Takuma Sato to return to Rahal Letterman Lanigan for 2019

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Takuma Sato will continue their partnership for the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series season.

This marks the Japanese driver's third season in succession with the team after competing in one of the team's Hondas in 2012. He has claimed three victories since his 2017 return - two coming this season at the Barber Motorsports Park Road Course and on the oval at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

The other victory came in the 2018 penultimate round at Portland International Raceway.

He also claimed a pole at the DXC Technology 600 at Texas Motor Speedway this season.

"I am very happy to continue our path together again after this season," Sato said. "Every single member of the team is extremely loyal and have given me unbelievable support. I truly feel at home here, and I am so proud of the team. We have had another great season this year and even had some tough times but it only made our relationship stronger."

In between his runs at RLL Racing, he drove for AJ Foyt Racing from 2013-16 where he claimed his maiden IndyCar win in 2013 at Long Beach. Prior to that, he drove for KV Racing from 2010-11.

He moved on to Andretti Autosport in 2017 where his career peaked at Andretti when he broke through for a landmark victory in the 2017 Indianapolis 500 on his way to finish a career high eighth in points.

He is poised to better that this season as he stands sixth in points heading into this weekend's Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

"We have been very pleased with the results and level of competition Takuma has shown this season," said team owner Bobby Rahal. "His two wins and two poles don't fully indicate how competitive he has been overall this season and the fact that he was a contender at many other races. He is an integral part of our team which I believe we have shown. This decision allows us to keep the continuity and continue to build upon our program for 2020."