Kunimitsu Takahashi

Kunimitsu Takahashi

Jim Redman, Luigi Taveri and Kunimitsu Takahashi (1963)
Nationality Japan Japanese
Born (1940-01-29) 29 January 1940
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years1960 - 1964
First race1960 250cc German Grand Prix
Last race1964 125cc French Grand Prix
First win1961 250cc German Grand Prix
Last win1962 125cc Spanish Grand Prix
Team(s)Honda
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
129 4 15 N/A 3 107
Formula One World Championship career
Active years 1977
Teams non-works Tyrrell
Entries 1
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podiums 0
Career points 0
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0
First entry 1977 Japanese Grand Prix
Last entry 1977 Japanese Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Participating years 1986-1990, 1994-1996
Teams Team Kunimitsu Honda, Kremer Racing
Best finish 8th (1995)
Class wins 1 (1995)

Kunimitsu Takahashi (Shinjitai: 高橋 国光 Takahashi Kunimitsu, born Tokyo, January 29, 1940) is a Japanese former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and racing driver. He is considered as the "father of drifting". 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 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.[1] He was seriously injured in the 1962 Isle of Man TT and switched to car racing in 1965. He won four Grands Prix in his motorcycle racing career.

Car racing

He participated in one Formula One race, the 1977 Japanese Grand Prix on October 23, 1977, driving a non-works Tyrrell. This was in fact the same car that Kazuyoshi Hoshino 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.

Career motorsports results

Motorcycle Grand Prix results

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6
Points 8 6 4 3 2 1

(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
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
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
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
125cc Honda ESP
3
GER
5
FRA
3
IOM
8
NED
5
BEL
-
ULS
5
DDR
-
FIN
-
NAT
3
ARG
-
JPN
-
14 7th 0
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
125cc Honda USA
-
ESP
-
FRA
4
IOM
-
NED
-
GER
-
DDR
-
ULS
-
FIN
-
NAT
-
JPN
-
3 14th 0

Complete Formula One results[2]

(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 V8 ARG BRA RSA USW ESP MON BEL SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA USA CAN JPN
9
NC 0

References

External links

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