1997 Formula Nippon Championship

Last updated March 05, 2024

The 1997 Formula Nippon Championship was contested over 10 rounds. 17 different teams, 37 different drivers, 3 different chassis and 2 different engines competed.

Teams and drivers

Team	#	Driver	Chassis	Engine	Rounds
Team LeMans	1	Norberto Fontana	Reynard 96D Reynard 97D	Mugen MF308	All
	2	Esteban Tuero	Reynard 96D		1–6
		Michael Krumm			8
		Yuji Tachikawa			9–10
Asahi Kiko Sports	3	Atsushi Kawamoto	Reynard 96D	Mugen MF308	All
Team 5ZIGEN	5	Marc Goossens	Reynard 96D	Judd KV2 Mugen MF308	All
	6	Risto Virtanen	Reynard 95D Reynard 96D	Judd KV2	1–3
	6	Eiichi Tajima	Reynard 95D Reynard 96D	Judd KV2	4–10
Team Anabuki Dome with Mugen	8	Juichi Wakisaka	Dome F104	Mugen MF308	All
Shionogi Team Nova	9	Pedro de la Rosa	Lola T97/51	Mugen MF308	All
Shionogi Team Nova	10	Akira Iida	Lola T97/51	Mugen MF308	All
Team Cerumo	11	Hidetoshi Mitsusada	Lola T96/52	Mugen MF308	1–9
	11	Michael Krumm	Lola T96/52	Mugen MF308	10
	12	Sarah Kavanagh	Reynard 95D Lola T94/50	Cosworth AC Mugen MF308	1–2
	12	Shinsuke Shibahara	Reynard 95D Lola T94/50	Cosworth AC Mugen MF308	8–10
Team TMS	17	Masahiko Kondo	Reynard 97D	Mugen MF308	All
Team TMS	18	Ralph Firman	Reynard 97D	Mugen MF308	All
Team Impul	19	Takuya Kurosawa	Lola T96/52	Mugen MF308	All
Team Impul	20	Masahiko Kageyama	Reynard 96D Lola T95/50	Mugen MF308	All
Be Brides ARP Asuka	21	Tetsuya Tanaka	Lola T95/50	Mugen MF308	1, 5–10
Navi Connection Racing Team	27	Masami Kageyama	Reynard 96D Reynard 97D	Mugen MF308	All
Navi Connection Racing Team	28	Katsumi Yamamoto	Reynard 95D Reynard 96D	Mugen MF308	All
Super Nova with Mirai Kamome Service with Mirai	32	Vincenzo Sospiri	Reynard 95D	Mugen MF308	9–10
Super Nova with Mirai Kamome Service with Mirai	33	Toshio Suzuki	Reynard 95D	Mugen MF308	All
Auto Tech Stellar STP Stellar	34	Mauro Martini	Reynard 96D	Mugen MF308	3
		Andrew Gilbert-Scott			4, 6, 9
		Andrea Boldrini			7–8, 10
	35	Michael Krumm	Reynard 96D		1–3
	35	Marco Apicella	Reynard 96D		4–10
Takagi B-1 Racing Team	36	Tetsuji Tamanaka	Lola T95/50	Mugen MF308	All
Takagi B-1 Racing Team	37	Masao Yamada	Lola T94/50	Mugen MF308	1–5, 7–10
Funai Super Aguri	55	Katsutomo Kaneishi	Reynard 96D	Mugen MF308	All
	56	Satoshi Motoyama	Reynard 94D Reynard 97D Reynard 95D		1–9
	56	Ryo Michigami	Reynard 94D Reynard 97D Reynard 95D		10
Team LeyJun Sri Lanka with Team LeyJun	62	Tetsushi Toda	Reynard 94D	Mugen MF308	4–8
	63	Dilantha Malagamuwa	Reynard 96D		1–5
	63	"Osamu"	Reynard 96D		6–10
PIAA Nakajima Racing	64	Toranosuke Takagi	Reynard 97D	Mugen MF308	All
PIAA Nakajima Racing	65	Koji Yamanishi	Reynard 97D	Mugen MF308	All

