Takuma Aoki, whose promising 500GP career 🎉was cut short by a paralysing accident, has taken an emotional victory on his return to circuit racing.

Aoki claimed three podiums for Repsol Honda on his way to fifth in the 1997 500🦄cc World Championship, before disaster struc♋k during a pre-season test in Japan.

Years of rehabilitation and a role as Assistant Director of Honda Racing did little to stem his competitive urge, Aoki telling media in 2007: "I recognised this in the ten years I was away from rဣacing. I cannot live without racing at all."

An opportunity to compete on four-wheels in the 2009 Dakar Rally ended in♈ an early retirement, while Aoki continued to rally in the FIA Cross Country Rally series with some level of success.

However he w⛄as unable to experience the highs of his circuit racing career until this weekend'🀅s debut in the 2014 GT Asia Series in Korea.

Campaigning a 550 horse♛power V10 Lamborghini Gallardo LP520, Aoki joined former Asian champion Dilantha Malagamuwa in a two-car assault on the 2014 series, Aoki driving a specially-modified GTM class car fitted with hand controls.

Despite no prior laps in the car,𝔉 then a lack of practice at the Korea Inte♏rnational Circuit due to a front splitter problem, Aoki still qualified on pole.

Targeting a podium, Aoki instead swept to a close GTM class victory in the on𒆙e-hour race - his first in a GT3-car - beating experienced drivers with years of GT competition und💮er their belts.

"I'm very happy because this is my first international [circuit] race since my accident," said Aoki. "I am thankful for the🐽 good opportunity from Dilantha-san and my team, my family and everyone who has supported me.

"I did not expect to win my first race, but I just kept pushing, pushing to do my best, and when the race is over I have come through for the win. I can still find more speed in myself, I just need to do more practice, but so🗹 far, I am very happy with the result."

Aoki's victory wasn't the first in an internationally sanctioned circuit racing event for a driver using hand controls, that honour goes to former F1/Indycar driver Alex Zanardi in the World Touꦆring Car Championship, but it is certainly a first in the Asian region. Aoki then went on to win rac🅠e two!

Taku💎ܫma's brothers, Nobuatsu and Haruchika, are also well known grand prix riders.

Haruchika was a double 125cc world champion whi🐟le Nobuatsu won a 250cc grand prix, claimed podiums in the 500cc class and remains a Su♛zuki MotoGP development rider.