# Akihiko Nakaya

Akihiko Nakaya (中谷明彦, Nakaya Akihiko, born November 3, 1957) is a successful racing driver in the Japanese Touring Car Championship and F3000, as well as regular presenter on the Japanese motoring show Best Motoring. Nakaya offered a distinctively analytical approach to reviewing cars on the show, providing detailed analyses of various vehicle components and explaining certain driving styles that were best suited to their characteristics. He was a regular driver of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions during Best Motoring races involving the I, II, III, IV, V, VI (including the Tommi Makinen Edition), VII, and VIII of the car, often recording lap times significantly quicker than other drivers of the same vehicle.
Nakaya's name was applied to a special preface-build of the Mitsubishi FTO, the Nakaya-Tune FTO, which appeared in 1997.
Nakaya was considered for a Formula One ride with Brabham in 1992, but the FIA would not grant him a superlicense on the grounds that Japanese F3000 (today the Super Formula Championship) was, at the time, not considered a stepping stone to F1. The ride eventually went to Giovanna Amati, who was more known for her gender than talent and was replaced three races into the season by future World Champion Damon Hill.

## Career results
### Complete World Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | DC | Points |
| 1987 | Ralliart Australia | Mitsubishi Starion Turbo | MNZ | JAR | DIJ | NUR | SPA | BNO | SIL | BAT ovr:5 cls:4 | CLD ovr:9 cls:5 | WEL | | NC | 0 |
| 1987 | STP Mitsubishi Ralliart | Mitsubishi Starion Turbo | | | | | | | | | | | FJI ovr:10 cls:5 | NC | 0 |
† Not eligible for series points

### Complete Japanese Formula 3 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | DC | Pts |
| 1987 | Le Garage Cox Racing Team | VW | SUZ 1 | TSU 3 | FUJ 1 | SUZ Ret | SUG 13 | SEN Ret | MIN 15 | TSU 3 | SUZ 6 | SUZ Ret | 5th | 70 |
| 1988 | Le Garage Cox Racing Team | Mugen | SUZ 7 | TSU 8 | FUJ 3 | SUZ 2 | SUG 1 | TSU 2 | SEN Ret | SUZ 2 | MIN 2 | SUZ 1 | 1st | 46 |

### Japanese Formula 3000 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | DC | Pts |
| 1989 | Marlboro Team Nova | SUZ 10 | FUJ 11 | MIN Ret | SUZ 8 | SUG 2 | FUJ 7 | SUZ Ret | SUZ 9 | | | | 10th | 6 |
| 1990 | Team Take One | SUZ Ret | FUJ 13 | MIN 8 | SUZ Ret | SUG 5 | FUJ 4 | FUJ Ret | SUZ 8 | FUJ Ret | SUZ Ret | | 12th | 5 |
| 1991 | Cox Racing Team | SUZ 16 | AUT 1 | FUJ Ret | MIN Ret | SUZ 7 | SUG 3 | FUJ 8 | SUZ 4 | FUJ C | SUZ Ret | FUJ 15 | 6th | 16 |
| 1992 | Cox Racing Team | SUZ Ret | FUJ DNQ | MIN 11 | SUZ Ret | AUT Ret | SUG 8 | FUJ Ret | FUJ 9 | SUZ Ret | FUJ Ret | FUJ 8 | NC | 0 |
| 1993 | Cox Racing Team | SUZ | FUJ 17 | MIN Ret | SUZ 10 | AUT C | SUG 11 | FUJ C | FUJ Ret | SUZ 15 | FUJ Ret | SUZ 14 | NC | 0 |
| 1994 | Speed Star Wheel Racing Team | SUZ 15 | FUJ 15 | MIN Ret | SUZ 10 | SUG 10 | FUJ Ret | SUZ | FUJ | FUJ | SUZ | | 15th | 1 |

### Complete Japanese Touring Car Championship (-1993) 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 | | | | ? | ? |
| 1993 | Auto Tech Racing | BMW M3 Sport Evolution | JTC-2 | MIN 4 | AUT 6 | SUG 6 | SUZ 6 | TAI 7 | TSU 7 | TOK 8 | SEN 22 | FUJ NC | 1st | 134 |

