# 2014 Japanese Formula 3 Championship

The 2014 Japanese Formula 3 Championship was the 36th edition of the Japanese Formula 3 Championship. It was held over 7 rounds and a total of 15 races, commencing on 12 April at Suzuka and culminating on 12 October at Fuji Speedway.
The overall championship title was won by HFDP Racing driver Nobuharu Matsushita, clinching the title with a fifth-place finish during the first race of the final meeting at Fuji. Matsushita claimed 6 wins during the season, including a hat-trick at the first Motegi meeting, and ultimately won the championship by 12 points, ahead of Kenta Yamashita, who was driving for Petronas Team TOM'S. Yamashita finished each of the first five races on the podium, and ultimately finished all bar three races on the podium during 2014; however, he was only able to win two races, winning the season opener at Suzuka as well as a race at Okayama. Third place in the championship went to Mitsunori Takaboshi, who won three races for the B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP. The remaining race victories were taken by Yamashita's team-mate Takamoto Katsuta and Daiki Sasaki (B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP), with each driver taking two wins. Petronas Team TOM'S did, however, take the teams' championship by 12 points ahead of the B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP. TOM'S also comfortable won the engine tuners' championship, 39 points clear of M-TEC.
The National class title was taken by Hanashima Racing and their driver Hiroshi Koizumi, after eight victories during the season; he also recorded the best finish for any of the drivers in the class, recording a seventh-place finish at the first Fuji meeting. Koizumi finished 27 points clear of Tochigi Le Beausset Motorsports' Rintaro Kubo, who won 5 races. Tairoku Yamaguchi finished a further 28 points in arrears, and was the only other race winner in the class, taking his sole triumph at Sugo.

## Teams and drivers

All teams were Japanese-registered.
| Team | No. | Driver | Chassis | Engine | Rounds |
| Championship Class ||||||
| Petronas Team TOM'S | 1 | Takamoto Katsuta | Dallara F312 | Toyota TOM'S TAZ31 | All |
| Petronas Team TOM'S | 36 | Kenta Yamashita | Dallara F314 | Toyota TOM'S TAZ31 | All |
| Toda Racing | 2 | Shota Kiyohara | Dallara F312 | Toda TR-F301 | All |
| Toda Racing | 21 | Sam MacLeod | Dallara F314 | Toda TR-F301 | 5 |
| Toda Racing | 21 | Dan Wells | Dallara F314 | Toda TR-F301 | 7 |
| HFDP Racing | 7 | Nobuharu Matsushita | Dallara F312 | Mugen-Honda MF204D | All |
| HFDP Racing | 8 | Tsubasa Takahashi | Dallara F312 | Mugen-Honda MF204D | All |
| B-MAX Racing Team | 13 | Motoyoshi Yoshida | Dallara F312 | Toyota TOM'S TAZ31 | All |
| B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP | 22 | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Dallara F312 | Toyota TOM'S TAZ31 | All |
| B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP | 23 | Daiki Sasaki | Dallara F312 | Toyota TOM'S TAZ31 | All |
| Cerumo INGING Jr | 38 | Nanin Indra-Payoong | Dallara F312 | Toyota TOM'S TAZ31 | All |
| National Class ||||||
| Exedy Racing Team | 3 | Ai Miura | Dallara F307 | Toyota TOM'S 3S-GE | All |
| Hanashima Racing | 6 | Hiroshi Koizumi | Dallara F306 | Toyota TOM'S 3S-GE | All |
| B-MAX Racing Team | 30 | "Dragon" | Dallara F306 | Toyota TOM'S 3S-GE | All |
| KCMG | 19 | Shohei Yuzawa | Dallara F308 | Toyota TOM'S 3S-GE | All |
| Tairoku Exceed | 28 | Tairoku Yamaguchi | Dallara F306 | Toyota TOM'S 3S-GE | All |
| Tochigi Le Beausset Motorsports | 62 | Rintaro Kubo | Dallara F308 | Toyota TOM'S 3S-GE | All |
| CMS | 77 | Masaru Miura | Dallara F306 | Toyota TOM'S 3S-GE | 5, 7 |