Calendar

Race No	Track	Country	Date	Laps	Distance	Time	Speed	Winner	Pole Position	Fastest Race Lap
1	Suzuka	Japan	27 April 1997	35	5.864=205.241 km	1'03:21.391	194.368 km/h	Pedro de la Rosa	Toranosuke Takagi	Katsutomo Kaneishi
2	Mine	Japan	18 May 1997	62	3.239=200.818 km	1'21:52.463	147.165 km/h	Pedro de la Rosa	Toranosuke Takagi	Katsumi Yamamoto
3	Fuji	Japan	1 June 1997	45	4.470=201.15 km	0'59:08.195	204.087 km/h	Takuya Kurosawa	Takuya Kurosawa (ss) Pedro de la Rosa (fq)	Takuya Kurosawa
4	Suzuka	Japan	6 July 1997	35	5.864=205.241 km	1'03:54.672	192.681 km/h	Toranosuke Takagi	Toranosuke Takagi (ss) Pedro de la Rosa (fq)	Masahiko Kageyama
5	Sugo	Japan	3 August 1997	54	3.704=200.016 km	1'09:24.918	172.886 km/h	Pedro de la Rosa	Pedro de la Rosa (ss) Masahiko Kageyama (fq)	Norberto Fontana
6	Fuji	Japan	31 August 1997	45	4.470=201.15 km	0'59:22.035	203.294 km/h	Pedro de la Rosa	Pedro de la Rosa	Pedro de la Rosa
7	Mine	Japan	14 September 1997	62	3.239=200.818 km	1'21:57.038	147.029 km/h	Norberto Fontana	Toranosuke Takagi	Pedro de la Rosa
8	Motegi	Japan	28 September 1997	43	4.796=206.228 km	1'09:34.297	177.855 km/h	Pedro de la Rosa	Pedro de la Rosa	Masami Kageyama
9	Fuji	Japan	19 October 1997	45	4.470=201.15 km	1'01:29.628	196.264 km/h	Katsutomo Kaneishi	Katsutomo Kaneishi (ss) Norberto Fontana (fq)	Pedro de la Rosa
10	Suzuka	Japan	9 November 1997	35	5.864=205.241 km	1'02:07.829	198.203 km/h	Pedro de la Rosa	Pedro de la Rosa	Masahiko Kageyama

Note:

Race 2 first finisher Norberto Fontana 1'21:51.024/147.209 km/h, but 1 minute penalty.

(ss) indicate the winner of the special stage, who started from pole - (fq) indicate the original fastest qualifier. In all other races, the fastest qualifier was also the winner of the special stage.

