# Kunimitsu Takahashi

Kunimitsu Takahashi (Shinjitai: 高橋 国光, Takahashi Kunimitsu, 29 January 1940 – 16 March 2022) was a Japanese professional motorcycle road racer, racing driver, and team manager. Nicknamed "Kuni-san", he is known as the "father of drifting".
His racing career lasted from 1958 to 1999. He competed on motorcycles between 1958 and 1963, during which he became the first Japanese rider to win a World Grand Prix, taking four world-level wins in total. Injuries sustained in a crash in 1962 led to him switching to four-wheels in 1965, after which he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in class, become a four-time All-Japan Sports Prototype Champion, and won in Japanese Top Formula, JTC, and JGTC. His final victory as a driver came in 1999 at the age of 59.
His racing team, Team Kunimitsu, has won multiple championships in Super GT. He was the chairman of the GT Association, the organizers of the Super GT series, from 1993 to 2007.

## Motorcycle racing

In 1961, Takahashi became the first Japanese rider to win a motorcycle Grand Prix riding a 250cc Honda to victory at Hockenheim. His best World Championship finishes were a fourth place in the 1961 250 world championship and a fourth place in the 1962 125 world championship, both times on a Honda. He was seriously injured in the 1962 Isle of Man TT and switched to car racing in 1965. He won four Grand Prix races during his motorcycle racing career.

## Car racing

Takahashi participated in one Formula One race, the 1977 Japanese Grand Prix on 23 October 1977, driving the non-works Tyrrell that Kazuyoshi Hoshino had used in the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix. Takahashi finished 9th in his single Grand Prix outing, thus he scored no championship points. From 1987 to 1992, he competed in the Japanese Formula 3000 championship. He also competed in eight 24 Hours of Le Mans races between 1986 and 1996. In the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, his team competed with a Honda NSX, winning the GT2 Class and finishing eighth overall.
In 1994, he formed Team Kunimitsu to compete in the inaugural JGTC season, running a Porsche 911 RSR Turbo in the GT1 class alongside Keiichi Tsuchiya. In 1996, with the advent of the GT500 class, Team Kunimitsu switched manufacturers from Porsche to Honda. The next year, Team Kunimitsu cars wore the Raybrig colors for the first time. Takahashi drove for his own team until 1999. He retired at the end of the season to focus on team management. Team Kunimitsu won their first Drivers Championship in 2018 with Naoki Yamamoto and 2009 Formula One champion Jenson Button behind the wheel of the #100 Raybrig Honda.

## Death

Takahashi died from lymphoma on 16 March 2022, at the age of 82.

## Career motorsports results
### Motorcycle Grand Prix results

(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Class | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Points | Rank | Wins |
| 1960 | 125cc | Honda | IOM | NED | BEL | | ULS 6 | NAT | | | | | | | 1 | 10th | 0 |
| 1960 | 250cc | Honda | IOM | NED | BEL | GER 6 | ULS 5 | NAT 4 | | | | | | | 6 | 7th | 0 |
| 1961 | 125cc | Honda | ESP | GER 6 | FRA 6 | IOM | NED | BEL | DDR 3 | ULS 1 | NAT | SWE 2 | ARG 3 | | 24 | 5th | 1 |
| 1961 | 250cc | Honda | ESP | GER 1 | FRA 3 | IOM 4 | NED | BEL | DDR 3 | ULS 6 | NAT | SWE 3 | ARG 2 | | 29 | 4th | 1 |
| 1962 | 50cc | Honda | ESP 6 | FRA 2 | IOM | NED | BEL | GER | | DDR | NAT | FIN | ARG | | 7 | 9th | 0 |
| 1962 | 125cc | Honda | ESP 1 | FRA 1 | IOM NC | NED | BEL | GER | ULS | DDR | NAT | FIN | ARG | | 16 | 4th | 2 |
| 1963 | 50cc | Honda | ESP | GER | FRA | IOM | NED | BEL | | | FIN | | ARG | JPN 11 | 0 | - | 0 |
| 1963 | 125cc | Honda | ESP 3 | GER 5 | FRA 3 | IOM 8 | NED 5 | BEL | ULS 5 | DDR | FIN | NAT 3 | ARG | JPN | 14 | 7th | 0 |
| 1963 | 250cc | Honda | ESP 4 | GER NC | | IOM NC | NED | BEL 6 | ULS 4 | DDR | | NAT | ARG | JPN | 7 | 9th | 0 |
| 1964 | 50cc | Honda | USA | ESP NC | FRA | IOM | NED | BEL | GER | | | FIN | | JPN | 0 | - | 0 |
| 1964 | 125cc | Honda | USA | ESP | FRA 4 | IOM | NED | | GER | DDR | ULS | FIN | NAT | JPN | 3 | 14th | 0 |

### Complete Formula One results

(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | WDC | Points |
| 1977 | Meiritsu Racing Team | Tyrrell 007 | Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG | BRA | RSA | USW | ESP | MON | BEL | SWE | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | USA | CAN | JPN 9 | NC | 0 |
| Source: |||||||||||||||||||||||

