OCTOBER 21, 2001
Katayama breathless on Everest
Katayama should not be underestimated. He learned to drive racing cars at the Elf Winfield School in France, despite not speaking a word of French or English. His instructor Simon de Latour taught him the fundamentals using the basic language of thumping the driver when it was time to brake.
Katayama then had an amazing accident at Clermont Ferrand which saw his Formula Renault go over the barriers. Ukyo suffered a broken neck and two broken legs but he was soon back in action in Formula 3.