2012 Formula Nippon Championship

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Car of 2012 champion Kazuki Nakajima, pictured in 2022 Suzuka Fan Thanksgiving Day 2022 (4) - PETRONAS TEAM TOM'S FN09 in 2012 Japanese Championship Formula Nippon.jpg
Car of 2012 champion Kazuki Nakajima, pictured in 2022
Kazuki Nakajima, the 2012 Formula Nippon champion. Kazuki Nakajima 2009 Motorsport Japan 1.jpg
Kazuki Nakajima, the 2012 Formula Nippon champion.

The 2012 Formula Nippon Championship was the fortieth season of the premier Japanese open-wheel motor racing series. The series for Formula Nippon racing cars was contested over seven rounds with a non-championship final round at Fuji Speedway as part of the JAF Grand Prix. The two-time Le Mans winner André Lotterer was the defending champion.

This was also the final season run under the name Formula Nippon, the series would be renamed into Japanese Championship Super Formula, a name selected by public, in 2013. [1]

Teams and drivers

TeamNo.DriverEngineRounds
Flag of Japan.svg Petronas Team TOM'S 1 Flag of Germany.svg André Lotterer [2] Toyota RV8KAll
2 Flag of Japan.svg Kazuki Nakajima [2] Toyota RV8KAll
Flag of Japan.svg Kondō Racing 3 Flag of Japan.svg Hironobu Yasuda [2] Toyota RV8KAll
Flag of Japan.svg Team LeMans 7 Flag of Japan.svg Kazuya Oshima [2] Toyota RV8KAll
Flag of Japan.svg Team Kygnus Sunoco8 Flag of France.svg Loïc Duval [2] Toyota RV8KAll
Flag of Japan.svg HP Real Racing 10 Flag of Japan.svg Toshihiro Kaneishi [2] Honda HR12EAll
11 Flag of Japan.svg Yuhki Nakayama Honda HR12E4–5
Flag of Japan.svg Team Mugen 15 Flag of Japan.svg Takuma Sato [3] Honda HR12E6–7
16 Flag of Japan.svg Naoki Yamamoto [2] Honda HR12EAll
Flag of Japan.svg SGC by KCMG 18 Flag of Japan.svg Ryo Orime [2] Toyota RV8KAll
Flag of Japan.svg Team Impul 19 Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo de Oliveira [2] Toyota RV8KAll
20 Flag of Japan.svg Tsugio Matsuda [2] Toyota RV8KAll
Flag of Japan.svg Nakajima Racing 31 Flag of Japan.svg Daisuke Nakajima [2] Honda HR12EAll
32 Flag of Japan.svg Takashi Kogure [2] Honda HR12EAll
Flag of Japan.svg Project μ/cerumoINGING 38 Flag of Japan.svg Kohei Hirate [2] Toyota RV8KAll
39 Flag of Japan.svg Yuji Kunimoto [2] Toyota RV8KAll
Flag of Japan.svg Docomo Team Dandelion Racing 40 Flag of Japan.svg Takuya Izawa [2] Honda HR12EAll
41 Flag of Japan.svg Koudai Tsukakoshi [2] Honda HR12EAll
Flag of Japan.svg Le Beausset Motorsports62 Flag of Japan.svg Koki Saga [2] Toyota RV8KAll

Note:All drivers (except Yuhki Nakayama) also participated the non-Championship JAF Grand Prix.

Race calendar and results

RoundCircuitDatePole PositionFastest LapWinning DriverWinning Team
1 Suzuka Circuit 15 April Flag of Japan.svg Takuya Izawa Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo de Oliveira Flag of Japan.svg Kazuki Nakajima Petronas Team TOM'S
2 Twin Ring Motegi 13 May Flag of Germany.svg André Lotterer Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo de Oliveira Flag of Germany.svg André Lotterer Petronas Team TOM'S
3 Autopolis 27 May Flag of Japan.svg Koudai Tsukakoshi Flag of Japan.svg Hironobu Yasuda Flag of Japan.svg Koudai Tsukakoshi Docomo Team Dandelion Racing
4 Fuji Speedway 15 July Flag of Japan.svg Kazuki Nakajima Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo de Oliveira Flag of Germany.svg André Lotterer Petronas Team TOM'S
5 Twin Ring Motegi 5 August Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo de Oliveira Flag of Japan.svg Hironobu Yasuda Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo de Oliveira Team Impul
6 Sportsland SUGO 23 September Flag of Japan.svg Takuya Izawa Flag of France.svg Loïc Duval Flag of Japan.svg Takuya Izawa Docomo Team Dandelion Racing
7 Suzuka Circuit 4 November Flag of Japan.svg Tsugio Matsuda Flag of Japan.svg Takuya Izawa Flag of Japan.svg Takuya Izawa Docomo Team Dandelion Racing
Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo de Oliveira Flag of Japan.svg Kohei Hirate Flag of Japan.svg Kazuki Nakajima Petronas Team TOM'S
NC Fuji Speedway 18 November Flag of Japan.svg Koudai Tsukakoshi Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo de Oliveira Flag of Japan.svg Takuya Izawa Docomo Team Dandelion Racing