### Super Formula Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | DC | Points |
| 1975 | Sakai Racing Shop | FUJ DNS | | | | | | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1975 | Racing Shop Yatsuka | | SUZ Ret | FUJ | SUZ | SUZ | | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1976 | Sakai Racing Shop | FUJ Ret | SUZ | FUJ 4 | SUZ 3 | SUZ Ret | | | | | | | 6th | 22 |
| 1977 | Speed Star Racing | SUZ 1 | SUZ 4 | MIN 1 | SUZ 3 | FUJ 2 | FUJ 3 | SUZ 1 | SUZ 3 | | | | 2nd | 87 (117) |
| 1978 | Speed Star Wheel Racing | SUZ Ret | FUJ 5 | SUZ Ret | SUZ Ret | SUZ 5 | MIN | SUZ 1 | | | | | 6th | 40 |
| 1979 | Speed Star Wheel Racing | SUZ 8 | MIN 2 | SUZ 9 | FUJ 2 | SUZ 4 | SUZ 5 | SUZ 6 | | | | | 4th | 57 (64) |
| 1980 | Royce Racing Team Suzuki Racing | SUZ | MIN | SUZ Ret | SUZ Ret | SUZ | SUZ 7 | | | | | | 15th | 4 |
| 1981 | Suzuki Racing | SUZ 5 | SUZ 4 | SUZ 10 | SUZ 10 | SUZ 8 | | | | | | | 8th | 23 |
| 1982 | Shift | SUZ Ret | FUJ Ret | SUZ 5 | SUZ 12 | SUZ 10 | SUZ 13 | | | | | | 15th | 9 |
| 1983 | Nova Engineering | SUZ 7 | FUJ 2 | MIN 2 | SUZ 8 | SUZ Ret | FUJ 9 | SUZ 4 | SUZ Ret | | | | 6th | 46 |
| 1984 | Advan Sports Nova | SUZ 13 | FUJ Ret | MIN 6 | SUZ 10 | SUZ 11 | FUJ Ret | SUZ 7 | SUZ 11 | | | | 13th | 11 |
| 1985 | Advan Sports Nova | SUZ 9 | FUJ 11 | MIN | SUZ 8 | SUZ Ret | FUJ 7 | SUZ 12 | SUZ 5 | | | | 13th | 17 |
| 1986 | Team JPS Advan | SUZ 6 | FUJ Ret | MIN 8 | SUZ 8 | SUZ 9 | FUJ 11 | SUZ 5 | SUZ Ret | | | | 10th | 22 |
| 1987 | Advan Sports Nova | SUZ 6 | FUJ 7 | MIN 8 | SUZ 6 | SUZ 9 | SUG 6 | FUJ 8 | SUZ 8 | SUZ Ret | | | 9th | 33 |
| 1988 | Advan Sports Nova | SUZ 3 | FUJ Ret | MIN 7 | SUZ 5 | SUG 6 | FUJ 3 | SUZ 10 | SUZ 6 | | | | 7th | 12 |
| 1989 | Advan Sports Nova | SUZ 12 | FUJ 15 | MIN 8 | SUZ 12 | SUG 4 | FUJ 11 | SUZ 14 | SUZ 8 | | | | 15th | 3 |
| 1990 | Advan Sports Nova | SUZ 12 | FUJ 14 | MIN 7 | SUZ 4 | SUG 20 | FUJ 10 | FUJ 3 | SUZ 12 | FUJ 8 | SUZ Ret | | 9th | 7 |
| 1991 | Advan Sports Nova | SUZ DNQ | AUT 20 | FUJ 22 | MIN 14 | SUZ DNQ | SUG 16 | FUJ 21 | SUZ 20 | FUJ C | SUZ 11 | FUJ Ret | 32nd | 0 |
| 1992 | Advan Sport Pal | SUZ 15 | FUJ Ret | MIN Ret | SUZ Ret | AUT 15 | SUG Ret | FUJ 12 | FUJ 11 | SUZ Ret | FUJ 22 | SUZ 7 | 22nd | 0 |
| 1993 | Advan Sport Pal | SUZ Ret | FUJ 11 | MIN 9 | SUZ 12 | AUT C | SUG 10 | FUJ C | FUJ 9 | SUZ 9 | FUJ 18 | SUZ Ret | 20th | 0 |
| 1994 | Advan Sport Pal | SUZ 12 | FUJ Ret | MIN | SUZ 8 | SUG | FUJ 8 | SUZ 11 | FUJ 3 | FUJ 10 | SUZ 14 | | 10th | 4 |

