Former F1 driver becomes new partner at Polti VisitMalta to develop Japanese cycling talent
Former F1 driver Ukyo Katayama has become a new partner of HAYF Sports, the company of the Contador Brothers and Ivan Basso behind Team Polti VisitMalta.
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Ukyo Katayama is the founder of Team UKYO, a Japanese Continental team that was spearheaded in 2026 by Italian sprinter Tommaso Dati, who won stages at both the Coppi e Bartali and the Tour of the Alps, earning him a move to XDS Astana for 2027.
The team joined the UCI Continental ranks back in 2012 with the ambition to race the Tour de France with a Japanese-backed squad.
Katayama also raced Formula One from 1992 to 1997, taking part in 97 Grands Prix and scoring five championship points for the Tyrell team in 1994.
The partnership is set to combine HAYF Sports’ experience in developing young riders in Spain with Katayama’s ambitions to help Japanese talent progress with exposure to European and International racing.
“One of our main goals together with Ukyo will be to work from day one on developing Japanese cycling, drawing on the experience we’ve gained in youth cycling in Spain over the past few years,” Fran Contador said in an official statement.
“It’s a strategic move that looks to tomorrow, rewards the seriousness and passion of our work and will allow us to build an even more important future,” Basso added.
Katayama highlighted how cycling has been a passion of his since childhood and how it played a key role in his training during his years as a Formula One driver, with the formation of Team Ukyo serving as an extension of his interest in the sport.
“Today, the opportunity to work alongside legends who have made their mark on cycling’s biggest stage, while creating opportunities for Japanese athletes to learn, develop and compete at the highest level through exposure to European cycling, is incredibly exciting,” Katayama said.
“It’s a privilege to be part of an environment that brings together such exceptional experience and a shared ambition for the future. I’m excited about what we can achieve together.”
The official statement doesn’t explain how this new partnership will impact the current setup at Team Ukyo ahead of the 2027 season.
