1997 Formula Nippon 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.

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 Jr.	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	Ryō 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

Race	Track	Date	Pole position	Fastest Race Lap	Winning driver	Winning team
1	Suzuka Circuit	27 April	Toranosuke Takagi	Katsutomo Kaneishi	Pedro de la Rosa	Shionogi Team Nova
2	Mine Circuit	18 May	Toranosuke Takagi	Katsumi Yamamoto	Pedro de la Rosa	Shionogi Team Nova
3	Fuji Speedway	1 June	Takuya Kurosawa	Takuya Kurosawa	Takuya Kurosawa	Team Impul
4	Suzuka Circuit	6 July	Toranosuke Takagi	Masahiko Kageyama	Toranosuke Takagi	PIAA Nakajima Racing
5	Sportsland SUGO	3 August	Pedro de la Rosa	Norberto Fontana	Pedro de la Rosa	Shionogi Team Nova
6	Fuji Speedway	31 August	Pedro de la Rosa	Pedro de la Rosa	Pedro de la Rosa	Shionogi Team Nova
7	Mine Circuit	14 September	Toranosuke Takagi	Pedro de la Rosa	Norberto Fontana	Team LeMans
8	Twin Ring Motegi	28 September	Pedro de la Rosa	Masami Kageyama	Pedro de la Rosa	Shionogi Team Nova
9	Fuji Speedway	19 October	Katsutomo Kaneishi	Pedro de la Rosa	Katsutomo Kaneishi	Funai Super Aguri
10	Suzuka Circuit	9 November	Pedro de la Rosa	Masahiko Kageyama	Pedro de la Rosa	Shionogi Team Nova

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 Jr.	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	Ryō Michigami										Ret	0

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

1997 Formula Nippon Championship

Teams and drivers

Race calendar and results

Championship standings

Drivers' Championship

Teams' Championship

External links

Related Articles

Timelines

Top Qs

Fact Checks