# Akira Watanabe (racing driver)

Akira Watanabe (渡辺 明, Watanabe Akira, born 15 December 1954) is a retired Japanese racing driver.

## Racing career

Watanabe first began competing in 1975 in the Fuji Freshman Race. He is a noted touring car racing specialist, winning multiple championships in Super Taikyu and the Civic Inter Cup. He competed in a round of the 1988 Japanese Formula 3 Championship at Sendai Hi-Land Raceway but failed to qualify; he would be replaced by Hisashi Wada for the next round.
Watanabe first competed in Super GT in 1985 but did not race full-time until 1998; in that year, he drove a Toyota Cavalier for KRAFT. He last competed in Super GT in 2007. After retiring from active motorsports, Watanabe drove the medical car in Super GT and is still involved with the medical team in some way.

## Racing record
### Complete JSPC results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | DC | Points |
| 1985 | Tokico | Mazda RX-7 254 | B | SUZ | FUJ DNS | FUJ Ret | SUZ Ret | FUJ | FUJ | NC | 0 |

### Complete Japanese Formula 3 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | DC | Points |
| 1988 | Choro-Q Racing Team Meiju | Reynard 873 | Volkswagen GX 2.0 I4 | SUZ | TSU | FUJ | SUZ | SUG | TSU | SEN DNQ | SUZ | NIS | SUZ | NC | 0 |

### Complete Japanese Touring 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 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | DC | Points |
| 1992 | Team Over Take | BMW M3 Sport Evolution (E30) | JTCｰ2 | TAI | AUT | SUG 7 | SUZ | MIN | TSU Ret | SEN 6 | FUJ | | | | | | | | | 26th | 10 |
| 1995 | Trans Global | BMW 318i (E36) | JTCC | FUJ1 | FUJ2 | SUG1 | SUG2 | TOK1 | TOK2 | SUZ1 | SUZ2 | MIN1 | MIN2 | TAI1 | TAI2 | SEN1 20 | SEN2 21 | FUJ1 | FUJ2 | NC | 0 |

### Complete Super GT 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 | DC | Points |
| 1998 | KRAFT | Toyota Cavalier | GT300 | SUZ | FUJ | SEN 10 | FUJ 11 | MOT 12 | MIN 7 | SUG 9 | | | 24th | 7 |
| 2000 | Team Daikokuya | Porsche 911 RSR | GT300 | MOT | FUJ | SUG | FUJ Ret | TAI | MIN | SUZ 10 | | | 30th | 1 |
| 2001 | Team Daikokuya | Porsche 911 GT3-R | GT300 | TAI Ret | FUJ 7 | SUG | FUJ Ret | MOT 16 | SUZ | MIN | | | 20th | 4 |
| 2001 | Cars Tokai Dream28 | Honda NSX | GT300 | TAI | FUJ | SUG | FUJ | MOT | SUZ 13 | MIN | | | 20th | 4 |
| 2002 | Cars Tokai Dream28 | Honda NSX | GT300 | TAI 9 | FUJ 14 | SUG 4 | SEP 8 | FUJ 10 | MOT Ret | MIN Ret | SUZ 9 | | 16th | 22 |
| 2003 | Cars Tokai Dream28 | Honda NSX | GT300 | TAI 5 | FUJ Ret | SUG 5 | FUJ 21 | FUJ 9 | MOT 19 | AUT 13 | SUZ 8 | | 14th | 22 |
| 2004 | Cars Tokai Dream28 | Honda NSX | GT300 | TAI 18 | SUG Ret | SEP 17 | TOK 17 | MOT 14 | AUT 20 | SUZ 22 | | | NC | 0 |
| 2005 | Verno Tokai Dream28 | Vemac RD320R | GT300 | OKA 14 | FUJ 13 | SEP 14 | SUG 9 | MOT 6 | FUJ Ret | AUT 14 | SUZ 6 | | 14th | 12 |
| 2006 | Team Mach | Vemac RD320R | GT300 | SUZ | OKA | FUJ | SEP | SUG | SUZ 18 | MOT | AUT | FUJ | NC | 0 |
| 2007 | Ebbro Team Nova | Vemac RD350R | GT300 | SUZ | OKA | FUJ | SEP | SUG | SUZ 6 | MOT | AUT | FUJ | 23rd | 5 |