Daiki Sasaki: A Life as a Racing Driver

It all began when I first rode a racing kart at the age of seven. When people think of karts, they usually imagine the ones at amusement parks, but in reality, the fastest ones are said to have a perceived speed of 300 kilometers per hour. I didn't even start karting of my own volition; my father told me he was taking me somewhere interesting. At first, I was scared of the speed and couldn't even step on the accelerator. I thought I wasn't suited for it because I was such a coward.

However, driving a car was still fun, and once the fear faded, I started putting in the effort to go even a little bit faster. From there, I competed in various tournaments and achieved results, leading to my debut as a driver for the automaker Nissan at the age of 17. Since you are alone when driving in a race, it might seem like an individual sport, but it is actually different. There is constant competition in the development of cars and tires, and it's not just about the driver going fast; many people are involved in building the car and tires before the race even begins. In that process, I communicate with many people to determine what is best, plan and execute, and then apply those results to make the car faster. With so many people specializing in different tasks, you cannot win if even the slightest thing is out of sync. I think the appeal of that process is why I became a racing driver.

Things never go smoothly, but when everyone builds something from scratch and it leads to the success of a victory—because the process to get there is so difficult and challenging—there is a drama in winning a race. I believe this is why I aspired to be a racing driver. I work hard at racing for that moment when I can share the excitement with many colleagues when the results of our efforts are realized.

With so many people putting in the effort, the driver is the only one who can ultimately express that in the form of a victory and bring the car to the finish line. That is why I never give up and continue to give 100% of my strength until the very end. It may seem obvious, but I make sure to keep this in mind. I never forget that I am racing with everyone's hopes on my shoulders. I am enjoying such a life as a racing driver.