1996 Formula Nippon Championship

1996 Formula Nippon

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1995

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1997

Related series:
1996 International Formula 3000 Championship
1996 British Formula Two Championship

The 1996 Formula Nippon Championship was the first season under the name Formula Nippon; before 1996, the category was named Japanese Formula 3000. This season was contested over 10 rounds. Fifteen different teams, 28 different drivers, three different chassis and three different engines competed. Ralf Schumacher won the championship, winning three races.

This was the final season for six-time Top Formula Champion Kazuyoshi Hoshino, who announced his retirement from the series prior to the start of the 1997 season.

Teams and drivers

Team	#	Driver	Chassis	Engine	Tyre	Rounds
Kamome Service Racing Team with Impul Calsonic Racing Team with Impul	1	Template:Flagicon Toshio Suzuki	Lola T96/94 Lola T96/52	Mugen MF308	B	All
	19	Template:Flagicon Kazuyoshi Hoshino	Lola T96/95 Lola T96/52			All
Team Anabuki Dome with Mugen Team avex Dome with Mugen	2	Template:Flagicon Katsumi Yamamoto	Dome F104i	Mugen MF308	B	All
	8	Template:Flagicon Shinji Nakano				All
Team 5ZIGEN	5	Template:Flagicon Marco Apicella	Reynard 95D Reynard 96D	Judd KV2	Y	All
	6	Template:Flagicon Hidetoshi Mitsusada	Lola T95/50 Reynard 96D			All
Advan Pal Checkers	7	Template:Flagicon Masami Kageyama	Lola T95/50	Judd KV2	Y	All
	17	Template:Flagicon Taichiro Oonishi	Lola T94/50	Mugen MF308		All
Shionogi Team Nova	9	Template:Flagicon Pedro de la Rosa	Lola T96/51	Mugen MF308	B	All
	10	Template:Flagicon Norberto Fontana				All
Slim Beauty House Cerumo	12	Template:Flagicon Yukihiro Hane	Lola T94/50	Mugen MF308	B	All
Nihon Lead Yamada	15	Template:Flagicon Masao Yamada	Lola T94/50	Mugen MF308	Y	1–5, 7–8, 10
		Template:Flagicon Tetsuya Tanaka				6, 9
Kanagawa Clinic Stellar	20	Template:Flagicon Andrew Gilbert-Scott	Reynard 96D	Mugen MF308	B	All
	21	Template:Flagicon Michael Krumm	Reynard 96D			All
X Japan Racing Team LeMans	24	Template:Flagicon Naoki Hattori	Reynard 96D	Mugen MF308	B	All
	25	Template:Flagicon Ralf Schumacher				All
Navi Connection Racing Team	27	Template:Flagicon Masahiko Kageyama	Reynard 96D	Mugen MF308	B	All
	28	Template:Flagicon Masahiko Kondo	Reynard 94D Reynard 95D			1–7, 9–10
		Template:Flagicon Tom Kristensen				8
Art Brilliant Gullwing	30	Template:Flagicon Eiichi Tajima	Lola T94/50	Mugen MF308	B	All
	31	Template:Flagicon Hideki Okada	Lola T95/50			All
Funai Super Aguri	55	Template:Flagicon Katsutomo Kaneishi	Reynard 95D	Mugen MF308	B	All
	56	Template:Flagicon Satoshi Motoyama				All
PIAA Nakajima Racing	64	Template:Flagicon Toranosuke Takagi	Reynard 96D	Mugen MF308	B	All
	65	Template:Flagicon Takuya Kurosawa				All
Asahi Kiko Sports	72	Template:Flagicon Atsushi Kawamoto	Lola T93	Cosworth DFV	B	All
	73	Template:Flagicon Tetsuji Tamanaka				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	28 April	Template:Flagicon Toranosuke Takagi	Template:Flagicon Michael Krumm	Template:Flagicon Kazuyoshi Hoshino	Calsonic Racing Team with Impul
2	Mine Circuit	12 May	Template:Flagicon Michael Krumm	Template:Flagicon Norberto Fontana	Template:Flagicon Ralf Schumacher	X Japan Racing Team LeMans
3	Fuji Speedway	26 May	Template:Flagicon Ralf Schumacher	Template:Flagicon Norberto Fontana	Template:Flagicon Norberto Fontana	Shionogi Team Nova
4	Tokachi International Speedway	23 June	Template:Flagicon Toranosuke Takagi	Template:Flagicon Michael Krumm	Template:Flagicon Ralf Schumacher	X Japan Racing Team LeMans
5	Suzuka Circuit	7 July	Template:Flagicon Toranosuke Takagi	Template:Flagicon Shinji Nakano	Template:Flagicon Toranosuke Takagi	PIAA Nakajima Racing
6	Sportsland SUGO	4 August	Template:Flagicon Toranosuke Takagi	Template:Flagicon Toranosuke Takagi	Template:Flagicon Toranosuke Takagi	PIAA Nakajima Racing
7	Fuji Speedway	1 September	Template:Flagicon Naoki Hattori	Template:Flagicon Norberto Fontana	Template:Flagicon Naoki Hattori	X Japan Racing Team LeMans
8	Mine Circuit	15 September	Template:Flagicon Toshio Suzuki	Template:Flagicon Katsutomo Kaneishi	Template:Flagicon Ralf Schumacher	X Japan Racing Team LeMans
9	Suzuka Circuit	29 September	Template:Flagicon Ralf Schumacher	Template:Flagicon Shinji Nakano	Template:Flagicon Naoki Hattori	X Japan Racing Team LeMans
10	Fuji Speedway	20 October	Template:Flagicon Kazuyoshi Hoshino	Template:Flagicon Shinji Nakano	Template:Flagicon Katsutomo Kaneishi	Funai Super Aguri

