# 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 | Norberto Fontana | Reynard 96D Reynard 97D | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Team LeMans | 2 | Esteban Tuero | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | 1–6 |
| Team LeMans | 2 | Michael Krumm | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | 8 |
| Team LeMans | 2 | Yuji Tachikawa | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | 9–10 |
| Asahi Kiko Sports | 3 | Atsushi Kawamoto | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Team 5ZIGEN | 5 | Marc Goossens | Reynard 96D | Judd KV2 Mugen MF308 | All |
| Team 5ZIGEN | 6 | Risto Virtanen | Reynard 95D Reynard 96D | Judd KV2 | 1–3 |
| Team 5ZIGEN | 6 | Eiichi Tajima | Reynard 95D Reynard 96D | Judd KV2 | 4–10 |
| Team Anabuki Dome with Mugen | 8 | Juichi Wakisaka | Dome F104 | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Shionogi Team Nova | 9 | Pedro de la Rosa | Lola T97/51 | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Shionogi Team Nova | 10 | Akira Iida | Lola T97/51 | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Team Cerumo | 11 | Hidetoshi Mitsusada | Lola T96/52 | Mugen MF308 | 1–9 |
| Team Cerumo | 11 | Michael Krumm | Lola T96/52 | Mugen MF308 | 10 |
| Team Cerumo | 12 | Sarah Kavanagh | Reynard 95D Lola T94/50 | Cosworth AC Mugen MF308 | 1–2 |
| Team Cerumo | 12 | Shinsuke Shibahara | Reynard 95D Lola T94/50 | Cosworth AC Mugen MF308 | 8–10 |
| Team TMS | 17 | Masahiko Kondo | Reynard 97D | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Team TMS | 18 | Ralph Firman | Reynard 97D | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Team Impul | 19 | Takuya Kurosawa | Lola T96/52 | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Team Impul | 20 | Masahiko Kageyama | Reynard 96D Lola T95/50 | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Be Brides ARP Asuka | 21 | Tetsuya Tanaka | Lola T95/50 | Mugen MF308 | 1, 5–10 |
| Navi Connection Racing Team | 27 | Masami Kageyama | Reynard 96D Reynard 97D | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Navi Connection Racing Team | 28 | Katsumi Yamamoto | Reynard 95D Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Super Nova with Mirai Kamome Service with Mirai | 32 | Vincenzo Sospiri | Reynard 95D | Mugen MF308 | 9–10 |
| Super Nova with Mirai Kamome Service with Mirai | 33 | Toshio Suzuki | Reynard 95D | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Auto Tech Stellar STP Stellar | 34 | Mauro Martini | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | 3 |
| Auto Tech Stellar STP Stellar | 34 | Andrew Gilbert-Scott | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | 4, 6, 9 |
| Auto Tech Stellar STP Stellar | 34 | Andrea Boldrini | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | 7–8, 10 |
| Auto Tech Stellar STP Stellar | 35 | Michael Krumm | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | 1–3 |
| Auto Tech Stellar STP Stellar | 35 | Marco Apicella | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | 4–10 |
| Takagi B-1 Racing Team | 36 | Tetsuji Tamanaka | Lola T95/50 | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Takagi B-1 Racing Team | 37 | Masao Yamada | Lola T94/50 | Mugen MF308 | 1–5, 7–10 |
| Funai Super Aguri | 55 | Katsutomo Kaneishi | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | All |
| Funai Super Aguri | 56 | Satoshi Motoyama | Reynard 94D Reynard 97D Reynard 95D | Mugen MF308 | 1–9 |
