Kunimitsu TAKAHASHI /G/
Born : 29.1.1940
Active years : 1977
GP started : 1
Driver's career :
Autographs

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About Kunimitsu Takahashi .

Nationality: Japanese
Date of Birth: 29 January 1940
Place of Birth: Tokyo

Career history
1958 The 1st All Japan motorcycle Clubman race
1st in Junior 350cc calss/3rd in overall, on BSA Goldstar 350.

1959 2nd All Japan motorcycle Clubman race
All Japan motorcycle Long Distance Road race (Asama-Kazan race)
1st in The Clubman500 and over501cc class/2nd in overall, on BSA Goldstar 500
2nd in Senior Endurance class
*These superb results brought him into the position as a Honda factory rider.

1960 The Grand Prix debut at West German GP, on Honda RC161, 6th.

1961 May 14 German GP 250cc class, on Honda RC162(No.100), 1st.
Kunimitsu became the first Japanese rider who won the Grand Prix.
August 12 Ulster GP 125cc clas, on Honda 2RC143, 1st.

1964 May Withdraw from Grand Prix after France GP.

1965 He started new career in automobile racing, as a factory driver for Nissan. He made a race debut at Suzuka clubman race in GT2 class, drove FAIRLADY(SR311).

1966 March 27 Clubman race in Fuji, which was the inaugural race of Fuji International Speedway, drove FAIRLADY1600, 1st.

1967 May 3 The Japanese GP Rd.4, drove Nissan R380, 2nd.

1968 May The Japanese GP Rd.5, drove Nissan R381,10th.
December "Muskie Act" was enacted in United States. Therefore, Nissan and Toyota decided to withdraw from the prototype motor race.

1970 January All Japan Suzuka 300km race, drove Nissan factory Skyline GT-R (4door·PGC10), 1st and subsequently won five successive races.
T2 class champion in the All Japan Driver Championship.

1971 Nissan Factory switched to use Skyline GT-R (2door hardtop).

1972 March 20 The 300km Super Touring race, 1st. It was memorial and remarkable GT-R's 50th victory.

1973 Nissan withdrawed from its factory activity. Kunimitsu joined to Sakai racing to participate in Fuji Grand Champion series which was the highest competitive series in Japan at that time.
September The GC series debut at Fuji inter200mile, 3rd.

1977 Suzuka F2000 series champion, with Speedstar racing.
F1 World Championship Rd.17 Japan GP, drove tyrell 007, 9th.
Kunimitsu left from Nissan factoty.

1980 November 3 Entered JAF Suzuka Grand prix with Team ADVAN, drove Toleman Hart TG280.
The relationship with Team ADVAN would have kept for about 16years since then.

1981 The Fuji Grand Champion series Rd.1, drove Royce RM-1 BMW, won from pole position.
Kunimitsu got pole positions in all races in this series.
The Royce RM-1 BMW got new aeroparts designed by Mr.Takuya Yura. It showed a high-performance and kept all people's attention.

1982 Entered The Fuji GC series with Team ADVAN.

1983 WEC(World Endurance Championship) at Fuji International Speedway, drove Alpha Porsche 956.

1984 All Japan Long Distance Champion series Rd.1, 1st.
Suzuka 1000km, won from pole position.

1985 All Japan Long Distance Champion series, 4 winnings from seven rounds, drove Alpha Porsche 956.
Long Distance series champion in All Japan Drivers Championship.

1986 Le Mans 24H with Kremer Racing, drove KENWOOD Porsche962C.
Series champion in Sports prototype Long Distance Champion series.

1987 Kunimitsu had been series champion successively for three years in Sports prototype Long Distance Champion series.

1988 Le Mans 24H, drove KENWOOD Kremer Porsche962C, 9th.

1992 The All Japan Touring Car Championship (Gr.A), drove TAISAN ADVAN GT-R with Keiichi Tsuchiya.

1993 Established "TEAM KUNIMITSU" with Keiichi Tsuchiya and Akira Iida.

1994 Le Mans 24H GT-2 class, drove Kremer Racing Honda NSX.

1995 Le Mans 24H GT-2 class, drove Honda NSX, 8th and 1st in GT-2 class.

1996 Le Mans 24H GT-2 class, drove Honda NSX, 16th and 3rd in GT-2 class.

1997 Entried Suzuka 8H Endurance Race(motorcycle race), as a team director.

1998 October TEAM KUNIMITSU with Mooncraft got 1st place in The All Japan GT Championship. In addition, it was also his 70th victory through his career.

1999 Took part in Motorcycle race as a rider after an interval of 35 years and he finished his career as a rider and a driver at the end of the All Japan GT Championship in November.
He had taken part in total 489 races since 1958. He was called "Kuni san" and very popular with all fans. Therefore, a lot of people regretted his retirement.