Project D

Project D (プロジェクトD Purojekuto Dī?, Stylized as Project.D) is a racing team created by Ryosuke Takahashi with the purpose of taking the best drivers in the Gunma Area (Takumi and Keisuke), and traveling to challenge other teams in various prefectures. While he vocalizes the purpose of Project D to establish a legend, it is apparent that the primary reason of D is to develop the skills of its drivers to a new and extraordinary level. Ryosuke points out before the formation of Project D that he has only one year left to realize his dream. In the manga, Ryosuke states that he has to move out of Gunma Prefecture as part of a job requirement (though the job itself is never stated), and can only postpone it for another year. While he never states anything explicitly, Ryosuke reveals on separate occasions as 4th Stage progresses that both the purpose of "D" and the true meaning of "the initial" will come to light.

Project D is different from the other mountain racing teams as it has a highly technical regimen and a support team of technicians, who are mostly members of the Akagi Redsuns. Each car has a dedicated mechanic, as well as other support personnel. Kenta Nakamura, being the only member of the RedSuns other than the Takahashi brothers and Fumihiro seen in earlier stages, is part of the Project D support staff; he usually scouts the course before the team and provides the video recording that the drivers use to study the course and is more or less a gofer for Keisuke and occasionally drives one of the support vans.

Members: Takumi (Downhill) and Keisuke (Uphill).