2008 Formula Nippon Championship

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The 2008 Formula Nippon Championship was the thirty-sixth season of premier Japanese single-seater racing, and the thirteenth under the Formula Nippon moniker. The series was contested over 11 races across eight weekends at five venues, with three double-header race meetings awarding half-points added to the calendar. 11 teams and 22 drivers competed over the course of the season.

Defending champion Tsugio Matsuda of Team Impul successfully defended his title and won his second series championship, becoming the first driver since Satoru Nakajima to win consecutive championships in Japanese top formula racing. Together with teammate Benoît Tréluyer, Team Impul also secured the teams championship with a round to go.

This was the final season for Lola as the series' chassis supplier, and the last race for Toyota and Honda's three-litre, naturally-aspirated V8 engines that were introduced in 2006. This was also the final season for four-time Formula Nippon Champion Satoshi Motoyama, who retired from the series after 2008.

Teams and drivers

All teams used tyres supplied by Bridgestone and Lola B06/51 chassis.

More information Team, # ...
Team # Driver Engine Rounds
Lawson Team Impul 1 Japan Tsugio Matsuda Toyota RV8J All
2 France Benoît Tréluyer Toyota RV8J All
Kondo Racing 3 Japan Naoki Yokomizo Toyota RV8J All
4 Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Toyota RV8J All
SG Team 5Zigen 5 Japan Toshihiro Kaneishi Honda HF386E All
6 Japan Katsuyuki Hiranaka Honda HF386E 1–4, 7–8
Japan Hiroki Yoshimoto 5–6
Team LeMans 7 Japan Satoshi Motoyama Toyota RV8J All
8 Japan Hiroaki Ishiura Toyota RV8J All
TP Checker Team Impul 20 Japan Kohei Hirate Toyota RV8J 1–6, 8
United Kingdom Richard Lyons 7
PIAA Nakajima Racing 31 France Loïc Duval Honda HF386E All
32 Japan Takashi Kogure Honda HF386E All
Petronas Team TOM'S 36 Germany André Lotterer Toyota RV8J All
37 Japan Seiji Ara Toyota RV8J All
DoCoMo Team Dandelion Racing 40 Japan Kosuke Matsuura Honda HF386E All
41 Japan Takeshi Tsuchiya Honda HF386E All
Cerumo/Inging 47 Italy Ronnie Quintarelli Toyota RV8J All
48 Japan Yuji Tachikawa Toyota RV8J All
Autobacs Racing Team Aguri 55 Japan Yuji Ide Honda HF386E All
56 Japan Takuya Izawa Honda HF386E All
Stonemarket Blaak Cerumo/Inging 67 Brazil Roberto Streit Toyota RV8J All
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Calendar

2008 venues
  • All races held in Japan.
More information Round, Circuit ...
Round Circuit Date Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning team
1 Fuji Speedway 6 April Japan Tsugio Matsuda Japan Yuji Tachikawa Japan Tsugio Matsuda Team Impul
2 Suzuka Circuit 11 May Japan Tsugio Matsuda Japan Yuji Tachikawa Japan Tsugio Matsuda Team Impul
3 Twin Ring Motegi 25 May Japan Tsugio Matsuda Japan Tsugio Matsuda Japan Tsugio Matsuda Team Impul
4 Okayama International Circuit 8 June Japan Tsugio Matsuda Japan Satoshi Motoyama France Loïc Duval Nakajima Racing
5 Suzuka Circuit 13 July Japan Tsugio Matsuda Japan Hiroaki Ishiura Japan Tsugio Matsuda Team Impul
Japan Satoshi Motoyama1 Brazil Roberto Streit Japan Kohei Hirate Team Impul
6 Twin Ring Motegi 10 August Japan Tsugio Matsuda Brazil Roberto Streit France Loïc Duval Nakajima Racing
Japan Takeshi Tsuchiya1 Japan Takeshi Tsuchiya Japan Seiji Ara TOM'S Racing
7 Fuji Speedway 31 August Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Japan Takashi Kogure Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Kondō Racing
Japan Kosuke Matsuura1 Japan Toshihiro Kaneishi Japan Kosuke Matsuura Dandelion Racing
8 Sportsland SUGO 21 September Japan Satoshi Motoyama France Loïc Duval Japan Tsugio Matsuda Team Impul
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Championship standings

Drivers' Championship

Scoring system
More information Position, PP ...
Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 PP
Rds 1–4, 8 Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 1
Rds 5–7
R1		 Points 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1
Rds 5–7
R2		 Points 5 4 3 2 1 0
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* – In race 2 at the August Fuji meeting, the race was run behind the safety car for five laps before the race was halted. Half points were awarded.

