Takamitsu Matsui

Takamitsu Matsui is a Japanese racing driver whose greatest success so far is the championship title in the GT300 class of the Japanese Super GT Series in 2016. He won a title together with Japanese racing legend Takeshi Tsuchiya, driving a Toyota 86 MC for VivaC Team Tsuchiya.

Takamitsu Matsui early in a career

Starting a career in the Japanese Formula Challenge

Born in December 1987, Matsui started his racing career in 2004, participating in the Formula Yamaha Okayama. He switched to Japanese Formula Challenge in 2007. In his debut season, he was on a podium two times, finishing 12th in the final standings. He stayed in the series for two more seasons, progressing to fourth place in 2008 (with three wins) and becoming a vice-champion in 2010 (with one victory).

 Switching to sports car racing in 2014

After three seasons out of racing, Matsui returned to a cockpit of a race car in 2014, driving the #90 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 for Team AAI in the Asian Le Mans Series, with Takeshi Tsuchiya and Lam Yu as co-drivers.

They were third in the GT class in two races, at Inje Circuit and Shanghai International Circuit. Scoring two podiums, they finished sixth in the final standings of GT class.

Takeshi Tsuchiya and Takamitsu Matsui in 2015

Super GT Series debut in 2015

In 2015, Matsui made a debut in the Japanese Super GT Series, joining Takeshi Tsuchiya in his team. They were driving the #25 Toyota 86 MC in the GT300 class. Matsui participated in six rounds, scoring his maiden Super GT victory at Sportsland Sugo. Matsui and Tsuchiya finished a season tenth in the points.

In 2015, Matsui also recorded few starts in the VLN endurance series at Nurburgring Nordschleife, driving Lexus RC and Lexus RC F. In May 2015, he made a debut at Nurburgring 24 Hours in a Lexus RC, finishing 39th overall and fourth in the SP3T class. He returned to Nurburgring with the same car in 2016, not finishing the race.

Takamitsu Matsui and Takeshi Tsuchiya - 2016 GT300 champions

Super GT champion in 2016

In 2016 Super GT season, Matsui and Tsuchiya stayed together in the #25 Toyota 86 MC, taking a pole position in the season-opening race at Okayama. The first victory came in the sixth round at Chang International Circuit in Thailand and then one more in season's finale at Twin Ring Motegi.

A victory in the last race secured them a championship title in the GT300 class. It was the first title for Takeshi Tsuchiya in his long career and he retired from racing at the end of the season, focusing on leading the team.

Takamitsu Matsui

Frequent changes of co-drivers in the #25 Toyota

In 2017, Matsui stayed in the #25 Toyota, sharing a car with two co-drivers during a season. Kenta Yamashita joined him in seven rounds and Tsubasa Kondo in two events. Matsui and Yamashita were the GT300 class winners in the third round at Autopolis and scored one more podium at Sportsland Sugo. At the end of the season, Matsui was fifth in the points.

Outside Japan, Matsui reached a podium at Nurburgring 24 Hours. He was second in the SP3T class in the #170 Lexus RC, sharing a car with Takuto Iguchi, Naoya Gamou and Hisashi Yabuki.

In the 2018 Super GT season, Matsui was sharing the #25 Toyota mostly with Sho Tsuboi, scoring two podiums and finishing seventh in the points. The season 2019 was the season to forget as Matsui finished just 19th in the points of the GT300 class, sharing the #25 Toyota with Kimiya Sato.

Takamitsu Matsui

Photos: Takamitsu Matsui,