Team Taisan (チーム・タイサン, stylized as Team TAISAN) is a Japanese auto racing team founded in 1983 by Yasutsune "Ricky" Chiba and owned by the Taisan Industrial Company.[1] Most active in the Super GT Series, formerly known as the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC), Taisan has been involved in all but one season from 1994 to 2018, taking a sabbatical in 2015. During that time they have won eight team championships and four drivers championships, representing manufacturers Ferrari, Porsche, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan, and Audi. Team Taisan has also participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, winning their class on their debut in 2000. For nearly their entire career, Taisan has been sponsored by tire manufacturer Yokohama Rubber Company, often carrying the name of Yokohama's Advan brand.

Japan Team Taisan
FoundedOctober 1983 (October 1983)
Founder(s)Yasutsune Chiba
BaseFukushima Prefecture, Japan
Team principal(s)Yasunori Chiba
Current seriesAll Japan EV-GP Series
Former seriesFuji Long Distance Series, All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship, Japanese Touring Car Championship, Asian Le Mans Series, Super GT Series
Current driversJapan Shinnosuke Yamada
Japan Shintaro Kawabata
Teams'
Championships
JGTC GT500: 1995
JGTC/Super GT GT300: 1996, 1998, 20002003, 2012
GP-EV: 2011
ALMS LMGTE: 2013
Drivers'
Championships
JTCC JTC-2: 1989
JGTC/Super GT GT300: 1996, 1998, 2000, 2012
ALMS LMGTE: 2013

History

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The Team Taisan Endless Porsche which won the 2012 GT300 Drivers and Teams Championships

The team was initially formed through Nova Engineering [ja] and their efforts in the All Japan Endurance Championship and Fuji Long Distance Series. Taisan operated one of the teams' Porsche 962C with drivers Kunimitsu Takahashi and Kenji Takahashi. Kunimitsu went on to win the Endurance Championship three times from 1985 to 1987, while Nova Engineering won the team championships in the Fuji Long Distance Series those same years. Taisan expanded their program to include the Japanese Touring Car Championship in 1989 with BMW M3s, adding Briton Will Hoy to the team in 1990. A Group A category Nissan Skyline GT-R was added to the team in 1991 for Kenji Takahashi and Keiichi Tsuchiya while their BMWs continued in the lower JTC-2 category. Kunimitsu replaced Kenji in the Skyline for 1992 and 1993 before Kunimitsu and Tsuchiya left to form their own racing team and the JTCC eliminated the Group A cars from the series, leaving the team with a single Super Touring BMW for Kazuo Mogi in 1994.

Taisan returned to sports car racing in 1994 in the new All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, the team participating with one of their former 962Cs and teamed alongside a Ferrari F40. Masahiko Kondo and Anthony Reid won one race for the Porsche while Tetsuya Ota and Oscar Larrauri earned one victory in the Ferrari. A switch to a pair of Porsche 911 GT2s earned three GT1 victories in 1995 and the teams championship for the GT1 category,[2] while the team also added a GT2 class campaign under the Team Taisan Jr. moniker for a Porsche 964. Taisan Jr. became a dominant team in the rechristened GT300 class, winning the drivers and teams championships in 1996, followed by second place in 1997 and another championship in 1998 while campaigning a new Toyota MR2 in cooperation with Tsuchiya Engineering.[2]

Taisan's success led to the team being invited to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000 for the LMGT category. Their Porsche 911 GT3-R, driven by Hideo Fukuyama, Atsushi Yogo, and Bruno Lambert won the category by a six-lap margin. Upon returning to Japan, Taisan began a streak of four consecutive GT300 team championships from 20002003, including a drivers championship with Fukuyama in 2000. Another Le Mans also earned the team a podium finish in their class for 2002.[2] Taisan downsized to a single Porsche team from 2004 onward as the JGTC transitioned to the new Super GT Series; Taisan eventually joined with Endless for a joint program that earned them another drivers and teams championships in 2012. The team expanded once again in 2013, retaining the Porsche in Super GT while joining the new Asian Le Mans Series with a Ferrari 458 Italia GT2, winning the series championship and earning the team an automatic invitation to Le Mans, their first since 2006.[2] A difficult 2014 season with a new Nissan GT-R led Taisan to take a sabbatical year from Super GT,[3] returning in 2016 with an Audi R8 LMS in cooperation with SARD.

