12 | SPA 14 | EST 9 | MAG Ret | NC | 0 |
| Sources: ||||||||||||

### Complete Formula One results

(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | WDC | Points |
| 1994 | MTV Simtek Ford | Simtek S941 | Ford V8 | BRA | PAC | SMR | MON | ESP | CAN | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | POR | EUR | JPN Ret | AUS | | NC | 0 |
| 1995 | Footwork Hart | Footwork FA16 | Hart V8 | BRA Ret | ARG Ret | SMR Ret | ESP Ret | MON Ret | CAN 9 | FRA Ret | GBR Ret | GER Ret | HUN Ret | BEL 12 | ITA 8 | POR 15 | EUR Ret | PAC Ret | JPN 12 | AUS Ret | NC | 0 |
| Source: |||||||||||||||||||||||

### Complete JGTC results

| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | DC | Points |
| 1999 | Club: Yellow Magic | Ferrari F355 GT | GT300 | SUZ | FUJ 8 | SUG Ret | MIN | FUJ 12 | TAI | MOT Ret | 32nd | 3 |
| Sources: |||||||||||||