By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced the return of Takuma Sato for this year’s 109th Running of the Indianaplolis 500.
Sato, a two-time Indy 500 champion, will reprise his role in RLL’s No. 75 Honda-powered entry with AMADA AMERICA, Inc., a leading global machine tool manufacturer and supplier in the sheet metal industry, once again the primary sponsor for the one-off run as they were in 2024.
This year will mark his 16th attempt at “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” which will also be his seventh with RLL. He drove for RLL in 2012 and from 2018-21, along with last year’s one-off effort that saw him finish 14th. Four of his six IndyCar victories have come with RLL, including the 2020 edition of the Indy 500.
“I’m very excited to return to the 109th Indy 500 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to Bobby (Rahal, co-owner), Mike (Lanigan (co-owner), David (Letterman, co-owner), and the entire organization for this incredible opportunity,” Sato said.
“I’m also deeply grateful for the continued support from AMADA as the primary sponsor, alongside Panasonic Automotive Systems, Niterra, Deloitte Tohmatsu, NAC, Honda, HRC, and all our loyal sponsors. The new No. 75 car carries over RLL’s historic design with a refreshed and dynamic new livery – it looks absolutely stunning. Last year was an incredible experience, reconnecting with the team, and this year, even more familiar faces have joined the effort, which makes this moment even more special and gives me great confidence. I can’t wait to get to work.”
Rahal added,”We are excited to have Takuma part of our Indy 500 program again. His experience, talent and bravado at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in particular, is evident by his two wins. The work ethic he brings, in addition to his attention to detail, adds immeasurable value to our program. We are thrilled to have AMADA return as the primary sponsor for the entry. They continue to be an integral part of our racing programs, not only for the Indy 500. We utilize their equipment on a daily basis and couldn’t be happier with our partnership.”