Team Taisan also began to embrace electric motorsport by participating in the All Japan EV-GP Series in 2011 with Tesla Roadsters as well as a modified Porsche 914, winning the 2011 championship. The team also began developing electric karts.[4] In 2018 Chiba announced an auction of many former Taisan racing cars dating back to the early 1990s, including several JGTC and Super GT machines.[2] Chiba also announced at the conclusion of the 2018 Super GT season that the team would cease participation in Super GT, instead concentrating solely on electric motorsports.[5]

Complete race results

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Complete JGTC Results[6][7]

edit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Car Tyres Class No. Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pos Pts
1994 Ferrari F40 LM Y GT1 34   Keiichi Suzuki
  Hideshi Matsuda
FUJ SEN FUJ SUG MIN
8
2nd 64
Porsche 962C 35   Anthony Reid
  Kazuo Mogi
  Masahiko Kondo
FUJ
NC
SEN FUJ
1
SUG MIN
3
Ferrari F40 LM 40   Tetsuya Ota
  Keiichi Suzuki
  Anthony Reid
  Oscar Larrauri
FUJ
3
SEN
3
FUJ
3
SUG
Ret
MIN
1
1995 BMW M3 (E30) Y GT2 26   Motoji Sekine
  Fumio Mutoh
  Junichi Yamanashi
  Masaoki Nagashima
SUZ
4
FUJ
11
SEN
6
FUJ
5
SUG
5
MIN
Ret
5th 44
28   Motoji Sekine
  Fumio Mutoh
SUZ FUJ SEN FUJ
Ret
SUG
4
MIN
4
Porsche 911 GT2 GT1 33   Hideshi Matsuda
  Kaoru Iida
  Keiichi Suzuki
SUZ FUJ
1
SEN
8
FUJ
Ret
SUG MIN 1st 80
Ferrari F40 LM 34   Anthony Reid
  Masahiko Kondo
  Hideshi Matsuda
  Takeshi Tsuchiya
  Oscar Larrauri
  Keiichi Suzuki
SUZ
11
FUJ
Ret
SEN
3
FUJ
5
SUG
6
MIN
1
Porsche 911 GT2
35   Keiichi Suzuki
  Hideshi Matsuda
  Takeshi Tsuchiya
  Anthony Reid
  Masahiko Kondo
SUZ
Ret
FUJ
7
SEN FUJ
9
SUG
1
MIN
9
Ferrari F40 LM 40   Oscar Larrauri
  Tetsuya Ota
SUZ
Ret
FUJ
9
SEN FUJ
18
SUG MIN
12
1996 Porsche 964 RSR Y GT300 26   Keiichi Suzuki
  Morio Nitta
SUZ
1
FUJ
2
SEN
Ret
FUJ
2
SUG
1
MIN
1
NC1
3
1st 93
BMW M3 (E30) 28   Masaoki Nagashima
  Junichi Yamanashi
  Manabu Orido
  Takeshi Tsuchiya
SUZ
12
FUJ SEN FUJ
Toyota MR2 SUG
4
MIN
DNA
NC1
Porsche 993 RSR 38   Adrian Fu
  Rodney Jones
  Masaoki Nagashima
SUZ
9
FUJ
DNA
SEN
8
FUJ
12
SUG
DNA
MIN
8
NC1
Porsche 993 GT2 GT500 34   Hideshi Matsuda
  Osamu Nakako
SUZ
9
FUJ
9
SEN
Ret
FUJ
12
SUG
12
MIN
6
NC1
8
8th 12
35   Takeshi Tsuchiya
  Anthony Reid
  Oscar Larrauri
  Mitsuhiro Kinoshita
SUZ
12
FUJ
7
SEN
Ret
FUJ
DNS
SUG
15
MIN
Ret
NC1
1997 Porsche 993 RSR Y GT300 26   Keiichi Suzuki
  Morio Nitta
SUZ
4
FUJ
1
SEN
3
FUJ
1
MIN
3
SUG
2
NC1
DNS
NC2
DNS
2nd 89
Porsche 993 GT2 GT500 34   Keiichi Tsuchiya
  Hideshi Matsuda
SUZ FUJ SEN
10
FUJ
Ret
13th 4
