Ukyo Katayama (born May 29, 1963) is a Japanese former racing driver who raced in Formula One from 1992 to 1997 with Larrousse, Tyrrell, and Minardi. His career best result was 5th place, which he achieved in 1994 at the Brazilian Grand Prix and San Marino Grand Prix with Tyrrell.
Despite only scoring five championship points across his entire career, it’s worth noting that Katayama raced midfield machinery during an era where points were awarded only up to sixth place.
TAG Heuer
Katayama was hugely popular in Japan during his Grand Prix career, and was personally sponsored by TAG Heuer. The Formula 1 ‘Ukyo Katayama’ Special Edition (ref. 382.513/K) and the partnership was reflected in the TAG Heuer Formula 1 ‘Ukyo Katayama’ Special Edition. The first generation Formula 1’s only signature model had the unique distinction of featuring Katayama’s autograph printed on the underside of the acrylic crystal.
Kith Heuer
When the original Formula 1 line was re-introduced in 2024 under the Kith Heuer moniker, the limited set included a similarly colored variant. Despite no outright connection to the Japanese driver, the “Hawaii” (ref. WA126E.BT0009) is clearly a visual homage to the ‘Ukyo Katamaya’. The bezel’s white zero marker also features a red dot, mirroring a Japanese flag.
References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2JiVLt16Cc
https://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2020/02/spotlight-on-tag-heuer-formula-1-ukyo.html
https://www.esquire.com/uk/watches/a60656562/rarest-tag-heuer-f1-watch-ukyo-katayama/