Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

1997 Formula Nippon Championship

The 1997 Formula Nippon Championship was contested over 10 rounds. 17 different teams, 37 different drivers, 3 different chassis and 2 different engines competed. Each round saw a Special Stage after the original qualifying. The best six qualifiers had to compete in a separate session for the pole.

Teams and drivers

Team # Driver Chassis Engine Rounds
Team LeMans 1 Argentina Norberto Fontana Reynard 96D
Reynard 97D
Mugen MF308 All
2 Argentina Esteban Tuero Reynard 96D 1–6
Germany Michael Krumm 8
Japan Yuji Tachikawa 9–10
Asahi Kiko Sports 3 Japan Atsushi Kawamoto Reynard 96D Mugen MF308 All
Team 5ZIGEN 5 Belgium Marc Goossens Reynard 96D Judd KV2
Mugen MF308
All
6 Finland Risto Virtanen Reynard 95D
Reynard 96D
Judd KV2 1–3
Japan Eiichi Tajima 4–10
Team Anabuki Dome with Mugen 8 Japan Juichi Wakisaka Dome F104 Mugen MF308 All
Shionogi Team Nova 9 Spain Pedro de la Rosa Lola T97/51 Mugen MF308 All
10 Japan Akira Iida All
Team Cerumo 11 Japan Hidetoshi Mitsusada Lola T96/52 Mugen MF308 1–9
Germany Michael Krumm 10
12 Republic of Ireland Sarah Kavanagh Reynard 95D
Lola T94/50
Cosworth AC
Mugen MF308
1–2
Japan Shinsuke Shibahara 8–10
Team TMS 17 Japan Masahiko Kondo Reynard 97D Mugen MF308 All
18 Republic of Ireland Ralph Firman All
Team Impul 19 Japan Takuya Kurosawa Lola T96/52 Mugen MF308 All
20 Japan Masahiko Kageyama Reynard 96D
Lola T95/50
All
Be Brides ARP Asuka 21 Japan Tetsuya Tanaka Lola T95/50 Mugen MF308 1, 5–10
Navi Connection Racing Team 27 Japan Masami Kageyama Reynard 96D
Reynard 97D
Mugen MF308 All
28 Japan Katsumi Yamamoto Reynard 95D
Reynard 96D
All
Super Nova with Mirai
Kamome Service with Mirai
32 Italy Vincenzo Sospiri Reynard 95D Mugen MF308 9–10
33 Japan Toshio Suzuki Reynard 95D All
Auto Tech Stellar
STP Stellar
34 Italy Mauro Martini Reynard 96D Mugen MF308 3
United Kingdom Andrew Gilbert-Scott 4, 6, 9
Italy Andrea Boldrini 7–8, 10
35 Germany Michael Krumm Reynard 96D 1–3
Italy Marco Apicella 4–10
Takagi B-1 Racing Team 36 Japan Tetsuji Tamanaka Lola T95/50 Mugen MF308 All
37 Japan Masao Yamada Lola T94/50 1–5, 7–10
Funai Super Aguri 55 Japan Katsutomo Kaneishi Reynard 96D Mugen MF308 All
56 Japan Satoshi Motoyama Reynard 94D
Reynard 97D
Reynard 95D
1–9
Japan Ryo Michigami 10
Team LeyJun
Sri Lanka with Team LeyJun
62 Japan Tetsushi Toda Reynard 94D Mugen MF308 4–8
63 Sri Lanka Dilantha Malagamuwa Reynard 96D 1–5
Japan "Osamu" 6–10
PIAA Nakajima Racing 64 Japan Toranosuke Takagi Reynard 97D Mugen MF308 All
65 Japan Koji Yamanishi All

Race calendar and results

All races were held in Japan.

