Formula Challenge Japan

Formula Challenge JapanCategory| Single seaters

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Country| Japan
Inaugural season| 2006
Folded| 2013
Drivers| 18 (2013)
Constructors| Tatuus
Engine suppliers| Nismo (Renault)
Tyre suppliers| Dunlop
Last Drivers' champion|  Kenta Yamashita
Official website| f-nippon.co.jp/fcj

Formula Challenge Japan was an open wheel racing series based in Japan. The first season was in 2006 and carried on from the defunct Formula Dream series. It is promoted as a young driver development project jointly by Honda, Toyota and Nissan and is positioned as an intermediate level of the domestic motorsport in Japan, lower than the All-Japan Formula Three Championship, but above F4.

Formula Challenge Japan ended after the 2013 season, and was replaced by Japan Formula 4.[1]

## Contents

* 1 Overview
* 2 Scoring system
* 3 Champions
* 4 See also
* 5 References
* 6 External links

## Overview[edit]

Being backed by the three major automobile manufacturers in Japan, the driver of the series generally consists of the drivers graduating from the racing schools managed by those three, plus a number of privateers meeting the prerequisites.

To participate in the FCJ series,[2] a driver needs to be younger than 26 years old and possess a National A racing license, but not having raced in Formula Three or above to participate, with a year's subscription fee of around 7.5 million yen.[3] Despite being a series primarily catering the upcoming Japanese drivers, as of 2009 there were foreign drivers competing in the series.

The cars are open wheelers, running on a Tatuus chassis [4] and is mated to a 2.0 L 200 hp engine and a six-speed sequential gearbox, similar to a Formula Renault 2.0 car. The engine is a Renault F4R unit badged as FCJ and maintained by Nismo. The tires are manufactured by Dunlop. To ensure parity of the cars, the engine and gearbox are both sealed prior to being delivered to the competitors so that no private tuning could be carried out in between. Moreover, the cars are centrally maintained by the organizers for this purpose.

As of 2009 the series is run on the same weekends as the Formula Nippon race weekend, and visits the major circuits in Japan like Fuji Speedway, Suzuka Circuit, Twin Ring Motegi and Sportsland Sugo.[5]

## Scoring system[edit]

* Points are awarded to the top 10 race finishers with a bonus point for pole position and the fastest race lap.

Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | Pole | Fastest Lap

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Points | 10 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1

## Champions[edit]

Season  | Champion

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2006 |  Yuhi Sekiguchi
2007 |  Keisuke Kunimoto
2008 |  Yuji Kunimoto
2009 |  Kazuki Miura
2010 |  Yuichi Nakayama
2011 |  Takamoto Katsuta
2012 |  Nobuharu Matsushita
2013 |  Kenta Yamashita

## See also[edit]

* Formula Nippon
* Formula Dream

## References[edit]

1. ^ "「フォーミュラチャレンジ・ジャパン」休止にともなう「Hondaフォーミュラ・ドリーム・プロジェクト」参戦カテゴリーについて". 2013-06-28. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
2. ^ "Formula Challenge Japan Official Website: Philosophy of FCJ". Archived from the original on October 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
3. ^ "2010年フォーミュラチャレンジ・ジャパン募集 (終了) (Japanese text)". Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
4. ^ "Tatuus Formula FC106". Archived from the original on March 29, 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
5. ^ "Formula Challenge Japan official website: Race Calendar". Archived from the original on April 5, 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-17.

## External links[edit]

* Formula Challenge Japan official website

* v
* t
* e

Formula racing ladder in Japan

Tier I|

* Super Formula Championship (1973–present)

Tier II|

* Super Formula Lights (2020–present)
* Formula Regional Japanese Championship (2020–present)
* Japanese Formula 3 Championship (1979–2019)
* Formula Crane 45 (1991–1992)

Tier III|

* Formula Mirage (1990–1995)
* Formula Toyota (1990–2007)
* Japan Formula 4 (1993–present)
* Formula Dream (1999–2005)
* Formula Challenge Japan (2006–2013)
* F4 Japanese Championship (2015–present)

Tier IV|

* FJ1600 (1980–2010)
* Super FJ (2007–present)

* v
* t
* e

Classes of auto racing

Formula
racing|

| Active|

* F1
* F2
* F3
* F4
* F500
* Formula 1000
* Formula Atlantic
* Formula Car Challenge
* Formula Continental
* Formula E
* Formula Ford
* FF1600
* Formula Regional
* GB3
* Formula Vee
* IndyCar
* Super Formula
* Supermodified
* BOSS GP
* Tasman Series
* Monoposto Racing Club
* V de V Challenge Monoplace

|

Defunct|

* F3000
* F5000
* Formula A (SCCA)
* Formula B (SCCA)
* Formula C (SCCA)
* FCJ
* Formula Dream
* Formula Holden
* Formula Junior
* Formula Libre
* Formula Mondial
* Formula Pacific
* Formula Super Vee
* Australian National Formula
* Grand Prix Masters
* Grand Prix motor racing