Chrysler Viper GTS-R MIN
14
SUG
8
NC1
6
NC2
Ret
1998 Toyota MR2 Y GT300 25   Keiichi Suzuki
  Shingo Tachi
SUZ
1
FUJ
C
SEN
1
FUJ
1
MOT
6
MIN
1
SUG
1
NC1
1
1st 106
Chrysler Viper GTS-R GT500 55   Hideshi Matsuda
  Eiichi Tajima
  Fuminori Mizuno
  Anthony Reid
  Mitsuhiro Kinoshita
SUZ
14
FUJ
C
SEN FUJ
14
MOT MIN
DNA
SUG
10
NC1
8
17th 1
1999 Porsche 993 GT3-R Y GT300 26   Hiroaki Suga
  Dilantha Malagamuwa
  Dominik Schwager
  Hideshi Matsuda
  Tomohiko Sunako
SUZ
5
FUJ
Ret
SUG
Ret
MIN
Ret
5th 48
Porsche 996 GT3-R FUJ
1
OKA
Ret
MOT
1
NC1
7
Porsche 993 GT3-R 55   Hiroaki Suga
  Eiichi Tajima
FUJ
7
OKA
6
MOT
11
14th 10
Chrysler Viper GTS-R GT500   Eiichi Tajima
  Hideshi Matsuda
  Dominik Schwager
  Yasuyuki Honjo
SUZ
9
FUJ
13
SUG
15
MIN
13
NC1
10
13th 2
2000 Porsche 996 GT3-R Y GT300 26   Hideshi Matsuda
  Hideo Fukuyama
  Fuminori Mizuno
  Atsushi Yogo
MOT
1
FUJ
1
SUG
9
NC1
5
FUJ
7
OKA
7
MIN
1
SUZ
2
1st 101
28   Hiroaki Suga
  Shinsuke Shibahara
MOT FUJ SUG
10
NC1 FUJ
1
OKA
8
MIN
3
SUZ
Ret
Chrysler Viper GTS-R 55   Hiroaki Suga
  Shinsuke Shibahara
  Eiji Yamada
  Takahide Tasaki
  Dilantha Malagamuwa
MIN
10
SUZ
15
17th 1
GT500 MOT
16
FUJ
Ret
SUG
DNA
NC1
Ret
FUJ
18
OKA
DNA
NC 0
2001 Porsche 996 GT3-R Y GT300 24   Hideshi Matsuda
  Kazuyushi Nishizawa
OKA
11
FUJ
4
SUG
5
NC1
6
FUJ
7
MOT
3
SUZ
16
MIN
2
1st 74
26   Hideo Fukuyama
  Atsushi Yogo
OKA
4
FUJ
17
SUG
7
NC1
4
FUJ
13
MOT
2
SUZ
3
MIN
8
Chrysler Viper GTS-R 55   Eiji Yamada
  Takayuki Kinoshita
OKA
8
FUJ
9
SUG
DNA
NC1
8
FUJ
9
MOT
14
SUZ
DNA
MIN
3
12th 19
2002 Porsche 911 GT3-R Y GT300 24   Hideo Fukuyama
  Mitsuhiro Kinoshita
OKA
2
FUJ
Ret
SUG
16
SEP
5
FUJ
1
MOT
7
MIN
Ret
SUZ
2
1st 102
26   Atsushi Yogo
  Kazuyushi Nishizawa
  Takayuki Kinoshita
OKA
5
FUJ
3
SUG
7
SEP
10
FUJ
7
MOT
3
MIN
3
SUZ
17
28   Yutaka Yamagishi
  Yukihiro Hane
  Sunako Jukuchō
OKA
11
FUJ
7
SUG
6
SEP
11
FUJ
11
MOT
17
MIN
Ret
SUZ
8
9th 33
Chrysler Viper GTS-R 55   Eiji Yamada
  Takashi Shimizu
  Takayuki Kinoshita
OKA
10
FUJ
16
SUG
5
SEP
9
FUJ
8
MOT
9
MIN
4
SUZ
21
2003 Porsche 911 GT3-R Y GT300 24   Akihiro Asai
  Atsushi Yogo
  Adam Wilcox
OKA
1
FUJ
11
SUG
13
FUJ
8
FUJ
10
MOT
18
AUT
8
SUZ
5
9th 38
26   Shinichi Yamaji
  Kazuyushi Nishizawa
OKA
2
FUJ
1
SUG
8
FUJ
6
FUJ
4
MOT
Ret
AUT
3
SUZ
9
1st 88
Dodge Viper Competition Coupe 55   Eiji Yamada
  Takayuki Kinoshita
OKA
16
FUJ
16
SUG
Ret
FUJ
1
FUJ
5
MOT
Ret
AUT
7
SUZ
Ret
2004 Porsche 911 GT3-R Y GT300 26   Yutaka Yamagishi
  Kaoru Ijiri
  Akihiro Asai
OKA
9
SUG
10
SEP
Ret
TOK
11
MOT
Ret
AUT
13
SUZ
8
NC1 NC2 14th 6
Dodge Viper Competition Coupe 55   Eiji Yamada
  Patrick Van Schoot
OKA SUG SEP TOK MOT AUT SUZ NC1
9
NC2
6
NC 0