Race Track Date Pole Position Fastest Race Lap Winning Driver Winning Team
1 Suzuka Circuit 27 April Japan Toranosuke Takagi Japan Katsutomo Kaneishi Spain Pedro de la Rosa Shionogi Team Nova
2 Mine Circuit 18 May Japan Toranosuke Takagi Japan Katsumi Yamamoto Spain Pedro de la Rosa Shionogi Team Nova
3 Fuji Speedway 1 June Japan Takuya Kurosawa Japan Takuya Kurosawa Japan Takuya Kurosawa Team Impul
4 Suzuka Circuit 6 July Japan Toranosuke Takagi Japan Masahiko Kageyama Japan Toranosuke Takagi PIAA Nakajima Racing
5 Sportsland SUGO 3 August Spain Pedro de la Rosa Argentina Norberto Fontana Spain Pedro de la Rosa Shionogi Team Nova
6 Fuji Speedway 31 August Spain Pedro de la Rosa Spain Pedro de la Rosa Spain Pedro de la Rosa Shionogi Team Nova
7 Mine Circuit 14 September Japan Toranosuke Takagi Spain Pedro de la Rosa Argentina Norberto Fontana Team LeMans
8 Twin Ring Motegi 28 September Spain Pedro de la Rosa Japan Masami Kageyama Spain Pedro de la Rosa Shionogi Team Nova
9 Fuji Speedway 19 October Japan Katsutomo Kaneishi Spain Pedro de la Rosa Japan Katsutomo Kaneishi Funai Super Aguri
10 Suzuka Circuit 9 November Spain Pedro de la Rosa Japan Masahiko Kageyama Spain Pedro de la Rosa Shionogi 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 Spain Pedro de la Rosa 1 1 2 3 1 1 2 1 2 1 82
2 Japan Takuya Kurosawa 2 2 1 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 2 28
3 Argentina Norberto Fontana 9 8 6 Ret 7 2 1 3 Ret Ret 21
4 Japan Hidetoshi Mitsusada 3 7 4 4 Ret 3 3 9 5 20
5 Japan Masami Kageyama 11 9 11 5 6 4 7 2 3 4 19
6 Japan Toranosuke Takagi Ret DNS 3 1 Ret Ret 5 Ret Ret 5 18
7 Japan Masahiko Kageyama Ret Ret 5 2 3 Ret 15 Ret 12 3 16
8 Republic of Ireland Ralph Firman Ret 4 15 6 2 13 Ret 5 Ret 11 12
9 Japan Katsutomo Kaneishi 7 Ret Ret 10 Ret 18 8 Ret 1 Ret 10
10 Japan Akira Iida 6 3 Ret 7 Ret 5 10 11 Ret 13 7
11 Japan Satoshi Motoyama 4 DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret 4 7
12 Italy Marco Apicella 8 5 8 4 Ret 6 8 6
13 Japan Toshio Suzuki 8 5 7 Ret 4 16 9 8 Ret 9 5
14 Japan Juichi Wakisaka 12 6 Ret Ret Ret 7 11 4 Ret Ret 4
15 Japan Koji Yamanishi 5 Ret 8 Ret Ret Ret Ret 17 Ret 7 2
16 Argentina Esteban Tuero Ret Ret 9 11 Ret 6 1
17 Germany Michael Krumm Ret 13 Ret 6 10 1
18 Japan Tetsuya Tanaka Ret Ret 11 14 Ret 13 6 1
19 Japan Katsumi Yamamoto 10 Ret Ret 9 Ret 12 Ret 14 7 Ret 0
20 Italy Andrea Boldrini 13 7 Ret 0
21 Japan Atsushi Kawamoto Ret 10 16 15 9 Ret 12 15 8 14 0
22 Japan Masahiko Kondo 15 DNS 12 14 8 14 Ret 13 11 Ret 0
23 Japan Eiichi Tajima 13 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret 12 0
24 Japan Yuji Tachikawa 9 Ret 0
25 Belgium Marc Goossens Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 10 Ret 10 Ret Ret 0
26 Sri Lanka Dilantha Malagamuwa Ret 11 14 Ret 10 0
27 Japan Shinsuke Shibahara 12 10 Ret 0
28 Finland Risto Virtanen Ret Ret 10 0
29 United Kingdom Andrew Gilbert-Scott 12 Ret 14 0
30 Japan Masao Yamada Ret 12 Ret Ret DSQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
31 Japan Tetsuji Tamanaka 13 Ret 13 16 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNQ DNQ 0
32 Republic of Ireland Sarah Kavanagh 14 Ret 0
33 Japan "Osamu" 15 16 16 Ret 16 0
34 Italy Vincenzo Sospiri Ret 15 0
35 Japan Tetsushi Toda 17 Ret 17 17 DNQ 0
36 Italy Mauro Martini Ret 0
37 Japan Ryo 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