| Funai Super Aguri | 56 | Ryo Michigami | Reynard 94D Reynard 97D Reynard 95D | Mugen MF308 | 10 |
| Team LeyJun Sri Lanka with Team LeyJun | 62 | Tetsushi Toda | Reynard 94D | Mugen MF308 | 4–8 |
| Team LeyJun Sri Lanka with Team LeyJun | 63 | Dilantha Malagamuwa | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | 1–5 |
| Team LeyJun Sri Lanka with Team LeyJun | 63 | "Osamu" | Reynard 96D | Mugen MF308 | 6–10 |
| PIAA Nakajima Racing | 64 | Toranosuke Takagi | Reynard 97D | Mugen MF308 | All |
| PIAA Nakajima Racing | 65 | Koji Yamanishi | Reynard 97D | Mugen MF308 | 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 | Toranosuke Takagi | Katsutomo Kaneishi | Pedro de la Rosa | Shionogi Team Nova |
| 2 | Mine Circuit | 18 May | Toranosuke Takagi | Katsumi Yamamoto | Pedro de la Rosa | Shionogi Team Nova |
| 3 | Fuji Speedway | 1 June | Takuya Kurosawa | Takuya Kurosawa | Takuya Kurosawa | Team Impul |
| 4 | Suzuka Circuit | 6 July | Toranosuke Takagi | Masahiko Kageyama | Toranosuke Takagi | PIAA Nakajima Racing |
| 5 | Sportsland SUGO | 3 August | Pedro de la Rosa | Norberto Fontana | Pedro de la Rosa | Shionogi Team Nova |
| 6 | Fuji Speedway | 31 August | Pedro de la Rosa | Pedro de la Rosa | Pedro de la Rosa | Shionogi Team Nova |
| 7 | Mine Circuit | 14 September | Toranosuke Takagi | Pedro de la Rosa | Norberto Fontana | Team LeMans |
| 8 | Twin Ring Motegi | 28 September | Pedro de la Rosa | Masami Kageyama | Pedro de la Rosa | Shionogi Team Nova |
| 9 | Fuji Speedway | 19 October | Katsutomo Kaneishi | Pedro de la Rosa | Katsutomo Kaneishi | Funai Super Aguri |
| 10 | Suzuka Circuit | 9 November | Pedro de la Rosa | Masahiko Kageyama | 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 | Pedro de la Rosa | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 82 |
| 2 | Takuya Kurosawa | 2 | 2 | 1 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 2 | 28 |
| 3 | Norberto Fontana | 9 | 8 | 6 | Ret | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Ret | Ret | 21 |
| 4 | Hidetoshi Mitsusada | 3 | 7 | 4 | 4 | Ret | 3 | 3 | 9 | 5 | | 20 |
| 5 | Masami Kageyama | 11 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 19 |
| 6 | Toranosuke Takagi | Ret | DNS | 3 | 1 | Ret | Ret | 5 | Ret | Ret | 5 | 18 |
| 7 | Masahiko Kageyama | Ret | Ret | 5 | 2 | 3 | Ret | 15 | Ret | 12 | 3 | 16 |
| 8 | Ralph Firman | Ret | 4 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 13 | Ret | 5 | Ret | 11 | 12 |
| 9 | Katsutomo Kaneishi | 7 | Ret | Ret | 10 | Ret | 18 | 8 | Ret | 1 | Ret | 10 |
| 10 | Akira Iida | 6 | 3 | Ret | 7 | Ret | 5 | 10 | 11 | Ret | 13 | 7 |
| 11 | Satoshi Motoyama | 4 | DNS | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 6 | Ret | 4 | | 7 |
| 12 | Marco Apicella | | | | 8 | 5 | 8 | 4 | Ret | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| 13 | Toshio Suzuki | 8 | 5 | 7 | Ret | 4 | 16 | 9 | 8 | Ret | 9 | 5 |
| 14 | Juichi Wakisaka | 12 | 6 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 7 | 11 | 4 | Ret | Ret | 4 |
| 15 | Koji Yamanishi | 5 | Ret | 8 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 17 | Ret | 7 | 2 |
| 16 | Esteban Tuero | Ret | Ret | 9 | 11 | Ret | 6 | | | | | 1 |
| 17 | Michael Krumm | Ret | 13 | Ret | | | | | 6 | | 10 | 1 |
| 18 | Tetsuya Tanaka | Ret | | | | Ret | 11 | 14 | Ret | 13 | 6 | 1 |
| 19 | Katsumi Yamamoto | 10 | Ret | Ret | 9 | Ret | 12 | Ret | 14 | 7 | Ret | 0 |
| 20 | Andrea Boldrini | | | | | | | 13 | 7 | | Ret | 0 |
| 21 | Atsushi Kawamoto | Ret | 10 | 16 | 15 | 9 | Ret | 12 | 15 | 8 | 14 | 0 |