Complete Super GT Results[8][9]

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Car Tyres Class No. Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos Points
2005 Porsche 996 GT3-RS Y GT300 26   Yutaka Yamagishi
  Kaoru Ijiri
  Takashi Inoue
  Isao Ihashi
OKA
Ret
FUJ
12
SEP
16
SUG MOT FUJ AUT SUZ
19
NC 0
2006 Porsche 996 GT3-RS Y GT300 26   Kazuyuki Nishizawa
  Shinichi Yamaji
SUZ OKA
8
FUJ
7
SEP SUG SUZ MOT AUT FUJ
8
18th 10
2007 Porsche 996 GT3-RS Y GT300 26   Nobuteru Taniguchi
  Shinichi Yamaji
  Kazuyuki Nishizawa
  Dominik Farnbacher
SUZ
11
OKA
3
FUJ
19
SEP
13
SUG
Ret
SUZ
Ret
MOT
1
AUT
8
FUJ
1
5th 72
2008 Porsche 996 GT3-RS Y GT300 26   Nobuteru Taniguchi
  Shinichi Yamaji
  Keita Sawa
  Dominik Farnbacher
SUZ
3
OKA
2
FUJ
Ret
SEP
15
SUG
7
SUZ
5
MOT
4
AUT
15
FUJ
1
4th 83
2009 Porsche 996 GT3-RS Y GT300 26   Haruki Kurosawa
  Tsubasa Abe
  Katsuhiko Tsutsui
  Tsubasa Kurosawa
OKA
10
SUZ
10
FUJ
4
SEP
Ret
SUG
7
SUZ
16
FUJ
14
AUT
9
MOT
9
11th 38
2010 Porsche 996 GT3-RS Y GT300 26   Igor Sushko
  Masayuki Ueda
  Shogo Mitsuyama
SUZ
11
OKA
13
FUJ
10
SEP SUG
18
SUZ
Ret
FUJ
C
MOT
11
NC1
14
NC2
Ret
20th 12
51   Yuya Sakamoto
  Shogo Mitsuyama
  Hideki Yamauchi
SUZ OKA FUJ
20
SEP SUG
15
SUZ FUJ
C
MOT
16
NC1
8
NC2
8
22nd 5
2011 Porsche 996 GT3-RS Y GT300 26   Kyosuke Mineo
  Hideshi Matsuda
  Junichiro Yamashita
  Shogo Mitsuyama
OKA
12
FUJ
11
SEP
13
SUG
11
SUZ
14
FUJ
15
AUT
20
MOT
10
NC1
Ret
NC2
14
16th 19
Ferrari F430 GT2 41   Shinichi Yamaji
  Hiroshi Koizumi
  Kyosuke Mineo
  Junichiro Yamashita
OKA
9
FUJ
9
SEP SUG
12
SUZ
17
FUJ
21
AUT MOT
Ret
NC1
15
NC2
13
17th 15
2012 Porsche 911 GT3-R Y GT300 911   Kyosuke Mineo
  Naoki Yokomizo
OKA
2
FUJ
8
SEP
2
SUG
5
SUZ
Ret
FUJ
4
AUT
2
MOT
1
NC1
8
NC2
18
1st 102
2013 Porsche 911 GT3-R Y GT300 0   Kyosuke Mineo
  Naoki Yokomizo
OKA
10
FUJ
Ret
SEP
11
SUG
3
SUZ
7
FUJ
19
AUT
8
MOT
10
NC1
7
NC2
13
9th 40
2014 Nissan GT-R GT3 Y GT300 67   Shogo Mitsuyama
  Naoki Yokomizo
  Kyosuke Mineo
OKA
19
FUJ
