Teams and drivers
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The 2012 Formula Challenge Japan was a multi-event motor racing championship for open-wheel formula racing cars, and the seventh running of the Formula Challenge Japan series, a young driver development series jointly supported by Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. The championship featured a mix of manufacturer-affiliated drivers and independent entries, and commenced on 7 April and ended on 4 November. [1] [2]
The championship featured a close battle between Honda-backed Nobuharu Matsushita and Toyota-supported Ryō Hirakawa; both drivers scored five wins over the course of the 12-race season, with Nissan-supported Mitsunori Takaboshi taking the remaining two victories. Matsushita would ultimately claim the championship title by countback over Hirakawa, with Takaboshi finishing third in the points standings.
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| Round | Circuit | Date | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winning driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fuji Speedway, Oyama | 7 April |  Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa |
| 2 | 8 April | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | |
| 3 | Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi | 12 May | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Ryō Hirakawa |
| 4 | 13 May | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Mitsunori Takaboshi | |
| 5 | Fuji Speedway, Oyama | 1 September | Nobuharu Matsushita | Nobuharu Matsushita | Nobuharu Matsushita |
| 6 | Nobuharu Matsushita | Nobuharu Matsushita | |||
| 7 | 2 September | Nobuharu Matsushita | Nobuharu Matsushita | ||
| 8 | Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka | 6 October | Ryō Hirakawa | Nobuharu Matsushita | Nobuharu Matsushita |
| 9 | 7 October | Nobuharu Matsushita | Ryō Hirakawa | ||
| 10 | Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka | 3 November | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa |
| 11 | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Nobuharu Matsushita | |||
| 12 | 4 November | Ryō Hirakawa | Mitsunori Takaboshi |
Points were awarded to the top six classified finishers, with one point awarded for pole position and fastest lap respectively.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | PP | FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
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Naoki Yamamoto is a Japanese racing driver for Honda Racing Corporation, currently driving in the Autobacs Super GT Series with Team Kunimitsu, and the Japanese Super Formula Championship with Nakajima Racing. He is a three-time champion in Super Formula, and a two-time champion in the GT500 class of Super GT. Yamamoto is also the only driver to have won both the Super Formula and GT500 championships in the same season multiple times, a feat which he accomplished in 2018 and 2020.
Jann Mardenborough is a British professional racing driver. In 2011 he became the third and youngest winner of the GT Academy competition, beating 90,000 entrants. He was rewarded with a drive for Nissan at the Dubai 24 Hour race, having never seriously competed in motorsport before, with most of his experience coming from sim racing. Subsequently, he competed full-time in the British GT Championship, Formula 3 European Championship, and GP3 Series. He also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing third in the LMP2 class on his debut in 2013. He competed for Nissan Motorsports in the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship, but the team withdrew from the series after one race because of a very uncompetitive car.
Ryō Hirakawa is a Japanese racing driver who is currently competing for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship and for Team Impul in Super Formula. He was Super GT GT500 champion in 2017, and finished runner-up in Super Formula in 2020. He has competed in the FIA World Endurance Championship in the Hypercar class since 2022, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in his debut season and the championship title in 2022 and 2023 alongside co-drivers Sébastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley. Hirakawa is also signed to McLaren's Driver Development Programme as a reserve driver for the 2024 Formula One season.
The 2014 Japanese Formula 3 Championship was the 36th edition of the Japanese Formula 3 Championship. It was held over 7 rounds and a total of 15 races, commencing on 12 April at Suzuka and culminating on 12 October at Fuji Speedway.
Nobuharu Matsushita is a Japanese racing driver currently competing in Super GT and Super Formula for Real Racing, and B-Max Racing.
Katsumasa Chiyo is a Japanese factory racing driver, currently competing in the Autobacs Super GT Series as a factory driver for Nissan. He is a graduate of the Nissan Driver Development Program (NDDP), and a past champion of the Bathurst 12 Hour race, and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup.