Championship standings

Drivers' Championship

Scoring system

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
Points	10	6	4	3	2	1

Rank	Name	SUZ	MIN	FUJ	SUZ	SGO	FUJ	MIN	MOT	FUJ	SUZ	Points
1	Pedro de la Rosa	1	1	2	3	1	1	2	1	2	1	82
2	Takuya Kurosawa	2	2	1	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	2	28
3	Norberto Fontana	9	8	6	Ret	7	2	1	3	Ret	Ret	21
4	Hidetoshi Mitsusada	3	7	4	4	Ret	3	3	9	5		20
5	Masami Kageyama	11	9	11	5	6	4	7	2	3	4	19
6	Toranosuke Takagi	Ret	DNS	3	1	Ret	Ret	5	Ret	Ret	5	18
7	Masahiko Kageyama	Ret	Ret	5	2	3	Ret	15	Ret	12	3	16
8	Ralph Firman	Ret	4	15	6	2	13	Ret	5	Ret	11	12
9	Katsutomo Kaneishi	7	Ret	Ret	10	Ret	18	8	Ret	1	Ret	10
10	Akira Iida	6	3	Ret	7	Ret	5	10	11	Ret	13	7
11	Satoshi Motoyama	4	DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	Ret	4		7
12	Marco Apicella				8	5	8	4	Ret	6	8	6
13	Toshio Suzuki	8	5	7	Ret	4	16	9	8	Ret	9	5
14	Juichi Wakisaka	12	6	Ret	Ret	Ret	7	11	4	Ret	Ret	4
15	Koji Yamanishi	5	Ret	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	17	Ret	7	2
16	Esteban Tuero	Ret	Ret	9	11	Ret	6					1
17	Michael Krumm	Ret	13	Ret					6		10	1
18	Tetsuya Tanaka	Ret				Ret	11	14	Ret	13	6	1
19	Katsumi Yamamoto	10	Ret	Ret	9	Ret	12	Ret	14	7	Ret	0
20	Andrea Boldrini							13	7		Ret	0
21	Atsushi Kawamoto	Ret	10	16	15	9	Ret	12	15	8	14	0
22	Masahiko Kondo	15	DNS	12	14	8	14	Ret	13	11	Ret	0
23	Eiichi Tajima				13	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	0
24	Yuji Tachikawa									9	Ret	0
25	Marc Goossens	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	Ret	10	Ret	Ret	0
26	Dilantha Malagamuwa	Ret	11	14	Ret	10						0
27	Shinsuke Shibahara								12	10	Ret	0
28	Risto Virtanen	Ret	Ret	10								0
29	Andrew Gilbert-Scott				12		Ret			14		0
30	Masao Yamada	Ret	12	Ret	Ret	DSQ		DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	0
31	Tetsuji Tamanaka	13	Ret	13	16	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNQ	DNQ	0
32	Sarah Kavanagh	14	Ret									0
33	"Osamu"						15	16	16	Ret	16	0
34	Vincenzo Sospiri									Ret	15	0
35	Tetsushi Toda				17	Ret	17	17	DNQ			0
36	Mauro Martini			Ret								0
37	Ryo Michigami										Ret	0

Teams' Championship

Rank	Name	Car	SUZ	MIN	FUJ	SUZ	SGO	FUJ	MIN	MOT	FUJ	SUZ	Points
1	Shionogi Nova	9	1	1	2	3	1	1	2	1	2	1	89
1	Shionogi Nova	10	6	3	Ret	7	Ret	5	10	11	Ret	13	89
2	Impul	19	2	2	1	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	2	44
2	Impul	20	Ret	Ret	5	2	3	Ret	15	Ret	12	3	44
3	LeMans	1	9	8	6	Ret	7	2	1	3	Ret	Ret	23
3	LeMans	2	Ret	Ret	9	11	Ret	6		6	9	Ret	23
4	PIAA Nakajima	64	Ret	DNS	3	1	Ret	Ret	5	Ret	Ret	5	20
4	PIAA Nakajima	65	5	Ret	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	17	Ret	7	20
5	Cerumo	11	3	7	4	4	Ret	3	3	9	5	10	20
5	Cerumo	12	14	Ret						12	10	Ret	20
6	Navi Connection	27	11	9	11	5	6	4	7	2	3	4	19
6	Navi Connection	28	10	Ret	Ret	9	Ret	12	Ret	14	7	Ret	19
7	Funai Super Aguri	55	7	Ret	Ret	10	Ret	18	8	Ret	1	Ret	17
7	Funai Super Aguri	56	4	DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	Ret	4	Ret	17
8	Team TMS	17	15	DNS	12	14	8	14	Ret	13	11	Ret	12
8	Team TMS	18	Ret	4	15	6	2	13	Ret	5	Ret	11	12
9	Stellar	34			Ret	12		Ret	13	7	14	Ret	6
9	Stellar	35	Ret	13	Ret	8	5	8	4	Ret	6	8	6
10	Mirai	32									Ret	15	5
10	Mirai	33	8	5	7	Ret	4	16	9	8	Ret	9	5
11	Dome with Mugen	8	12	6	Ret	Ret	Ret	7	11	4	Ret	Ret	4
12	Be Brides	21	Ret				Ret	11	14	Ret	13	6	1
13	Asahi Kiko Sports	3	Ret	10	16	15	9	Ret	12	15	8	14	0
14	5ZIGEN	5	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	Ret	10	Ret	Ret	0
14	5ZIGEN	6	Ret	Ret	10	13	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	0
15	Team LeyJUN	62				17	Ret	17	17	DNQ			0
15	Team LeyJUN	63	Ret	11	14	Ret	10	15	16	16	Ret	16	0
16	Takagi B-1 Racing	36	13	Ret	13	16	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNQ	DNQ	0
16	Takagi B-1 Racing	37	Ret	12	Ret	Ret	DSQ		DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	0

External links

1997 Japanese Championship Formula Nippon

Related Research Articles

Toranosuke "Tora" Takagi is a Japanese former racing driver.