Championship standings

Drivers' Championship

Scoring system

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
Points	10	6	4	3	2	1

Rank Driver SUZ MIN FUJ TOK SUZ SUG FUJ MIN SUZ FUJ Points 1 Template:Flagicon Ralf Schumacher 3 1 19 1 4 Ret Ret 1 4 Ret 40 2 Template:Flagicon Naoki Hattori 8 Ret 2 3 3 8 1 3 1 Ret 38 3 Template:Flagicon Kazuyoshi Hoshino 1 Ret 3 4 5 2 Ret Ret 2 Ret 31 4 Template:Flagicon Toranosuke Takagi Ret 3 Ret Ret 1 1 Ret Ret 6 Ret 25 5 Template:Flagicon Norberto Fontana 14 2 1 Ret 8 Ret 2 Ret 11 Ret 22 6 Template:Flagicon Shinji Nakano 2 13 Ret 9 6 7 3 2 9 4 20 7 Template:Flagicon Katsutomo Kaneishi 6 Ret 4 5 7 Ret 4 Ret Ret 1 19 8 Template:Flagicon Pedro de la Rosa 5 7 6 6 Ret 11 6 Ret 5 2 13 9 Template:Flagicon Takuya Kurosawa Ret 8 15 7 2 5 8 5 8 Ret 10 10 Template:Flagicon Satoshi Motoyama 7 Ret 5 17 12 3 5 6 Ret DNS 9 11 Template:Flagicon Masami Kageyama 10 5 Ret 2 17 15 9 11 Ret Ret 8 12 Template:Flagicon Toshio Suzuki 18 Ret 12 11 9 10 7 4 3 Ret 7 13 Template:Flagicon Andrew Gilbert-Scott Ret Ret 7 14 Ret 4 Ret 7 Ret 5 5 14 Template:Flagicon Masahiko Kageyama Ret Ret Ret Ret 16 12 Ret 9 7 3 4 14 Template:Flagicon Michael Krumm 4 6 11 16 11 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret 4 16 Template:Flagicon Marco Apicella 12 4 8 8 14 13 12 Ret 10 Ret 3 17 Template:Flagicon Katsumi Yamamoto 9 Ret 10 Ret Ret 6 Ret 10 Ret Ret 1 17 Template:Flagicon Masahiko Kondo Ret 9 16 13 Ret Ret 14 Ret 6 1  – Template:Flagicon Atsushi Kawamoto Ret 11 Ret 15 19 16 13 Ret Ret 7 0  – Template:Flagicon Tom Kristensen 8 0  – Template:Flagicon Hidetoshi Mitsusada Ret Ret 9 Ret 10 14 10 12 Ret Ret 0  – Template:Flagicon Hideki Okada 11 Ret 17 10 20 Ret 11 10 Ret DNS 0  – Template:Flagicon Taichiro Ohnishi 15 10 14 Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret 14 Ret 0  – Template:Flagicon Eiichi Tajima 13 12 13 12 18 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS 0  – Template:Flagicon Yukihiro Hane 16 Ret Ret Ret 13 Ret 16 13 12 Ret 0  – Template:Flagicon Tetsuya Tanaka Ret 13 0  – Template:Flagicon Tetsuji Tamanaka 17 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 15 Ret NC 0  – Template:Flagicon Masao Yamada DNQ DNQ 18 DNQ DNQ 15 DNQ Ret 0

