Kato to be a Legend

[f1manoz]

Daijiro Kato will be honoured by the MotoGP community in a special ceremony at Motegi later this year.
After consultation with the former 250cc World Champion's father, an honorary guest at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend, Team Gresini and Honda, Kato will be named as a MotoGP Legend at the Pacific Grand Prix of Motegi in October and the number 74 will be officially presented to his family.

From then on, no rider will be able to use this number in the MotoGP World Championship unless they have the express permission of Kato's family.

Daijiro Kato won the hearts of race fans all over the world in a World Championship career which began with an incredible 250cc wildcard ride at Suzuka in 1996 when he finished on the podium in third place.

Two further wild-card appearances at the same circuit reaped two victories, and Kato began a full-time Grand Prix career with Honda in 2000, winning the title at the second attempt.

Kato earned the Rookie of the Year title in 2002 when he stepped up to the MotoGP class, establishing himself as Japan's greatest hope of winning the coveted premier-class title for the first time.

However, serious injuries sustained in a third lap accident in the opening round of the 2003 season at Suzuka put paid to his life at the tender age of 26.

Kato is survived by his wife Makiko and his two children Ikko and Rinka, and is remembered with great fondness by those who knew and worked with him.

Daijiro will be the first Japanese World Champion to join fellow MotoGP Legends Mick Doohan, Giacomo Agostini, Angel Nieto, Mike Hailwood, Kenny Roberts, Kevin Schwantz, Wayne Rainey, Carlo Ubbiali, Freddie Spencer, Anton Mang, Wayne Gardner, Barry Sheene, Geoff Duke and Phil Read in the MotoGP Hall of Fame.

John Surtees will also have been inducted as a MotoGP Legend in a ceremony scheduled for July 10th at Donington.

Quite fitting, although I think the #74 will be retired in the end.

[Rambo]

Well could you see anyone else running it anyway? I don't know whether it's better to retire a number to stop people using it, or leaving it available - the respect is being shown by not using it, if you see what I mean.

[asha]

yeah i kinda agree with Rambo. Respect is good. I think most riders of this era have plenty of respect of the great riders.

I kinda think that stopping people using numbers is silly, surely we are going to start running out of numbers sooner or later.
That said, i doubt the Kato family would have issues with anyone using the number.

[MichaelH]

fantastic.

[Knowlesy]

Can you get this so-called legend status where your number is taken away from the sport etc... if you stay alive?

[asha]

number 34