The Japanese Super Formula Championship is a formula racing series held primarily in Japan. It is considered to be the pinnacle of single-seater racing in Japan or Asia as a whole, making it one of the top motorsport series in the region. The series is sanctioned by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) and managed by Japan Race Promotion (JRP). As of 2024, Super Formula is the second fastest racing series in the world, after Formula One.

Marco Apicella is an Italian former professional racing driver. He competed in one Formula One Grand Prix for the Jordan team in the 1993 Italian Grand Prix. He later won the 1994 Japanese Formula 3000 Championship driving for Dome.

Christian Josef Danner is a former racing driver from Germany.

Kazuyoshi Hoshino is a Japanese former racing driver and businessman.

Seiji Ara is a Japanese race car driver.

Peter James Dumbreck is a British professional racing driver from Scotland.

Michael Krumm is a German professional racing driver. He won the All-Japan GT Championship in the GT500 class in 1997 and 2003 for TOM'S and Nismo, respectively, and in 2011 he won the FIA GT1 World Championship driving for JR Motorsports.

Hidetoshi Mitsusada is a former racing driver and current motorsport announcer from Japan. He currently serves as a commentator for Super GT on J Sports, partnering lead announcer Sascha Boeckle on its live broadcasts.

André Couto is a Macanese motor racing driver who is best known for winning his home F3 Grand Prix in 2000 and Japan's Super GT GT300 Championship in 2015.

Andrew Michael Gilbert-Scott is a British former racing driver.

The 1986 International Formula 3000 Championship was contested over an eleven-round series. A total of 28 different teams, 71 different drivers, 7 different chassis and 2 different engines competed.

The 1996 Formula Nippon Championship was the first season under the name Formula Nippon; before 1996, the category was named Japanese Formula 3000. This season was contested over 10 rounds. Fifteen different teams, 28 different drivers, three different chassis and three different engines competed. Ralf Schumacher won the championship, winning three races.

The 1998 Formula Nippon Championship was scheduled over 10 rounds and contested over 9 rounds. 14 different teams, 29 different drivers, 3 different chassis and only 1 engine competed. Each round saw a Special Stage after the original qualifying. The best six qualifiers had to compete in a separate session for the pole.

The 2001 Formula Nippon Championship was contested over 10 rounds. 11 different teams, 23 different drivers, 2 different chassis and only 1 engine competed.

Loïc Jean-Claude Duval is a French professional racing driver racing for Audi Sport as a factory driver in DTM and driving for Dragon Racing in Formula E. He won the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans with Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen driving the Audi R18 for Audi Sport. So far he won 42 races in the different categories he raced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nakajima Racing</span> Japanese Super Formula and Super GT team

Nakajima Planning Co., Ltd, racing as Nakajima Racing, is a Super Formula and Super GT team organized and founded by Satoru Nakajima in 1983. The team has fielded four championship winners in the Formula Nippon racing series: Tom Coronel, Toranosuke Takagi, Ralph Firman and Loïc Duval. The organization races exclusively in Japan, although the drivers have different nationalities, and competes almost exclusively with Honda or Mugen based cars/engines.

Benoît Tréluyer is a French professional racing driver.

Dominik Schwager is a German auto racing driver.

Masami Kageyama is a Japanese racing driver from Kanagawa Prefecture. His older brother is Masahiko Kageyama who was also a successful racing driver in similar categories.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

v t e Super Formula Championship
Previous names: Japanese Formula 2000 Japanese Formula Two Japanese Formula 3000 Formula Nippon
Formula 2000	1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
Formula Two	1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
Formula 3000	1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
Formula Nippon	1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Super Formula	2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024