Renault in Formula One under a British licence in , having raced as a French outfit since Renault took over in 2002. This left the sport without any team racing under a French licence for the first time since the season. Group Lotus had yet to purchase a stake in the team, but had an option to do so by the end of . Along with the launch of their new car, Lotus Renault GP announced that they had hired Jean Alesi as an ambassador for the team and test driver for the T125 single-seater project. On 6 February 2011, Robert Kubica was severely
Toru Takahashi (racing driver) Toru Takahashi (racing driver) In 1982, he was runner-up in Japanese Formula 3. The following year, he ran a dual campaign, racing in the Grand Champion Series and also stepping up to Japanese Formula 2 (now Super Formula). Takahashi was killed in the fourth and final round of the Grand Champion Series race at Fuji Speedway, Japan, in 1983, at the age of 23. Exiting the high-speed Last Corner, his flat-bottomed car spun, lifted and flew off the track, slamming top-first into a crowd fence. One unknown female spectator also died in the accident. A chicane was installed in the