Retired from driving only as recently as 2002. Until his death from cancer, he ran his own GT team and was formerly president of Japan's GT association. Takahashi, like a lot of drivers in his homeland of that era started racing on two wheels on motorcycles with Kunimistu beginning his career in 1958. In 1961, as a works Honda rider, he won the West German Grand Prix to become the first Japanese rider to win a World Championship race. Badly injured in a crash in 1962, he then moved to cars in 1965 with Nissan, for whom he raced virtually exclusively until 1973. Takahashi then became a multiple Japanese sportscar champion, winning four titles between 1985 and 1989. Takahashi was the original inspiration behind drift racing; he was a very spectacular, sideways driver and his style sparked the interest of the founders of this kind of racing.

Biography last updated 16 Mar 2022