1997 Formula Nippon Championship

Formula Nippon Championship 1997 Related series:1997 International Formula 3000 Championship1997 British Formula 3000 Championship The 1997 Formula Nippon Championship was the twenty-fifth season of premier Japanese single-seater racing, and the second under the Formula Nippon name and the management of Japan Race Promotion (JRP). The series was contested over 10 rounds at five venues, including the new Twin Ring Motegi circuit. 17 different teams, 37 different drivers, three different chassis and three different engines competed. This was also the first season with Bridgestone as the series' sole tyre supplier, and the last with multiple engine suppliers before Mugen supplied engines to all teams in 1998. Beginning in 1997, each round saw a Special Stage after the original qualifying. The best six qualifiers had to compete in a separate session for the pole. Team Nova driver Pedro de la Rosa won the championship in his second season, with six wins and podium finishes in all ten races. He became the first driver to win the Formula Nippon and All-Japan Grand Touring Car GT500 Championships in the same year. Teams and drivers All teams competed with tyres supplied by Bridgestone. Team # Driver Chassis Engine RoundsTeam LeMans1ARG Norberto FontanaReynard 96DReynard 97DMugen MF308All2ARG Esteban TueroReynard 96D1–6DEU Michael Krumm8JPN Yuji Tachikawa9–10Asahi Kiko Sports3JPN Atsushi KawamotoReynard 96DMugen MF308AllTeam 5ZIGEN5BEL Marc GoossensReynard 96DJudd KV2Mugen MF308All6FIN Risto VirtanenReynard 95DReynard 96DJudd KV21–3JPN Eiichi Tajima4–10Team Anabuki Dome with Mugen8JPN Juichi WakisakaDome F104Mugen MF308AllShionogi Team Nova9ESP Pedro de la RosaLola T97/51Mugen MF308All10JPN Akira IidaAllTeam Cerumo11JPN Hidetoshi MitsusadaLola T96/52Mugen MF3081–9DEU Michael Krumm1012IRL Sarah KavanaghReynard 95DLola T94/50Cosworth ACMugen MF3081–2JPN Shinsuke Shibahara8–10Team TMS17JPN Masahiko KondoReynard 97DMugen MF308All18IRL Ralph Firman Jr.AllTeam Impul19JPN Takuya KurosawaLola T96/52Mugen MF308All20JPN Masahiko KageyamaReynard 96DLola T95/50AllBe Brides ARP Asuka21JPN Tetsuya TanakaLola T95/50Mugen MF3081, 5–10Navi Connection Racing Team27JPN Masami KageyamaReynard 96DReynard 97DMugen MF308All28JPN Katsumi YamamotoReynard 95DReynard 96DAllSuper Nova with MiraiKamome Service with Mirai32ITA Vincenzo SospiriReynard 95DMugen MF3089–1033JPN Toshio SuzukiReynard 95DAllAuto Tech StellarSTP Stellar34ITA Mauro MartiniReynard 96DMugen MF3083GBR Andrew Gilbert-Scott4, 6, 9ITA Andrea Boldrini7–8, 1035DEU Michael KrummReynard 96D1–3ITA Marco Apicella4–10Takagi B-1 Racing Team36JPN Tetsuji TamanakaLola T95/50Mugen MF308All37JPN Masao YamadaLola T94/501–5, 7–10Funai Super Aguri55JPN Katsutomo KaneishiReynard 96DMugen MF308All56JPN Satoshi MotoyamaReynard 94DReynard 97DReynard 95D1–9JPN Ryō Michigami10Team LeyJunSri Lanka with Team LeyJun62JPN Tetsushi TodaReynard 94DMugen MF3084–863LKA Dilantha MalagamuwaReynard 96D1–5JPN "Osamu"6–10PIAA Nakajima Racing64JPN Toranosuke TakagiReynard 97DMugen MF308All65JPN Koji YamanishiAll Race calendar and results All races were held in Japan. RaceTrackDatePole positionFastest Race LapWinning driverWinning team1Suzuka Circuit27 AprilJPN Toranosuke TakagiJPN Katsutomo KaneishiESP Pedro de la RosaShionogi Team Nova2Mine Circuit18 MayJPN Toranosuke TakagiJPN Katsumi YamamotoESP Pedro de la RosaShionogi Team Nova3Fuji Speedway1 JuneJPN Takuya KurosawaJPN Takuya KurosawaJPN Takuya KurosawaTeam Impul4Suzuka Circuit6 JulyJPN Toranosuke TakagiJPN Masahiko KageyamaJPN Toranosuke TakagiPIAA Nakajima Racing5Sportsland SUGO3 AugustESP Pedro de la RosaARG Norberto FontanaESP Pedro de la RosaShionogi Team Nova6Fuji Speedway31 AugustESP Pedro