Car of 2012 champion Kazuki Nakajima, pictured in 2022
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

Team No. Driver Engine Rounds
Japan Petronas Team TOM'S 1 Germany André Lotterer[2] Toyota RV8K All
2 Japan Kazuki Nakajima[2] Toyota RV8K All
Japan Kondō Racing 3 Japan Hironobu Yasuda[2] Toyota RV8K All
Japan Team LeMans 7 Japan Kazuya Oshima[2] Toyota RV8K All
Japan Team Kygnus Sunoco 8 France Loïc Duval[2] Toyota RV8K All
Japan HP Real Racing 10 Japan Toshihiro Kaneishi[2] Honda HR12E All
11 Japan Yuhki Nakayama Honda HR12E 4–5
Japan Team Mugen 15 Japan Takuma Sato[3] Honda HR12E 6–7
16 Japan Naoki Yamamoto[2] Honda HR12E All
Japan SGC by KCMG 18 Japan Ryo Orime[2] Toyota RV8K All
Japan Team Impul 19 Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira[2] Toyota RV8K All
20 Japan Tsugio Matsuda[2] Toyota RV8K All
Japan Nakajima Racing 31 Japan Daisuke Nakajima[2] Honda HR12E All
32 Japan Takashi Kogure[2] Honda HR12E All
Japan Project μ/cerumo・INGING 38 Japan Kohei Hirate[2] Toyota RV8K All
39 Japan Yuji Kunimoto[2] Toyota RV8K All
Japan Docomo Team Dandelion Racing 40 Japan Takuya Izawa[2] Honda HR12E All
41 Japan Koudai Tsukakoshi[2] Honda HR12E All
Japan Le Beausset Motorsports 62 Japan Koki Saga[2] Toyota RV8K All

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

Race calendar and results

2012 Formula Nippon Championship is located in Japan
Suzuka
Motegi
Autopolis
Fuji
SUGO
2012 venues
Round Circuit Date Pole Position Fastest Lap Winning Driver Winning Team
1 Suzuka Circuit 15 April Japan Takuya Izawa Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Japan Kazuki Nakajima Petronas Team TOM'S
2 Twin Ring Motegi 13 May Germany André Lotterer Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Germany André Lotterer Petronas Team TOM'S
3 Autopolis 27 May Japan Koudai Tsukakoshi Japan Hironobu Yasuda Japan Koudai Tsukakoshi Docomo Team Dandelion Racing
4 Fuji Speedway 15 July Japan Kazuki Nakajima Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Germany André Lotterer Petronas Team TOM'S
5 Twin Ring Motegi 5 August Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Japan Hironobu Yasuda Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Team Impul
6 Sportsland SUGO 23 September Japan Takuya Izawa France Loïc Duval Japan Takuya Izawa Docomo Team Dandelion Racing
7 Suzuka Circuit 4 November Japan Tsugio Matsuda Japan Takuya Izawa Japan Takuya Izawa Docomo Team Dandelion Racing
Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Japan Kohei Hirate Japan Kazuki Nakajima Petronas Team TOM'S
NC Fuji Speedway 18 November Japan Koudai Tsukakoshi Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira Japan Takuya Izawa Docomo Team Dandelion Racing

Championship standings

Drivers' Championship

Scoring system
Round Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th Pole
1–6 Points 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 1
7 8 4 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 1
Pos Driver SUZ MOT AUT FUJ MOT SUG SUZ FUJ Points
1 Japan Kazuki Nakajima 1 3 5 2 4 5 12 1 7 46
2 Japan Koudai Tsukakoshi 2 5 1 9 3 2 3 3 Ret 43
3 Japan Takuya Izawa 6 4 2 13 5 1 1 6 1 41.5
4 Germany André Lotterer 5 1 Ret 1 2 10 5 8 DSQ 35.5
5 Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira 3 2 Ret 6 1 6 4 Ret 2 34.5
6 France Loïc Duval 9 11 3 4 6 3 7 2 3 25
7 Japan Kazuya Oshima 4 8 6 3 Ret 4 8 7 10 21.5
8 Japan Tsugio Matsuda 8 6 4 5 7 Ret 2 Ret 5 20
9 Japan Kohei Hirate 10 NC 7 7 8 8 9 5 6 8
10 Japan Takashi Kogure 15 Ret 10 10 13 Ret 6 4 11 4
11 Japan Naoki Yamamoto 7 7 9 12 Ret 14 15 Ret 8 4
12 Japan Toshihiro Kaneishi 12 13 12 Ret 11 7 14 14 12 2
13 Japan Yuji Kunimoto 14 9 8 8 10 13 11 12 4 2
14 Japan Hironobu Yasuda 11 12 13 16 9 11 13 9 16 0
15 Japan Takuma Sato 9 17 10 13 0
16 Japan Daisuke Nakajima 16 10 11 11 12 12 10 11 9 0
17 Japan Koki Saga 13 14 Ret 14 Ret 15 16 13 14 0
18 Japan Yuhki Nakayama 15 14 0
19 Japan Ryo Orime 17 15 Ret Ret Ret Ret 18 15 15 0
Pos Driver SUZ MOT AUT FUJ MOT SUG SUZ FUJ Points
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

Teams' Championship

Pos Team No. SUZ MOT AUT FUJ MOT SUG SUZ FUJ Points
1 Docomo Team Dandelion Racing 40 6 4 2 13 5 1 1 6 1 78.5
41 2 5 1 9 3 2 3 3 Ret
2 Petronas Team TOM'S 1 5 1 Ret 1 2 10 5 8 DSQ 76.5
2 1 3 5 2 4 5 12 1 7
3 Team Impul 19 3 2 Ret 6 1 6 4 Ret 2 51.5
20 8 6 4 5 7 Ret 2 Ret 5
4 Team Kygnus Sunoco 8 9 11 3 4 6 3 7 2 3 25
5 Team LeMans 7 4 8 6 3 Ret 4 8 7 10 21.5
6 Project μ/cerumo・INGING 38 10 NC 7 7 8 8 9 5 6 10
39 14 9 8 8 10 13 11 12 4
7 Nakajima Racing 31 16 10 11 11 12 12 10 11 9 4
32 15 Ret 10 10 13 Ret 6 4 11
8 Mugen 15 9 17 10 13 4
16 7 7 9 12 Ret 14 15 Ret 8
9 HP Real Racing 10 12 13 12 Ret 11 7 14 14 12 2
11 15 14
10 Kondō Racing 3 11 12 13 16 9 11 13 9 16 0
11 Le Beausset Motorsports 62 13 14 Ret 14 15 16 13 14 0
12 SGC by KCMG 18 17 15 Ret Ret Ret Ret 18 15 15 0
Pos Team No. SUZ MOT AUT FUJ MOT SUG SUZ FUJ Points
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "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.

External links

Super Formula Championship
Categories