Super GT

[mikael]

It may be of interest to note here that Jenson Button has won the 2018 Japanese Super GT Championship, together with co-driver Naoki Yamamoto, driving a Honda NSX. (The 8th and last race took place at the Motegi Circuit 10-11 November.)

[robmarsh]

Great looking car. I need to find out if my package gives any coverage of these races. Well done to Jenson. I see he is joining the Sky F1 team next year so that will make five great grand prix drivers, four other dudes, three world champions, two pretty birds and an idiot in a commentating booth.

[René]

Yes, I read about this Mikael. I was happy for Jenson, a very good driver and a descent bloke. He always felt at home in Japan so it's typically him to have a career there. The cars look very cool and aggressive!

[chrisb]

well, don't these look like proper racing cars? excellent Mikael, thank you, aside from one year what I liked about Jenson was his intelligence and his late Father's demonstration as to how to support your son, Keke was similar, class acts.

If Jenson is going to sxy then does that mean someone is leaving? not that I watch sxy and am still annoyed that they hijacked the cricket, humph,

what happened to the idea of joining the Japanese series with the German DTM series? that would have been worth a trip to watch,

[charleselan]

They are indeed pretty spectacular race cars, far better than the things they run now in the DTM which I do not find appealing at all.

It was good to see Jensen win the series this year, and more the point that he is enjoying his racing once more. He always was a quality driver, very underrated particularly for the keyboard jockeys that populate the internet. Sadly if the only wheeled vehicle you have had experience with is a bicycle, then you really aren't going to understand the requirements for driving/riding a motorised automobile.

I always thought that he would end up on TV in some form or other, his personality really did fit such a role. Shame it had to be with UK S*YF1 but that is probably where the money is.

[chrisb]

a really good point JC, I did rate Jenson pretty highly and his marvelous if fortunate win in Canada said a great deal, I also thought he and Lewis were an interesting team. He does come across very well although I did hear some less than palatable things about him, but how true is equally debatable. I have always found him grounded and interesting. I am not surprised he is going to sxy - after all the UK highlights boys club show would hardly be Jenson's style.

[mikael]

There's an interesting article about the motor cycle racing career of Kunimitsu Takahashi on the Motor Sport Magazine webpage:

www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/motogp/birth-modern-motorbike-grand-prix-racing-talking-kunimitsu-takahashi

The story in MSM ends with Takahashi's career-ending crash at the 1962 Isle of Man TT. That's a bit curious, because actually, there's a good deal more to tell. Actually, Kunimitsu Takahashi  is the gentleman seen to right (in the grey sweatshirt) in the first photo of this thread, as he, in the capacity of owner of "Team Kunimitsu" (the defending Champions in Japan's Super GT class), currently is Jenson Button's employer/boss.

I find it interesting that he - 15 years after the end of his international motor cycle racing career - decided to "have a go" in Formula One, as a privateer in the 1977 Japanese GP, driving an (old) Tyrrell 007. He finished 9th, which I find very impressive. (A pity it didn't give points at that time.)



Kunimitsu Takahashi in a Tyrrell 007 at the 1977 Japanese GP. (It seems that the sponsorship by "UTA" was added during the course of the event - or maybe maybe it was just additional stickers.)

P.S. I like his helmet design, which coincidentally is identical to the old Danish national karting helmet-colours: two red stripes on a white helmet.

[charleselan]

Great post Mikael.

I well remember Takahashi San when he race motorcycles back in the early 1960's but did not realise his accident was career ending. I also recall him racing cars in later years and his drives in the Tyrrell you have posted pictures of here. There were many Japanese drivers who bought F1 cars and entered them in the Japanese GP's in the 1970's as well as cars constructed in Japan like the Maki and Kojima.

Good to see him fit and well running that very successful SuperGT team.

[René]

Indeed an interesting post Mikael.

How different that Tyrrell looks in that livery! Fascinating to see how they placed a flap on the sidepod with some rivets near the radiator, I guess to 'catch' some extra air. How rudimentary compared to todays vehicles!