Super Aguri Fernández Racing has announced that 24-year-old Kosuke Matsuura of Aichi, Japan, would drive its No. 55 Panasonic ARTA entry in the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series® season.
Matsuura will pilot a Panoz G Force/Honda/Firestone package. Kosuke Matsuura pronunciation – Kohs-kay Mat-sur-ah.
Matsuura, a long-time member of the ARTA Project driver development program
-- founded by team co-owner Aguri Suzuki -- has spent the past three years garnering attention through his racing efforts in Europe. He finished third in the 2003 Formula Renault V6 Eurocup, claiming three victories (Donington Park, Oschersleben and Estoril) and five additional podiums.
Matsuura also was a credible force in German Formula 3 competition, finishing second in the 2002 championship with two victories and six pole positions.
“I have been supporting Kosuke Matsuura through the ARTA Project since he was
competing in karts,” Suzuki said. “He is very decisive and clever when driving, and he is very fast. I am looking forward to the first win for Super Aguri Fernández Racing.”
Co-owner Adrián Fernández was on hand when Matsuura turned his first laps in an IRL IndyCar Series car at Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 12, 2003, and was impressed.
“I’m excited about the season. I was very impressed with what I saw and believe
Kosuke is going to do a good job for us. Obviously, there will be things to learn, but I think he has what it takes to be very competitive.”
Matsuura, who began his career in karts at the age of 14, will make his U.S. racing debut when the IRL IndyCar Series begins Feb. 29 with the Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
“It has been my dream to race in a top category and also in the United States,” said Matsuura, “so I am very happy to be able to compete in the IndyCar Series. I am especially excited to race at the Indy Japan and the Indianapolis 500. I will do my best to meet the team and the sponsors’ expectations.”
The 2004 season will mark the second year of IRL IndyCar Series competition for
Super Aguri Fernández Racing, which will continue its partnership with industry leaders Panasonic, Honda and Firestone. The team will once again be led by managing director Tom Anderson, co-owner of Fernández Racing, with John Dick returning as race engineer and Steve Ragan as chief mechanic.
“We are very impressed with Kosuke’s natural driving ability and appetite for speed,” Anderson said. “Kosuke has had enough experience to understand the details of the sport, and has shown in his first three tests the ability to learn very quickly – a trait needed for success in the IndyCar Series.”
The 2004 IRL IndyCar Series season begins with the Toyota Indy 300 at 2 p.m. (EST) on Feb. 29, 2004, at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will be broadcast live on ESPN and the IMS Radio Network.
