The Formula 3000 International Championship was a motor racing series created by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in 1985 to become the final preparatory step for drivers hoping to enter the Formula One championship. Formula Two had become too expensive, and was dominated by works-run cars with factory engines; the hope was that Formula 3000 would offer quicker, cheaper, more open racing. The series began as an open specification, then tyres were standardized from 1986 onwards, followed by engines and chassis in 1996. The series ran annually until 2004, and was replaced in 2005 by the GP2 Series.
The Pacific Grand Prix was a round of the Formula One World Championship twice in the mid-1990s. Both races were held at the Tanaka International Aida circuit, a slow, twisty 3.7-kilometre (2.3-mile) track deep in the countryside in Aida, Japan. Following the 1995 Kobe earthquake, the Pacific Grand Prix was moved from early in the calendar to the end.
Super Formula, formerly known as Formula Nippon, is a type of formula racing and the top level of single-seater racing in Japan.
The Suzuka International Racing Course is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co, Ltd. It has a capacity of 155,000.
Kazuyoshi Hoshino is a Japanese former racing driver and businessman.
Formula racing is any of several forms of open-wheeled single-seater motorsport road racing. The origin of the term lies in the nomenclature that was adopted by the FIA for all of its post-World War II single-seater regulations, or formulae. The best known of these formulae are Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Three and Formula Four. Common usage of "formula racing" encompasses other single-seater series, including the GP2 Series, which replaced Formula 3000.
Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese former professional racing driver, best known for racing in the Super GT Series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) as a factory driver for Nissan, and for racing in the Formula Nippon Championship. He is a three-time champion of the GT500 class of Super GT, and a four-time Formula Nippon/Super Formula champion, making him one of the most successful Japanese racing drivers of all-time. On February 9, 2019, Motoyama announced his retirement as a GT500 driver, ending his top-flight racing career in Japan. He was named as the Executive Advisor of the Nismo GT500 racing program the same day.
Toda Racing Co., Ltd was established in 1970 in Okayama, Japan as a maintenance company for racing vehicles and engines. Since its inception, company activities have grown to include manufacturing and development of racing engines for various forms of Japanese motorsports, ranging from Formula 3 to GT300. The experience gained in the realm of professional motorsports is applied to all TODA Racing products available to consumers.
Masanori Sekiya is a racing car driver, most famous for being the first Japanese driver to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 1995.
Tetsuya Ota is a racing driver from Maebashi in the Gunma Prefecture, Japan. He survived a fiery multi-car pileup he was involved in during a JGTC race at Fuji Speedway on May 3, 1998, caused by a safety car which was driven at twice the recommended speed in torrential rain during a parade lap. Ota was seriously injured and, as a result, he brought a lawsuit against the race organizers.
The 2007 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 30 September 2007 at the Fuji Speedway, Oyama, Shizuoka. The 67-lap race was the fifteenth round of the 2007 Formula One season. It was held at the recently revised track in very heavy rain and misty conditions. For the previous 20 years, the Japanese Grand Prix had been held at Suzuka Circuit, but at this race it returned to Fuji for the first time since 1977. The race was won by McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton, who also took pole position and the fastest lap of the race. Heikki Kovalainen achieved his first podium, by finishing second for the Renault team, whilst Kimi Räikkönen finished in third for Ferrari. Adrian Sutil scored Spyker's first and only point by finishing 9th and being promoted to 8th after the race.
Carlo van Dam is a Dutch racing driver.
Formula Challenge Japan is an open wheel racing series based in Japan. The first season was in 2006 and carried on from the defunct Formula Dream series. It is promoted as a young driver development project jointly by Honda, Toyota and Nissan and is positioned as an intermediate level of the domestic motorsport in Japan, lower than the All-Japan Formula Three Championship, but above F4.
The 2010 Formula Nippon Championship was the 24th season of the premier Japanese open-wheel motor racing series. The series for Formula Nippon racing cars was contested over eight races at seven rounds, beginning on 18 April at Suzuka and ending at the same venue on 7 November. A non-championship meeting at Fuji Speedway completed the season's racing a week later.
The 2011 Formula Nippon Championship was the 25th season of the premier Japanese open-wheel motor racing series. The series for Formula Nippon racing cars was contested over seven rounds.
The 2012 Japanese Formula 3 Championship was an open wheel motor racing series held for Formula 3 cars based in Japan. It was the 34th edition of the Japanese Formula 3 Championship. It commenced on 14 April at Suzuka and ended on 14 October at Fuji Speedway after 15 races held at seven race meetings.
Kei Cozzolino is Japanese-born Italian racing driver who races under an Italian licence. He competed in the World Touring Car Championship at the 2012 Guia Race of Macau.
Paulo Carcasci is a former Brazilian racing driver. Carcasci won the 1985 European FF 1600 Championship , 1988 BBC FF2000 Championship, 1991 All-Japan Formula Three Championship and the Gold Cup in Formula 3000.