### All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship results

| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Rank | Points |
| 1984 | Advan Nova | Porsche 956 | C1 | SUZ | TSU | SUZ 1 | FUJ | | | | 9th | 20 |
| 1985 | Advan Nova | Porsche 962C | C1 | SUZ 3 | FUJ Ret | FUJ 1 | SUZ 1 | FUJ Ret | FUJ 1 | | 1st | 72 |
| 1986 | Advan Nova | Porsche 962C | C1 | SUZ 1 | FUJ 1 | FUJ 2 | SUZ Ret | FUJ 8 | FUJ 2 | | 1st | 70 |
| 1987 | Advan Nova | Porsche 962C | C1 | SUZ 2 | FUJ 3 | FUJ 1 | SUZ 3 | FUJ 11 | FUJ 1 | | 1st | 59 |
| 1988 | Advan Nova | Porsche 962C | C1 | FUJ 3 | SUZ Ret | FUJ 2 | FUJ Ret | SUZ 2 | FUJ 6 | | 4th | 48 |
| 1989 | Advan Nova | Porsche 962C | C1 | FUJ 6 | FUJ 4 | FUJ 4 | SUZ 1 | FUJ 4 | | | 1st | 56 |
| 1990 | Advan Nova | Porsche 962C | C1 | FUJ 8 | FUJ C | FUJ 5 | SUZ Ret | SUG 6 | FUJ Ret | | 22nd | 9 |
| 1991 | Team Taisan | Porsche 962C | C1 | FUJ 5 | FUJ Ret | FUJ | SUZ | SUG | FUJ | SUG | 27th | 8 |

### 24 Hours of Le Mans results

| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 1986 | Kremer Racing | Jo Gartner Sarel van der Merwe | Porsche 962C | C1 | 169 | NC | NC |
| 1987 | Kremer Racing | Kris Nissen Volker Weidler | Porsche 962C | C1 | 6 | DNF | DNF |
| 1988 | Kremer Racing | Hideki Okada Bruno Giacomelli | Porsche 962C | C1 | 370 | 9th | 9th |
| 1989 | Kremer Racing | Bruno Giacomelli Giovanni Lavaggi | Porsche 962C | C1 | 303 | DNF | DNF |
| 1990 | Kremer Racing | Sarel van der Merwe Hideki Okada | Porsche 962C | C1 | 279 | 24th | 21st |
| 1994 | Kremer Honda Racing | Keiichi Tsuchiya Akira Iida | Honda NSX GT2 | GT2 | 222 | 18th | 9th |
| 1995 | Team Kunimitsu | Keiichi Tsuchiya Akira Iida | Honda NSX GT2 | GT2 | 275 | 8th | 1st |
| 1996 | Team Kunimitsu | Keiichi Tsuchiya Akira Iida | Honda NSX GT2 | GT2 | 305 | 16th | 3rd |

### Complete JGTC results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Rank | Points |
| 1994 | Team Kunimitsu | Porsche 911 RSR-T | GT1 | FUJ | SEN | FUJ Ret | SUG 1 | MIN 2 | | | 7th | 35 |
| 1995 | Team Kunimitsu | Porsche 911 RSR-T | GT1 | SUZ 14 | FUJ 3 | SEN 4 | FUJ 8 | SUG 8 | MIN Ret | | 10th | 28 |
| 1996 | Team Kunimitsu | Honda NSX | GT500 | SUZ Ret | FUJ 8 | SEN 12 | FUJ 7 | SUG 10 | MIN 11 | | 17th | 8 |
| 1997 | Team Kunimitsu | Honda NSX | GT500 | SUZ | FUJ Ret | SEN 16 | FUJ 11 | MIN 2 | SUG 2 | | 9th | 30 |
| 1998 | Team Kunimitsu | Honda NSX | GT500 | SUZ 10 | FUJ C | SEN 12 | FUJ Ret | MOT 7 | MIN 1 | SUG Ret | 10th | 25 |
| 1999 | Team Kunimitsu | Honda NSX | GT500 | SUZ Ret | FUJ 1 | SUG 13 | MIN 15 | FUJ 7 | TAI 5 | MOT 9 | 11th | 34 |

### Complete British Saloon Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | DC | Pts | Class |
| 1985 | Mitsubishi Colt Racing | Mitsubishi Starion Turbo | A | SIL | OUL | THR | DON | THR | SIL | DON | SIL | SNE | BRH | BRH | SIL ovr:9 cls:8 | NC | 0 | NC |
| Source: |||||||||||||||||||

### Complete Japanese Touring Car Championship results

| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | DC | Pts |
| 1986 | STP Ralliart | Mitsubishi Starion Turbo | Div.3 | NIS 4 | SUG 2 | TSU 1 | SEN Ret | FUJ Ret | SUZ 2 | | | | ? | ? |
| 1987 | STP Ralliart | Mitsubishi Starion Turbo | Div.3 | NIS 1 | SEN 1 | TSU Ret | SUG 18 | FUJ 10 | SUZ Ret | | | | ? | ? |
| 1988 | STP Ralliart | Mitsubishi Starion Turbo | JTC-1 | SUZ | NIS 4 | SEN 2 | TSU Ret | SUG Ret | FUJ 15 | | | | ? | ? |
| 1992 | Team Taisan | Nissan Skyline GT-R | JTC-1 | AID 4 | AUT Ret | SUG 3 | SUZ 3 | MIN 17 | TSU 2 | SEN 4 | FUJ 17 | | 9th | 74 |
| 1993 | Team Taisan | Nissan Skyline GT-R | JTC-1 | MIN Ret | AUT 1 | SUG Ret | SUZ 2 | AID 5 | TSU 4 | TOK 6 | SEN Ret | FUJ Ret | 11th | 59 |