### Complete Japanese Touring Car Championship (1994-) results

| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | DC | Pts |
| 1994 | Team Take One | BMW 318i | AUT 1 11 | AUT 2 Ret | SUG 1 10 | SUG 2 Ret | TOK 1 13 | TOK 2 12 | SUZ 1 Ret | SUZ 2 21 | MIN 1 10 | MIN 2 5 | AID 1 Ret | AID 2 8 | TSU 1 12 | TSU 2 Ret | SEN 1 10 | SEN 2 9 | FUJ 1 Ret | FUJ 2 23 | 20th | 14 |
| 1995 | Auto Tech Racing | BMW 318i | FUJ 1 16 | FUJ 2 Ret | SUG 1 Ret | SUG 2 Ret | TOK 1 5 | TOK 2 5 | SUZ 1 8 | SUZ 2 7 | MIN 1 4 | MIN 2 Ret | AID 1 Ret | AID 2 DNS | SEN 1 9 | SEN 2 8 | FUJ 1 Ret | FUJ 2 14 | | | 12th | 31 |
| 1996 | Auto Tech Racing | BMW 318i | FUJ 1 13 | FUJ 2 13 | SUG 1 7 | SUG 2 Ret | SUZ 1 Ret | SUZ 2 Ret | MIN 1 17 | MIN 2 5 | SEN 1 1 | SEN 2 19 | TOK 1 5 | TOK 2 7 | FUJ 1 9 | FUJ 2 8 | | | | | 10th | 40 |
| 1997 | Auto Tech Racing | BMW 318i | FUJ 1 | FUJ 2 | AID 1 | AID 2 | SUG 1 | SUG 2 | SUZ 1 | SUZ 2 | MIN 1 Ret | MIN 2 8 | SEN 1 Ret | SEN 2 DNS | TOK 1 | TOK 2 | FUJ 1 | FUJ 2 | | | 17th | 3 |
| 1998 | Object T | Toyota Corona EXiV | FUJ 1 | FUJ 2 | MOT | SUG 1 Ret | SUG 2 Ret | SUZ 1 Ret | SUZ 2 6 | MIN 1 7 | MIN 2 Ret | AID 8 | FUJ 6 | | | | | | | | 9th | 32 |

### Complete All-Japan GT Championship results

(key)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | DC | Pts |
| 1998 | Team Taeivon Ralliart | Mitsubishi FTO | GT300 | SUZ 3 | FUJ C | SEN 8 | FUJ Ret | MOT Ret | MIN 6 | SUG 2 | 5th | 37 |
| 1999 | Team Taeivon Ralliart | Mitsubishi FTO | GT300 | SUZ 2 | FUJ | SUG 5 | MIN Ret | FUJ 3 | TAI 8 | MOT 7 | 6th | 42 |
| 2000 | Hitotsuyama Racing | McLaren F1 GTR | GT500 | MOT 14 | FUJ 11 | SUG Ret | FUJ Ret | TAI 17 | MIN 10 | SUZ Ret | 23rd | 1 |
| 2001 | Hitotsuyama Racing | McLaren F1 GTR | GT500 | TAI 10 | FUJ 13 | SUG Ret | FUJ | MOT Ret | SUZ Ret | MIN | 26th | 1 |

### Complete Bathurst 1000 results

| Year | Car# | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 1986 | 53 | Mitsubishi Ralliart | Brad Jones | Mitsubishi Starion Turbo | B | 61 | DNF | DNF |
| 1987 | 16 | Ralliart Australia | Gary Scott John French | Mitsubishi Starion Turbo | 1 | 154 | 5th | 4th |

### Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

| Year | Team | Co-drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class pos. |
| 1989 | Brun Motorsport From-A Racing | Harald Grohs Sarel van der Merwe | Porsche 962C | C1 | 78 | DNF | DNF |
| 1997 | Team Lark McLaren | Gary Ayles Keiichi Tsuchiya | McLaren F1 GTR | LMGT1 | 88 | DNF | DNF |
| 1999 | Team Goh | Hiroki Katoh Hiro Matsushita | BMW V12 LM | LMP | 223 | DNF | DNF |