Ryo Fukuda
Ryō Fukuda (Japanese福田 良, Ryo Fukuda, born June 26, 1979 in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture) is a former Japanese racing driver.
Career
Fukuda began his motorsport career in karting in 1991 and was active until 1995 in this sport. In 1996 he moved to Formula racing and finished ninth of the French Formula Campus. In 1997, he went to for two years in the French Formula Renault. After finishing seventh in the first season, he finished at the end of the second season with three wins in sixth place overall. In 1999, Fukuda in the French Formula 3 Championship and finished are first season in ninth place in the overall standings. 2000 succeeded him win two races. At the end of the season, he finished behind Jonathan Cochet and Tiago Monteiro took third place in the drivers' standings. At the prestigious Macau Grand Prix he finished third. 2001 Fukuda denied his third season in the French Formula 3 Championship. For Saulnier Racing starting he won with seven wins from eleven races the championship before Monteiro.
2002 Fukuda test driver for Formula 1 racing team British American Racing. He also took part in a race of the Porsche Supercup and the 24-hour race at Le Mans. In 2003, he came into Europe only to the 24- hour race at Le Mans and finished tenth in the LMP 900 class. In addition, he took part in his home at five races of the Formula Nippon and finished in 14th place overall. 2004 Fukuda returned all the way back to Europe. He again took part in the 24 - hour race at Le Mans. In the World Series by Nissan, he received a cockpit at Paul Belmondo Racing. However, the team withdrew after the second race weekend back from the Championship and the racers remained for the rest of the season without cockpit. In the overall classification, he finished with a third place as the 15th overall best result.
In 2005, he remained in the now renamed World Series by Renault championship. He returned to his former team- Saulnier Racing and was team-mate Simon Pagenaud. After he was able to score points in some races in the first half of the season, he remained without any points in the second half of the season. With 11 to 30 points he lost Pagenaud in the team-internal duel, finishing in 20th place in the drivers' standings. After starting in the winter at the first race weekend of the new A1 Grand Prix for the Japanese team, he returned in 2006 to the World Series by Renault back. Fukuda started for Tech 1 Racing, and had changing teammates. With two fourth places for the best results, he finished at the end of the season on the 16th place in the championship.
Since the end of the 2006 season Fukuda participated more in any racing series.