There will officially be bumping at Indianapolis again in May. Two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato is returning to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing to pilot the No. 75 Honda. The team’s fourth car brings the total entries to 34, with the possibility of another entrant looming.

Sato will attempt to qualify for his 16th Indy 500 and his seventh with the RLL team. The Japanese driver won the 2020 race with RLL and finished 14th last year with the team. The full press release from today is below.

[Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Press Release]

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that two-time Indianapolis 500 champion, Takuma Sato, will return to the team for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500. AMADA AMERICA, Inc., a leading global machine tool manufacturer and supplier in the sheet metal industry, will again be the primary sponsor for 2017 and 2020 Indy 500 winner Sato’s No. 75 Honda-powered entry in the May 25 event as they were in 2024.

Sato competed for RLL in 2012 and from 2018-2021 as well as last year’s Indy 500 with primary sponsorship from AMADA. He has earned six NTT INDYCAR SERIES wins, four of which have come with RLL, including the team’s second Indy 500 win in 2020.

Sato competed in oval races with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023 and returned to RLL in 2024 for the Indy 500. He set the second fastest qualifying speed of Honda-powered drivers in 2024, his 15th time to participate in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing and sixth with RLL.

“I’m very excited to return to the 109th Indy 500 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing,” Sato said. “Once again, a heartfelt thank you to Bobby, Mike, David, and the entire organization for this incredible opportunity. 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.”

The team’s relationship with AMADA goes back to 2023 when the manufacturer was the primary sponsor of the team’s No. 30 entry at the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park on April 30, 2023.

In addition to being the primary sponsor of Sato’s entry in the 2024 Indianapolis 500, they were also a major associate sponsor of the team’s No. 30 entry at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, near their Buena Park, Calif. Headquarters and primary sponsor at Portland.

“We are excited to have Takuma part of our Indy 500 program again,” said team co-owner Bobby Rahal. “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.”

“Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is very proud to have Takuma Sato back at the Indy 500,” said team co-owner Mike Lanigan. “Takuma has always been quick at the speedway and his two wins confirm his abilities at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. I personally look forward with great optimism, to be the team that gives Takuma the opportunity to win the trifecta and am thankful to have AMADA as primary sponsor again.”

Sato, a native of Tokyo, Japan, has made 221 starts in the INDYCAR SERIES since his rookie season in 2010, which is seventh among active drivers and 22nd all-time. His Indy car highlights include wins in the 2017 and 2020 Indianapolis 500, 2013 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, 2018 Portland Grand Prix, 2019 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and Bommarito 500 at WWT Raceway, with four of the six coming with RLL.

Of his 14 podium finishes to date, 10 have come with RLL as have three of his 10 Indy car poles. Prior to joining the INDYCAR SERIES, he competed in 90 Formula One races between 2002-2008 with his highest finish of third at the 2004 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.