# 2012 Japanese Formula 3 Championship

The 2012 Japanese Formula 3 Championship was an open wheel motor racing series held for Formula 3 cars based in Japan. It was the 34th edition of the Japanese Formula 3 Championship. It commenced on 14 April at Suzuka and ended on 14 October at Fuji Speedway after 15 races held at seven race meetings.
Ryō Hirakawa of the RSS team has dominated the championship and won the title.

## Teams and drivers

All teams were Japanese-registered.
| Team | No. | Driver | Chassis | Engine | Rounds |
| Championship Class ||||||
| B-MAX Engineering | 1 | Hideki Yamauchi | Dallara F312 | Toyota 1AZ-FE | All |
| Toda Racing | 2 | Rafael Suzuki | Dallara F308 | Mugen-Honda MF204C | All |
| CFR | 3 | Ryugo Shimada | Dallara F308 | Mercedes M271.F3 | 1, 5 |
| RSS | 4 | Ryō Hirakawa | Dallara F312 | Toyota 1AZ-FE | All |
| HFDP Racing | 8 | Tomoki Nojiri | Dallara F312 | Mugen-Honda MF204C | All |
| Petronas Team TOM'S TOM'S Spirit | 36 | Yuichi Nakayama | Dallara F312 | Toyota 1AZ-FE | All |
| Petronas Team TOM'S TOM'S Spirit | 37 | Richard Bradley | Dallara F312 | Toyota 1AZ-FE | All |
| National Class ||||||
| Hanashima Racing | 5 | Taku Utagawa | Dallara F305 | Toyota 3S-GE | 7 |
| Hanashima Racing | 6 | Hiroshi Koizumi | Dallara F306 | Toyota 3S-GE | All |
| HFDP Racing | 7 | Kazuki Hiramine | Dallara F307 | Toyota 3S-GE | All |
| B-MAX Engineering | 13 | Motoyoshi Yoshida | Dallara F306 | Toyota 3S-GE | All |
| SGC by KCMG | 19 | Matt Howson | Dallara F308 | Toyota 3S-GE | 2–6 |
| SGC by KCMG | 19 | Naoya Gamou | Dallara F308 | Toyota 3S-GE | 7 |
| SGC by KCMG | 20 | Gary Thompson | Dallara F308 | Toyota 3S-GE | 1 |
| SGC by KCMG | 20 | Gary Thompson | Dallara F307 | Toyota 3S-GE | 2–7 |
| NDDP Racing | 23 | Daiki Sasaki | Dallara F306 | Toyota 3S-GE | All |
| Petronas Team TOM'S TOM'S Spirit | 35 | Takamoto Katsuta | Dallara F306 | Toyota 3S-GE | All |
| CMS Motor Sports Project | 77 | Ryohei Sakaguchi | Dallara F306 | Toyota 3S-GE | 1 |
| CMS Motor Sports Project | 77 | Tatsuru Noro | Dallara F306 | Toyota 3S-GE | 3–4, 6–7 |

## Race calendar and results

All rounds were held in Japan.
| Round | Round | Circuit | Date | Pole Position | Fastest Lap | Winning driver | Winning team | National winner |
| 1 | R1 | Suzuka Circuit | 14 April | Hideki Yamauchi | Richard Bradley | Ryō Hirakawa | RSS | Daiki Sasaki |
| 1 | R2 | Suzuka Circuit | 15 April | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | RSS | Daiki Sasaki |
| 2 | R1 | Twin Ring Motegi | 12 May | Ryō Hirakawa | Yuichi Nakayama | Hideki Yamauchi | B-MAX Engineering | Kazuki Hiramine |
| 2 | R2 | Twin Ring Motegi | 13 May | Ryō Hirakawa | Yuichi Nakayama | Yuichi Nakayama | Petronas Team TOM'S | Kazuki Hiramine |
| 3 | R1 | Fuji Speedway | 14 July | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | RSS | Kazuki Hiramine |
| 3 | R2 | Fuji Speedway | 15 July | Gary Thompson | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | RSS | Kazuki Hiramine |
| 4 | R1 | Twin Ring Motegi | 4 August | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | RSS | Gary Thompson |
| 4 | R2 | Twin Ring Motegi | 5 August | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | Ryō Hirakawa | RSS | Daiki Sasaki |
| 5 | R1 | Okayama International Circuit | 25 August | Ryō Hirakawa | Tomoki Nojiri | Ryō Hirakawa | RSS | Daiki Sasaki |
| 5 | R2 | Okayama International Circuit | 26 August | Tomoki Nojiri | Tomoki Nojiri | Tomoki Nojiri | HFDP Racing | Daiki Sasaki |
| 6 | R1 | Sportsland SUGO | 22 September | Yuichi Nakayama | Yuichi Nakayama | Yuichi Nakayama | Petronas Team TOM'S | Daiki Sasaki |
| 6 | R2 | Sportsland SUGO | 23 September | Yuichi Nakayama | Yuichi Nakayama | Yuichi Nakayama | Petronas Team TOM'S | Daiki Sasaki |
| 6 | R3 | Sportsland SUGO | 23 September | Yuichi Nakayama | Yuichi Nakayama | Yuichi Nakayama | Petronas Team TOM'S | Takamoto Katsuta |
| 7 | R1 | Fuji Speedway | 13 October | Yuichi Nakayama | Yuichi Nakayama | Yuichi Nakayama | Petronas Team TOM'S | Daiki Sasaki |
| 7 | R2 | Fuji Speedway | 14 October | Yuichi Nakayama | Yuichi Nakayama | Yuichi Nakayama | Petronas Team TOM'S | Daiki Sasaki |