de la RosaESP Pedro de la RosaESP Pedro de la RosaShionogi Team Nova7Mine Circuit14 SeptemberJPN Toranosuke TakagiESP Pedro de la RosaARG Norberto FontanaTeam LeMans8Twin Ring Motegi28 SeptemberESP Pedro de la RosaJPN Masami KageyamaESP Pedro de la RosaShionogi Team Nova9Fuji Speedway19 OctoberJPN Katsutomo KaneishiESP Pedro de la RosaJPN Katsutomo KaneishiFunai Super Aguri10Suzuka Circuit9 NovemberESP Pedro de la RosaJPN Masahiko KageyamaESP Pedro de la RosaShionogi Team Nova 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 ESP Pedro de la Rosa 1 1 2 3 1 1 2 1 2 1 82 2 JPN Takuya Kurosawa 2 2 1 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 2 28 3 ARG Norberto Fontana 9 8 6 Ret 7 2 1 3 Ret Ret 21 4 JPN Hidetoshi Mitsusada 3 7 4 4 Ret 3 3 9 5 20 5 JPN Masami Kageyama 11 9 11 5 6 4 7 2 3 4 19 6 JPN Toranosuke Takagi Ret DNS 3 1 Ret Ret 5 Ret Ret 5 18 7 JPN Masahiko Kageyama Ret Ret 5 2 3 Ret 15 Ret 12 3 16 8 IRL Ralph Firman Jr. Ret 4 15 6 2 13 Ret 5 Ret 11 12 9 JPN Katsutomo Kaneishi 7 Ret Ret 10 Ret 18 8 Ret 1 Ret 10 10 JPN Akira Iida 6 3 Ret 7 Ret 5 10 11 Ret 13 7 11 JPN Satoshi Motoyama 4 DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret 4 7 12 ITA Marco Apicella 8 5 8 4 Ret 6 8 6 13 JPN Toshio Suzuki 8 5 7 Ret 4 16 9 8 Ret 9 5 14 JPN Juichi Wakisaka 12 6 Ret Ret Ret 7 11 4 Ret Ret 4 15 JPN Koji Yamanishi 5 Ret 8 Ret Ret Ret Ret 17 Ret 7 2 16 ARG Esteban Tuero Ret Ret 9 11 Ret 6 1 17 DEU Michael Krumm Ret 13 Ret 6 10 1 18 JPN Tetsuya Tanaka Ret Ret 11 14 Ret 13 6 1 19 JPN Katsumi Yamamoto 10 Ret Ret 9 Ret 12 Ret 14 7 Ret 0 20 ITA Andrea Boldrini 13 7 Ret 0 21 JPN Atsushi Kawamoto Ret 10 16 15 9 Ret 12 15 8 14 0 22 JPN Masahiko Kondo 15 DNS 12 14 8 14 Ret 13 11 Ret 0 23 JPN Eiichi Tajima 13 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret 12 0 24 JPN Yuji Tachikawa 9 Ret 0 25 BEL Marc Goossens Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 10 Ret 10 Ret Ret 0 26 LKA Dilantha Malagamuwa Ret 11 14 Ret 10 0 27 JPN Shinsuke Shibahara 12 10 Ret 0 28 FIN Risto Virtanen Ret Ret 10 0 29 GBR Andrew Gilbert-Scott 12 Ret 14 0 30 JPN Masao Yamada Ret 12 Ret Ret DSQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0 31 JPN Tetsuji Tamanaka 13 Ret 13 16 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNQ DNQ 0 32 IRL Sarah Kavanagh 14 Ret 0 33 JPN "Osamu" 15 16 16 Ret 16 0 34 ITA Vincenzo Sospiri Ret 15 0 35 JPN Tetsushi Toda 17 Ret 17 17 DNQ 0 36 ITA Mauro Martini Ret 0 37 JPN Ryō 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 10 6 3 Ret 7 Ret 5 10 11 Ret 13 2 Impul 19 2 2 1 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 2 44 20 Ret Ret 5 2 3 Ret 15 Ret 12 3 3 LeMans 1 9 8 6 Ret 7 2 1 3 Ret Ret 23 2 Ret Ret 9 11 Ret 6 6 9 Ret 4 PIAA Nakajima 64 Ret DNS 3 1 Ret Ret 5 Ret Ret 5 20 65 5 Ret 8 Ret Ret Ret Ret 17 Ret 7 5 Cerumo 11 3 7 4 4 Ret 3 3 9 5 10 20 12 14 Ret 12 10 Ret 6 Navi Connection 27 11 9 11 5 6 4 7 2 3 4 19 28 10 Ret Ret 9 Ret 12 Ret 14 7 Ret 7 Funai Super Aguri 55 7 Ret Ret 10 Ret 18 8 Ret 1 Ret 17 56 4 DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret 4 Ret 8 Team TMS 17 15 DNS 12 14 8 14 Ret 13 11 Ret 12 18 Ret 4 15 6 2 13 Ret 5 Ret 11 9 Stellar 34 Ret 12 Ret 13 7 14 Ret 6 35 Ret 13 Ret 8 5 8 4 Ret 6 8 10 Mirai 32 Ret 15 5 33 8 5 7 Ret 4 16 9 8 Ret 9 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 6 Ret Ret 10 13 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret 12 15 Team LeyJUN 62 17 Ret 17 17 DNQ 0 63 Ret 11 14 Ret 10 15 16 16 Ret 16 16 Takagi B-1 Racing 36 13 Ret 13 16 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNQ DNQ 0 37 Ret 12 Ret Ret DSQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ External links 1997 Japanese Championship Formula Nippon Formula Nippon Category:Super Formula Nippon