9
AUT
9
SUG
5
FUJ
17
SUZ
Ret
BUR MOT
16
16th 24
2016 Audi R8 LMS Y GT300 26   Shogo Mitsuyama
  Yuya Motojima
  Tsubasa Kondo
OKA
20
FUJ
15
SUG
19
FUJ
8
SUZ
20
CHA MOT
6
MOT
7
16th 27
2017 Audi R8 LMS Y GT300 26   Shinnosuke Yamada
  Jake Parsons
  Christian Klien
OKA
21
FUJ
21
AUT
14
SUG
18
FUJ
19
SUZ
Ret
CHA
19
MOT
14
24th 11
2018 Audi R8 LMS Y GT300 26   Shinnosuke Yamada
  Shintaro Kawabata
  Shinji Nakano
OKA
9
FUJ
15
SUZ
28
CHA FUJ
Ret
SUG
20
AUT
20
MOT
16
19th 16

Note: Non-championship races (NC1,NC2) are major races that did not count towards the championship.

References

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  1. ^ "Team TAISAN". Super GT. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e O'Connell, RJ (6 November 2018). "Team Taisan Set To Withdraw From Super GT". DailySportsCar. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  3. ^ "タイサン、2015年はSGT/ル・マンの活動を休止" [Taisan suspend SGT / Le Mans activities in 2015] (in Japanese). Auto Sport Web. 4 February 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Team TAISAN and Power Japan Plus Form Partnership to Develop World's First Electric Vehicle Powered by the Ryden Dual Carbon Battery". Business Wire. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  5. ^ Hirano, Ryuji (7 December 2018). "チーム・タイサン、2018年限りでスーパーGTでの活動に幕。今後はEVレースへ転換" [Team Taisan ends activities in Super GT in 2018, now turns to EV racing]. Autosport Web. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  6. ^ "World Sports Racing Prototypes - All Japan Grand Touring Championship". www.wsrp.cz. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  7. ^ "SUPERGT.net | JGTC RACE ARCHIVE". supergt.net. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  8. ^ Magazine, Speedsport. "Super GT & All Japan GT: Overview of seasons". www.speedsport-magazine.com. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  9. ^ "Results | SUPER GT OFFICIAL WEBSITE". supergt.net. Retrieved 2023-06-15.