Former Formula One driver Takuma Sato is putting himself under pressure to reach new heights after becoming the first Japanese to win an IndyCar race, buoyed by an expectant home media.

"The big task awaiting him is to win the time-honored Indy 500 which narrowly eluded him last year," Kyodo News said in a commentary after his triumph at the Long Beach Grand Prix on Sunday, the third leg of the 19-round IndyCar series.

Rival agency Jiji Press said that 36-year-old Sato's "remaining big goal in IndyCar will be the annual championship or the Indy 500 title".

Sato, who moved over to IndyCar in 2010 after seven years in F1, battled Dario Franchitti neck and neck into the final lap in last year's Indy 500.

But the Japanese driver slammed into the outside wall after making contact with the Briton, who won the classic for the second time. The Tokyo native ended up finishing 17th.

In the streets of Long Beach, the Honda driver was making his 52nd IndyCar start, while his previous best finish was second at Edmonton in 2012.

"It was a perfect victory but it will be quite tough from here," he told Jiji Press. "I will firmly analyze why it went all right and I will carry it on to the next race in Brazil and the Indy 500. Now I have proven I can make it. I will make my challenge again next time."

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