Kenta Yamashita is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who is currently competing in Super GT for ROOKIE Racing and in Super Formula for Kondō Racing. He won the GT500-class Super GT championship title in 2019, driving alongside Kazuya Oshima, and previously won the 2016 All-Japan Formula 3 Championship and the 2013 Formula Challenge Japan titles.
The 2017 Autobacs Super GT Series was the twenty-fifth season of the Japan Automobile Federation Super GT Championship including the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) era, and the thirteenth season under the name Super GT. It was the thirty-fifth overall season of a national JAF sportscar championship dating back to the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship. The season began on April 9 and ended on November 12, after 8 races.
The 2018 Autobacs Super GT Series was the twenty-sixth season of the Japan Automobile Federation Super GT Championship including the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) era and the fourteenth season the series has competed under the Super GT name. It was the thirty-sixth overall season of a national JAF sportscar championship dating back to the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship. The season began on April 8 and ended on November 11, after 8 races.
The 2018 Japanese Super Formula Championship was the forty-sixth season of premier Japanese open-wheel motor racing, and the sixth under the moniker of Super Formula. The season began on 22 April and is scheduled to end on 28 October at the same place after seven rounds.
The 2020 Super GT Series was motor racing championship based in Japan for grand touring cars. The series is sanctioned by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) and run by the GT Association (GTA). It was the twenty-eighth season of the Japan Automobile Federation Super GT Championship which includes the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) era and the sixteenth season the series to compete under the Super GT name. It was the thirty-eighth overall season of a JAF national sportscar championship dating back to the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship.
The 2021 Japanese Super Formula Championship was the forty-ninth season of premier Japanese open-wheel motor racing, and the ninth under the moniker of Super Formula. Naoki Yamamoto entered the 2021 season as the defending drivers' champion.
Ritomo Miyata is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who is currently competing in Super GT and Super Formula for TOM'S. He is the reigning Super Formula champion, and previously won the 2020 Super Formula Lights championship, as well as back-to-back titles in the FIA F4 Japanese Championship.
The 2022 Japanese Super Formula Championship was the fiftieth season of premier Japanese open-wheel motor racing, and the tenth under the moniker of Super Formula. It started in April 2022 and was contested over ten rounds across seven race meetings.
The 2022 Super GT Series was a motor racing championship based in Japan for grand touring cars, sanctioned by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) and run by the GT Association (GTA). It was the thirtieth season of the JAF Super GT Championship which includes the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship era, and the eighteenth season under the Super GT name. It was also the fortieth overall season of a national JAF sportscar championship dating back to the All Japan Endurance/Sports Prototype Championship.
Mitsunori Takaboshi is a Japanese racing driver. In 2017, he was crowned champion in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship.
Kazuki Hiramine is a Japanese racing driver, currently racing in the Super GT Series as a Nissan factory driver with Team Impul. He won the Super GT GT500 Championship in 2022, alongside co-driver Bertrand Baguette.
The 2013 Formula Challenge Japan was a multi-event motor racing championship for open-wheel formula racing cars, and the eighth and final season of the Formula Challenge Japan racing series, a young driver development series jointly supported by Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. The championship featured a mix of manufacturer-affiliated drivers and independent entries, and commenced on 30 March and ended on 10 November.
The 2011 Formula Challenge Japan was a multi-event motor racing championship for open-wheel formula racing cars, and the sixth season of the Formula Challenge Japan racing series, a young driver development series jointly supported by Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. The championship featured a mix of manufacturer-affiliated drivers and independent entries, and commenced on 23 April and ended on 6 November. Three race weekends were run in support of Formula Nippon, with the October round at Suzuka being held in support of the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix.
The 2010 Formula Challenge Japan was a multi-event motor racing championship for open-wheel formula racing cars, and the fifth season of the Formula Challenge Japan racing series, a young driver development series jointly supported by Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. The championship featured a mix of manufacturer-affiliated drivers and independent entries, and commenced on 22 May and ended on 7 November. Four race weekends were run in support of Formula Nippon, with the October round at Suzuka being held in support of the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix.