One-Make
Formulae|

| Active|

* CFGP
* Ferrari Challenge
* Formula Car Challenge
* Formula Enterprise
* Formula Renault
* 2.0L
* Global MX-5 Cup
* Indy Lights
* Lamborghini Super Trofeo
* MRF Challenge
* Porsche Carrera Cup
* SRF
* Toyota Racing Series
* USF2000
* USF Juniors
* FIA Formula Championship
* 2
* 3
* S5000
* W Series

|

Defunct|

* A1GP
* ADAC Formel Masters
* Audi LMS
* Auto GP
* Barber Pro
* FA1
* Formula Asia
* Formula
* Abarth
* Alfa
* BMW
* Chrysler
* König
* LGB
* Swift
* Hyundai
* Lightning
* Maruti
* Masters
* China
* Russia
* Mazda
* Nissan
* Opel/Vauxhall
* Palmer Audi
* RUS
* Rolon
* Grand Prix Masters
* GP2
* GP3
* International Formula Master
* Trofeo Maserati
* Superleague Formula

Karting|

* KF1
* KF2
* KF3
* KZ1
* KZ2
* Superkart
* Electric

Touring
car racing|

| Active|

* ETCR
* WTCR
* BTCC
* Group F
* Group G
* Group H
* Super 2000
* Diesel 2000
* NGTC (TCN-1)
* TCR (TCN-2)
* Stock Car Brasil
* Stock Car Light
* Supercars
* Súper TC 2000

|

Defunct|

* Appendix J
* BTC-T
* DTM
* Group 1
* Group 2
* Group 5
* Group A
* Group C
* Group E
* Group N
* Aus
* Group S
* Class 1
* Class 2
* Superstars
* V8Star
* WTCC

Stock
car racing|

| Active|

* ARCA
* Allison Legacy Series
* IMCA Sport Compact
* Late model
* Legends
* Modifieds
* NASCAR
* Cup
* Xfinity
* Truck
* Pinty's
* Whelen Euro Series
* PEAK Mexico
* Super Stock
* Street Stock
* Superstar Racing Experience
* Turismo Carretera

|

Defunct|

* ASCAR Racing Series
* AUSCAR

Oval|

* BriSCA F1
* BriSCA F2
* V8 Hotstox
* Hot Rods
* Superstocks
* Sprint car racing
* Midget car racing
* Quarter Midget racing

Rallying|

| Active|

* Groups Rally
* Group Rally1
* Group Rally2
* Group Rally3
* Group Rally4
* Group Rally5
* Group R-GT
* Group N
* Super 2000

|

Defunct|

* Group 1
* Group 2
* Group 4
* Group A
* Group B
* Group S
* Group R
* R5
* Super 1600
* World Rally Car

Sports
Prototypes|

| Active|

* LMDh
* LMH
* LMP
* LMP2
* LMP3
* Clubmans
* Group CN

|

Defunct|

* DP
* DPi
* Group 3
* Group 4
* Group 5
* Group 6
* Group 7
* Group A
* Group C
* GC
* GC-21
* IMSA GTP (1981-93 era)
* LMP
* LMP1
* LMPC
* S2000

Grand
Touring|

| Active|

* LM GTE
* GT3
* GT2
* GT4
* GT500
* GT300
* Trans-Am

|

Defunct|

* Group 3
* Group 4
* Group 5
* Group B
* Group D
* GT1 (93–99)
* GT1 (00-12)
* GT2 (1993–99)
* IMSA
* AAGT
* GTO/GTS
* GTU
* GTX
* Appendix K
* Group D GT Cars

Drag
Racing|

| Active|

* Top Fuel
* Dragster (TF/D)
* Funny Car (TF/FC)
* Top Alcohol
* Dragster (TA/D)
* Funny Car (TA/FC)
* Pro Stock (PS)
* Pro Modified (Pro Mod)
* Gas
* Super Stock
* Super Comp/Quick Rod
* Top Doorslammer
* Altered
* Competition

|

Defunct|

* Top Gas
* Modified
* Pro FWD

Off-road|

* Baja Bug
* Dune buggy
* Rallycross
* Autocross
* Trophy truck
* Group T1
* Group T2
* Group T3
* Group T4
* Group T5
* Truggy
* Side by Side (UTV)

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