Championship standings

Drivers' Championship

Scoring system
RoundPosition1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8thPole
1–6Points1086543211
78432.521.510.51
PosDriver SUZ MOT AUT FUJ MOT SUG SUZ FUJ Points
1 Flag of Japan.svg Kazuki Nakajima 135245121746
2 Flag of Japan.svg Koudai Tsukakoshi 25193233Ret43
3 Flag of Japan.svg Takuya Izawa 642135116141.5
4 Flag of Germany.svg André Lotterer 51Ret121058DSQ35.5
5 Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo de Oliveira 32Ret6164Ret234.5
6 Flag of France.svg Loïc Duval 911346372325
7 Flag of Japan.svg Kazuya Oshima 4863Ret4871021.5
8 Flag of Japan.svg Tsugio Matsuda 86457Ret2Ret520
9 Flag of Japan.svg Kohei Hirate 10NC77889568
10 Flag of Japan.svg Takashi Kogure 15Ret101013Ret64114
11 Flag of Japan.svg Naoki Yamamoto 77912Ret1415Ret84
12 Flag of Japan.svg Toshihiro Kaneishi 121312Ret1171414122
13 Flag of Japan.svg Yuji Kunimoto 149881013111242
14 Flag of Japan.svg Hironobu Yasuda 11121316911139160
15 Flag of Japan.svg Takuma Sato 91710130
16 Flag of Japan.svg Daisuke Nakajima 161011111212101190
17 Flag of Japan.svg Koki Saga1314Ret14Ret151613140
18 Flag of Japan.svg Yuhki Nakayama 15140
19 Flag of Japan.svg Ryo Orime 1715RetRetRetRet1815150
PosDriver SUZ MOT AUT FUJ MOT SUG SUZ FUJ Points
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints finish
BlueNon-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
BlankDid not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

Teams' Championship

PosTeamNo. SUZ MOT AUT FUJ MOT SUG SUZ FUJ Points
1 Docomo Team Dandelion Racing 40642135116178.5
4125193233Ret
2 Petronas Team TOM'S 151Ret121058DSQ76.5
21352451217
3 Team Impul 1932Ret6164Ret251.5
2086457Ret2Ret5
4Team Kygnus Sunoco8911346372325
5 Team LeMans 74863Ret4871021.5
6Project μ/cerumoINGING 3810NC778895610
3914988101311124
7 Nakajima Racing 31161011111212101194
3215Ret101013Ret6411
8 Mugen 1591710134
1677912Ret1415Ret8
9 HP Real Racing 10121312Ret1171414122
111514
10 Kondō Racing 311121316911139160
11Le Beausset Motorsports621314Ret14151613140
12 SGC by KCMG 181715RetRetRetRet1815150
PosTeamNo. SUZ MOT AUT FUJ MOT SUG SUZ FUJ Points
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints finish
BlueNon-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
BlankDid not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

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References

  1. "Forumula Nippon to be renamed Super Formula starting 2013, possible expansion in Asia". Response.jp. IID.Inc. 6 August 2012. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Entry List". Formula Nippon . Japan Race Promotion Company, Ltd. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  3. "Takuma Sato will join TEAM MUGEN to challenge Formula NIPPON Round6 SPORTSLAND SUGO, Round7 SUZUKA CIRCUIT, and JAF GP FUJI SPRINT CUP". Mugen Power. Mugen Motorsports. 14 June 2012. Archived from the original on 30 May 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  4. "2012 International Sporting Calendar" (PDF). FIA.com. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 20 April 2012. p. 6. Retrieved 23 April 2012.