## Championship standings
### Drivers' Championships

* Points are awarded as follows:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | PP | FL |
| 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |

#### Overall

| Pos | Driver | SUZ | SUZ | MOT | MOT | FUJ | FUJ | MOT | MOT | OKA | OKA | SUG | SUG | SUG | FUJ | FUJ | Pts |
| 1 | Ryō Hirakawa | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Ret | 3 | Ret | 3 | 3 | 118 |
| 2 | Yuichi Nakayama | Ret | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 103 |
| 3 | Hideki Yamauchi | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 62 |
| 4 | Richard Bradley | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 6 | Ret | 2 | 2 | Ret | 2 | 5 | 52 |
| 5 | Tomoki Nojiri | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 8 | Ret | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 8 | Ret | 49 |
| 6 | Rafael Suzuki | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 38 |
| 7 | Daiki Sasaki | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 14 |
| 8 | Kazuki Hiramine | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | Takamoto Katsuta | Ret | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 3 |
| 10 | Gary Thompson | Ret | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 7 | Ret | 7 | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| | Matt Howson | | | 11 | 11 | Ret | 7 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | | | 0 |
| | Hiroshi Koizumi | Ret | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 0 |
| | Naoya Gamou | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | 8 | 0 |
| | Ryohei Sakaguchi | 8 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Motoyoshi Yoshida | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | Ret | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | Ret | 11 | 15 | 12 | 0 |
| | Ryugo Shimada | 10 | 13 | | | | | | | 13 | 13 | | | | | | 0 |
| | Tatsuru Noro | | | | | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 | | | 12 | 12 | Ret | 13 | 11 | 0 |
| | Taku Utagawa | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | SUZ | SUZ | MOT | MOT | FUJ | FUJ | MOT | MOT | OKA | OKA | SUG | SUG | SUG | FUJ | FUJ | Pts |
| Colour | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | Second place |
| Bronze | Third place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Blue | Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple | Retired (Ret) |
| Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Red | Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| White | Withdrew (WD) |
| White | Race cancelled (C) |
| Blank | Did not practice (DNP) |
| Blank | Did not arrive (DNA) |
| Blank | Excluded (EX) |

#### National Class

| Pos | Driver | SUZ | SUZ | MOT | MOT | FUJ | FUJ | MOT | MOT | OKA | OKA | SUG | SUG | SUG | FUJ | FUJ | Pts |
| 1 | Daiki Sasaki | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 146 |
| 2 | Kazuki Hiramine | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 110 |
| 3 | Takamoto Katsuta | Ret | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 62 |
| 4 | Gary Thompson | Ret | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 7 | Ret | 7 | 9 | 9 | 56 |
| 5 | Matt Howson | | | 11 | 11 | Ret | 7 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | | | 28 |
| 6 | Hiroshi Koizumi | Ret | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 23 |
| 7 | Naoya Gamou | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | 8 | 7 |
| 8 | Ryohei Sakaguchi | 8 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 |
| 9 | Tatsuru Noro | | | | | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 | | | 12 | 12 | Ret | 13 | 11 | 5 |
| 10 | Motoyoshi Yoshida | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | Ret | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | Ret | 11 | 15 | 12 | 3 |
| Pos | Driver | SUZ | SUZ | MOT | MOT | FUJ | FUJ | MOT | MOT | OKA | OKA | SUG | SUG | SUG | FUJ | FUJ | Pts |

### Teams' Championships

* Points are awarded for races as follows:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Pos | Team | SUZ | SUZ | MOT | MOT | FUJ | FUJ | MOT | MOT | OKA | OKA | SUG | SUG | SUG | FUJ | FUJ | Pts |
| Overall ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | RSS | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Ret | 3 | Ret | 3 | 3 | 106 |
| 2 | Petronas Team TOM'S | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 106 |
| 3 | B-MAX Engineering | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 61 |
| 4 | HFDP Racing | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 8 | Ret | 52 |
| 5 | Toda Racing | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 38 |
| 6 | NDDP Racing | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 14 |
| 7 | TOM'S Spirit | Ret | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 3 |
| | SGC by KCMG | Ret | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 0 |
| | Hanashima Racing | Ret | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 0 |
| | CMS Motor Sports Project | 8 | 12 | | | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 | | | 12 | 12 | Ret | 13 | 11 | 0 |
| | CFR | 10 | 13 | | | | | | | 13 | 13 | | | | | | 0 |
| Pos | Team | SUZ | SUZ | MOT | MOT | FUJ | FUJ | MOT | MOT | OKA | OKA | SUG | SUG | SUG | FUJ | FUJ | Pts |

### Engine Tuners' Championship

* Points are awarded for races as follows:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Pos | Engine | SUZ | SUZ | MOT | MOT | FUJ | FUJ | MOT | MOT | OKA | OKA | SUG | SUG | SUG | FUJ | FUJ | Pts |
| 1 | TOM'S (Toyota) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 147 |
| 2 | Toda Racing (Mugen-Honda) | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 71 |
| | HWA (Mercedes) | 10 | 13 | | | | | | | 13 | 13 | | | | | | 0 |
| Pos | Engine | SUZ | SUZ | MOT | MOT | FUJ | FUJ | MOT | MOT | OKA | OKA | SUG | SUG | SUG | FUJ | FUJ | Pts |