More information Pos, Driver ...
Pos Driver FUJ SUZ MOT OKA SUZ MOT FUJ SUG Pts
1 Japan Tsugio Matsuda 1 1 1 Ret 1 8 2 2 4 5 1 93.5
2 France Loïc Duval 10 10 3 1 6 2 1 Ret 2 7 3 62
3 Germany André Lotterer Ret 3 2 2 2 4 11 7 5 4 12 49
4 Japan Kohei Hirate Ret 2 6 3 5 1 Ret DNS 5 42
5 Japan Takashi Kogure 6 5 Ret 9 3 7 5 Ret 3 6 2 41
6 Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Ret Ret 9 11 4 5 3 3 1 8 6 33
7 Japan Yuji Tachikawa 2 17 7 4 17 12 4 4 9 9 15 31
8 France Benoît Tréluyer 4 7 Ret 8 Ret 13 15 Ret 7 2 4 27
9 Italy Ronnie Quintarelli 5 8 Ret 7 10 9 Ret 13 6 3 7 21.5
10 Japan Takuya Izawa Ret 9 4 5 12 Ret Ret 12 18 17 8 19
11 Japan Satoshi Motoyama Ret 4 16 Ret 8 3 9 5 14 14 Ret 14
12 Japan Naoki Yokomizo NC 6 11 6 7 6 Ret 11 12 12 Ret 12
13 Brazil Roberto Streit 3 15 Ret Ret 11 10 Ret 9 19 18 10 11
14 Japan Seiji Ara Ret 11 10 10 13 11 7 1 10 10 16 9
15 Japan Toshihiro Kaneishi 11 Ret 5 14 Ret 14 6 Ret 16 20 11 9
16 Japan Hiroaki Ishiura 7 13 8 Ret 14 Ret 13 8 17 16 9 9
17 Japan Takeshi Tsuchiya 8 14 14 12 16 Ret 8 14 11 11 14 4
18 Japan Kosuke Matsuura 12 16 12 13 9 Ret 10 6 8 1 13 3.5
19 Japan Yuji Ide 9 18 15 NC 15 Ret 12 Ret NC 19 17 2
20 Japan Hiroki Yoshimoto 18 15 14 10 0
21 Japan Katsuyuki Hiranaka Ret 12 13 15 15 15 Ret 0
22 United Kingdom Richard Lyons 13 13 0
Pos Driver FUJ SUZ MOT OKA SUZ MOT FUJ SUG Pts
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints classification
BlueNon-points classification
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired, not classified (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold - Pole
Italics - Fastest Lap

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Teams' Championship

Scoring system
More information Position, Rds 1–4, 8 ...
Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Rds 1–4, 8 Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1
Rds 5–7
R1		 Points 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Rds 5–7
R2		 Points 5 4 3 2 1 0
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More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Car FUJ SUZ MOT OKA SUZ MOT FUJ SUG Pts
1 Lawson Team Impul 1 1 1 1 Ret 1 8 2 2 4 5 1 114.5
2 4 7 Ret 8 Ret 13 15 Ret 7 2 4
2 PIAA Nakajima Racing 31 10 10 3 1 6 2 1 Ret 2 7 3 103
32 6 5 Ret 9 3 7 5 Ret 3 6 2
3 Petronas Team TOM'S 36 Ret 3 2 2 2 4 11 7 5 4 12 58
37 Ret 11 10 10 13 11 7 1 10 10 16
4 Cerumo/Inging 47 5 8 Ret 7 10 9 Ret 13 6 3 7 52.5
48 2 17 7 4 17 12 4 4 9 9 15
5 Kondo Racing 3 NC 6 11 6 7 6 Ret 11 12 12 Ret 44
4 Ret Ret 9 11 4 5 3 3 1 8 6
6 TP Checker Impul 20 Ret 2 6 3 5 1 Ret DNS 13 13 5 42
7 Team LeMans 7 Ret 4 16 Ret 8 3 9 5 14 14 Ret 22
8 7 13 8 Ret 14 Ret 13 8 17 16 9
8 Autobacs Racing Team Aguri 55 9 18 15 NC 15 Ret 12 Ret NC 19 17 21
56 Ret 9 4 5 12 Ret Ret 12 18 17 8
9 Stonemarket Cerumo/Inging 67 3 15 Ret Ret 11 10 Ret 9 19 18 10 11
10 SG Team 5Zigen 5 11 Ret 5 14 Ret 14 6 Ret 16 20 11 9
6 Ret 12 13 15 18 15 14 10 15 15 Ret
11 DoCoMo Team Dandelion Racing 40 12 16 12 13 9 Ret 10 6 8 1 13 7.5
41 8 14 14 12 16 Ret 8 14 11 11 14
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Notes

  1. For the doubleheader race weekends, the driver that finished 8th in Race 1 was awarded pole for Race 2 in a reverse grid from 8th to 1st. These are not officially counted as pole positions by the JRP.

External links

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