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Team's championship

Rank Team Car SUZ MIN FUJ TOK SUZ SUG FUJ MIN SUZ FUJ Points 1 X-Japan Le Mans 24 8 Ret 2 3 3 8 1 3 1 Ret 78 25 3 1 19 1 4 Ret Ret 1 4 Ret 2 Team Impul 1 18 Ret 12 11 9 10 7 4 3 Ret 38 19 1 Ret 3 4 5 2 Ret Ret 2 Ret 3 PIAA Nakajima 64 Ret 3 Ret Ret 1 1 Ret Ret 6 Ret 35 65 Ret 8 15 7 2 5 8 5 8 Ret 4 Shionogi Nova 9 5 7 6 6 Ret 11 6 Ret 5 2 35 10 14 2 1 Ret 8 Ret 2 Ret 11 Ret 5 Funai Super Aguri 55 6 Ret 4 5 7 Ret 4 Ret Ret 1 35 56 7 Ret 5 17 12 3 5 6 Ret DNS 6 Mugen Dome 2 9 Ret 10 Ret Ret 6 Ret 10 Ret Ret 21 8 2 13 Ret 9 6 7 3 2 9 4 7 Kanagawa Clinic Stellar 20 Ret Ret 7 14 Ret 4 Ret 7 Ret 5 9 21 4 6 11 16 11 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret 8 Pal Checkers 7 10 5 Ret 2 17 15 9 11 Ret Ret 8 17 15 10 14 Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret 14 Ret 9 Navi Connection 27 Ret Ret Ret Ret 16 12 Ret 9 7 3 5 28 Ret 9 16 13 Ret Ret 14 8 Ret 6 10 5Zigen 5 12 4 8 8 14 13 12 Ret 10 Ret 3 6 Ret Ret 9 Ret 10 14 10 12 Ret Ret  – Asahi Kiko Sports 72 Ret 11 Ret 15 19 16 13 Ret Ret 7 0 73 17 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 15 Ret NC  – Art Brilliant Gullwing 30 13 12 13 12 18 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS 0 31 11 Ret 17 10 20 Ret 11 10 Ret DNS  – Slim Beauty House Cerumo 12 16 Ret Ret Ret 13 Ret 16 13 12 Ret 0  – Nihon Lead Yamada 15 DNQ DNQ 18 DNQ DNQ Ret 15 DNQ 13 Ret 0

Colour Result Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Template:Msrslt Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap

Complete Overview

first column of every race

10

= grid position

second column of every race

10

= race result

R=retired NC=not classified NS=did not start NQ=did not qualify

Place	Name	Country	Team	Chassis	Engine	Template:Flagicon		Template:Flagicon		Template:Flagicon		Template:Flagicon		Template:Flagicon		Template:Flagicon		Template:Flagicon		Template:Flagicon		Template:Flagicon		Template:Flagicon
1	Ralf Schumacher		Team LeMans	Reynard	Mugen Honda	10	3	8	1	1	19	4	1	8	4	8	R	8	R	3	1	1	4	9	R
2	Naoki Hattori		Team LeMans	Reynard	Mugen Honda	9	8	10	R	2	2	5	3	2	3	16	8	1	1	7	3	2	1	3	R
3	Kazuyoshi Hoshino		Team Impul	Lola	Mugen Honda	2	1	4	R	5	3	18	4	4	5	3	2	4	R	6	R	4	2	1	R
4	Toranosuke Takagi		Nakajima Racing	Reynard	Mugen Honda	1	R	5	3	10	R	1	R	1	1	1	1	2	R	19	R	3	6	4	R
5	Norberto Fontana		Team Nova	Lola	Mugen Honda	16	14	11	2	4	1	8	R	22	8	15	R	6	2	8	R	17	11	11	R
6	Shinji Nakano		Dome Mugen	Dome	Mugen	4	2	22	13	3	R	10	9	13	6	14	7	3	3	4	2	21	9	5	4
7	Katsutomo Kaneishi		Super Aguri	Reynard	Mugen Honda	13	6	17	R	8	4	11	5	12	7	6	R	14	4	5	R	11	R	7	1
8	Pedro de la Rosa		Team Nova	Lola	Mugen Honda	11	5	3	7	7	6	9	6	7	R	9	11	5	6	2	R	6	5	14	2
9	Takuya Kurosawa		Nakajima Racing	Reynard	Mugen Honda	18	R	18	8	15	15	2	7	3	2	7	5	10	8	12	5	7	8	8	R
10	Satoshi Motoyama		Super Aguri	Reynard	Mugen Honda	15	7	9	R	14	5	19	17	10	12	4	3	7	5	9	6	12	R	2	NS
11	Masami Kageyama		Advan Sport Pal	Lola	Mugen Honda	14	10	12	5	11	R	7	2	16	17	11	15	20	9	15	11	13	R	18	R
12	Toshio Suzuki		Team Impul	Lola	Mugen Honda	5	18	2	R	18	12	3	11	6	9	12	10	13	7	1	4	5	3	13	R
13	Andrew Gilbert Scott		Stellar International	Reynard	Mugen Honda	21	R	19	R	17	7	13	14	9	R	2	4	23	R	13	7	15	R	15	5
14	Michael Krumm		Stellar International	Reynard	Mugen Honda	3	4	1	6	19	11	6	16	17	11	10	9	16	R	18	R	14	R	17	R
	Masahiko Kageyama		Navi Connection Racing	Reynard	Mugen Honda	8	R	15	R	12	R	16	R	5	16	13	12	9	R	16	9	8	7	12	3
16	Marco Apicella		Team 5Zigen	Reynard	Judd	12	12	6	4	6	8	17	8	24	14	26	13	11	12	11	R	9	10	10	R
17	Katsumi Yamamoto		Dome Mugen	Dome	Mugen	7	9	13	R	13	10	15	R	15	R	5	6	12	R	20	14	10	R	16	R
	Masahiko Kondo		Navi Connection Racing	Reynard	Mugen Honda	20	R	21	9	22	16	22	13	20	R	17	R	19	14	-	-	20	R	19	6
-	Atsushi Kawamoto		Asahi Kiko Sports	Lola	Cosworth	22	R	20	11	24	R	21	15	19	19	21	16	22	13	24	R	19	R	20	7
-	Tom Kristensen		Navi Connection Racing	Reynard	Mugen Honda	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	10	8	-	-	-	-
-	Hidetoshi Mitsusada		Team 5Zigen	Lola	Judd	6	R	16	R	9	9	14	R	11	10
			Team 5Zigen	Reynard	Judd											22	14	15	10	17	12	16	R	6	R
-	Hideki Okada		Team Gullwing	Lola	Mugen Honda	17	11	7	R	16	17	12	10	14	20	18	R	18	11	21	10	24	R	21	NS
-	Taichiro Oonishi		Advan Sport Pal	Lola	Mugen Honda	23	15	24	10	21	14	23	R	21	15	24	R	24	R	23	R	23	14	24	R
-	Eiichi Tajima		Team Gullwing	Lola	Mugen Honda	19	13	14	12	20	13	20	12	18	18	20	R	21	R	22	R	26	R	22	NS
-	Yukihiro Hane		Team Cerumo	Lola	Mugen Honda	24	16	23	R	23	R	24	R	23	13	19	R	17	16	14	13	18	12	23	R
-	Tetsuya Tanaka		Nihon Lead Yamada	Lola	Mugen Honda	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	23	R	-	-	-	-	22	13	-	-
-	Tetsuji Tamanaka		Asahi Kiko Sports	Lola	Cosworth	25	17	25	R	25	R	25	R	25	R	25	R	25	R	25	15	25	R	25	NC
-	Masao Yamada		Nihon Lead Yamada	Lola	Mugen Honda	26	NQ	26	NQ	26	18	26	NQ	26	NQ	-	-	26	15	26	NQ	-	-	26	R

External links

• 1996 Japanese Championship Formula Nippon