| 22 | Masahiko Kondo | 15 | DNS | 12 | 14 | 8 | 14 | Ret | 13 | 11 | Ret | 0 |
| 23 | Eiichi Tajima | | | | 13 | Ret | 9 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 12 | 0 |
| 24 | Yuji Tachikawa | | | | | | | | | 9 | Ret | 0 |
| 25 | Marc Goossens | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 10 | Ret | 10 | Ret | Ret | 0 |
| 26 | Dilantha Malagamuwa | Ret | 11 | 14 | Ret | 10 | | | | | | 0 |
| 27 | Shinsuke Shibahara | | | | | | | | 12 | 10 | Ret | 0 |
| 28 | Risto Virtanen | Ret | Ret | 10 | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 29 | Andrew Gilbert-Scott | | | | 12 | | Ret | | | 14 | | 0 |
| 30 | Masao Yamada | Ret | 12 | Ret | Ret | DSQ | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| 31 | Tetsuji Tamanaka | 13 | Ret | 13 | 16 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| 32 | Sarah Kavanagh | 14 | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 33 | "Osamu" | | | | | | 15 | 16 | 16 | Ret | 16 | 0 |
| 34 | Vincenzo Sospiri | | | | | | | | | Ret | 15 | 0 |
| 35 | Tetsushi Toda | | | | 17 | Ret | 17 | 17 | DNQ | | | 0 |
| 36 | Mauro Martini | | | Ret | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 37 | 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 |
| 1 | Shionogi Nova | 10 | 6 | 3 | Ret | 7 | Ret | 5 | 10 | 11 | Ret | 13 | 89 |
| 2 | Impul | 19 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 2 | 44 |
| 2 | Impul | 20 | Ret | Ret | 5 | 2 | 3 | Ret | 15 | Ret | 12 | 3 | 44 |
| 3 | LeMans | 1 | 9 | 8 | 6 | Ret | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Ret | Ret | 23 |
| 3 | LeMans | 2 | Ret | Ret | 9 | 11 | Ret | 6 | | 6 | 9 | Ret | 23 |
| 4 | PIAA Nakajima | 64 | Ret | DNS | 3 | 1 | Ret | Ret | 5 | Ret | Ret | 5 | 20 |
| 4 | PIAA Nakajima | 65 | 5 | Ret | 8 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 17 | Ret | 7 | 20 |
| 5 | Cerumo | 11 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 4 | Ret | 3 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 20 |
| 5 | Cerumo | 12 | 14 | Ret | | | | | | 12 | 10 | Ret | 20 |
| 6 | Navi Connection | 27 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 19 |
| 6 | Navi Connection | 28 | 10 | Ret | Ret | 9 | Ret | 12 | Ret | 14 | 7 | Ret | 19 |
| 7 | Funai Super Aguri | 55 | 7 | Ret | Ret | 10 | Ret | 18 | 8 | Ret | 1 | Ret | 17 |
| 7 | Funai Super Aguri | 56 | 4 | DNS | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 6 | Ret | 4 | Ret | 17 |
| 8 | Team TMS | 17 | 15 | DNS | 12 | 14 | 8 | 14 | Ret | 13 | 11 | Ret | 12 |
| 8 | Team TMS | 18 | Ret | 4 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 13 | Ret | 5 | Ret | 11 | 12 |
| 9 | Stellar | 34 | | | Ret | 12 | | Ret | 13 | 7 | 14 | Ret | 6 |
| 9 | Stellar | 35 | Ret | 13 | Ret | 8 | 5 | 8 | 4 | Ret | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| 10 | Mirai | 32 | | | | | | | | | Ret | 15 | 5 |
| 10 | Mirai | 33 | 8 | 5 | 7 | Ret | 4 | 16 | 9 | 8 | Ret | 9 | 5 |
| 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 |
| 14 | 5ZIGEN | 6 | Ret | Ret | 10 | 13 | Ret | 9 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 12 | 0 |
| 15 | Team LeyJUN | 62 | | | | 17 | Ret | 17 | 17 | DNQ | | | 0 |
| 15 | Team LeyJUN | 63 | Ret | 11 | 14 | Ret | 10 | 15 | 16 | 16 | Ret | 16 | 0 |
| 16 | Takagi B-1 Racing | 36 | 13 | Ret | 13 | 16 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |
| 16 | Takagi B-1 Racing | 37 | Ret | 12 | Ret | Ret | DSQ | | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 0 |