Katsumi Yamamoto

is a Japanese professional racing driver. A native of Fukuoka, he has notably raced in Formula 3, Formula 3000 and Formula Nippon, as well as Super GT. Career Yamamoto began his single-seater career in 1993 by participating in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship. He participated in nine races without scoring a single point. The following year, he left for Germany to race in the national Formula 3 Championship with the WTS-TKF Racing team. He ranked twenty-sixth with 2 points. He also competed in the Formula 3 Masters at Circuit Zandvoort, finishing twenty-third on behalf of WTS Motorsport. In 1995 he returned to Japan to participate in the Formula 3000 Championship with X Japan Racing Team Le Mans. He came ninth with 9 points, having been on the podium once at Sportsland Sugo. Thanks to these results Yamamoto obtained a test for Pacific Grand Prix in Formula 1. He was set to participate in the Japanese and Pacific Grands Prix for the sum of 1.2 million dollars, but was not granted a Super Licence and his plan to race in Formula 1 fell through.