## Race calendar and results

A provisional calendar for the 2014 season was released on 8 November 2013. On 10 June 2014 it was announced that the series would add two races in support of the FIA World Endurance Championship round at Fuji. All races were held in Japan.
| Round | Round | Circuit | Date | Pole Position | Fastest Lap | Winning driver | Winning team | National winner |
| 1 | R1 | Suzuka Circuit | 12 April | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Kenta Yamashita | Petronas Team TOM'S | Rintaro Kubo |
| 1 | R2 | Suzuka Circuit | 13 April | Kenta Yamashita | Takamoto Katsuta | Mitsunori Takaboshi | B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP | Ai Miura |
| 2 | R1 | Twin Ring Motegi | 10 May | Nobuharu Matsushita | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Nobuharu Matsushita | HFDP Racing | Rintaro Kubo |
| 2 | R2 | Twin Ring Motegi | 11 May | Nobuharu Matsushita | Kenta Yamashita | Nobuharu Matsushita | HFDP Racing | Hiroshi Koizumi |
| 2 | R3 | Twin Ring Motegi | 11 May | | Nobuharu Matsushita | Nobuharu Matsushita | HFDP Racing | Rintaro Kubo |
| 3 | R1 | Okayama International Circuit | 14 June | Nobuharu Matsushita | Daiki Sasaki | Daiki Sasaki | B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP | Hiroshi Koizumi |
| 3 | R2 | Okayama International Circuit | 15 June | Takamoto Katsuta | Nobuharu Matsushita | Kenta Yamashita | Petronas Team TOM'S | Hiroshi Koizumi |
| 4 | R1 | Fuji Speedway | 12 July | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Mitsunori Takaboshi | B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP | Rintaro Kubo |
| 4 | R2 | Fuji Speedway | 13 July | Nobuharu Matsushita | Nobuharu Matsushita | Nobuharu Matsushita | HFDP Racing | Hiroshi Koizumi |
| 5 | R1 | Twin Ring Motegi | 23 August | Shota Kiyohara | Takamoto Katsuta | Takamoto Katsuta | Petronas Team TOM'S | Hiroshi Koizumi |
| 5 | R2 | Twin Ring Motegi | 24 August | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Daiki Sasaki | Mitsunori Takaboshi | B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP | Hiroshi Koizumi |
| 6 | R1 | Sportsland SUGO | 27 September | Nobuharu Matsushita | Nobuharu Matsushita | Nobuharu Matsushita | HFDP Racing | Tairoku Yamaguchi |
| 6 | R2 | Sportsland SUGO | 28 September | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Mitsunori Takaboshi | Nobuharu Matsushita | HFDP Racing | Rintaro Kubo |
| 7 | R1 | Fuji Speedway | 11 October | Daiki Sasaki | Daiki Sasaki | Takamoto Katsuta | Petronas Team TOM'S | Hiroshi Koizumi |
| 7 | R2 | Fuji Speedway | 12 October | Daiki Sasaki | Takamoto Katsuta | Daiki Sasaki | B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP | Hiroshi Koizumi |

## Championship standings
### Drivers' Championships

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

#### Overall

| Pos | Driver | SUZ | SUZ | MOT1 | MOT1 | MOT1 | OKA | OKA | FUJ1 | FUJ1 | MOT2 | MOT2 | SUG | SUG | FUJ2 | FUJ2 | Points |
| 1 | Nobuharu Matsushita | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 102 |
| 2 | Kenta Yamashita | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 90 |
| 3 | Mitsunori Takaboshi | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | Ret | 4 | 5 | 82 |
| 4 | Takamoto Katsuta | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 80 |
| 5 | Daiki Sasaki | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 63 |
| 6 | Shota Kiyohara | 5 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | Ret | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 23 |
| 7 | Tsubasa Takahashi | 6 | 5 | 8 | 7 | Ret | 8 | 7 | 7 | Ret | 5 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 |
| 8 | Nanin Indra-Payoong | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | Ret | Ret | 7 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 4 |
| | Hiroshi Koizumi | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 10 | NC | 11 | 9 | 10 | 0 |
| | Rintaro Kubo | 9 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 8 | Ret | 10 | 11 | Ret | 8 | 12 | Ret | 0 |
| | Ai Miura | 11 | 9 | 11 | Ret | 10 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 14 | Ret | 12 | Ret | 12 | 0 |
| | Tairoku Yamaguchi | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 9 | Ret | 13 | 11 | 0 |
| | Shohei Yuzawa | 15 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 9 | Ret | 13 | 10 | 9 | 11 | Ret | 0 |
| | Dan Wells | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | 9 | 0 |
| | "Dragon" | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 0 |
| | Motoyoshi Yoshida | 14 | 14 | 15 | Ret | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 0 |
| | Masaru Miura | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 17 | | | 16 | 15 | 0 |
| Guest drivers ineligible for points ||||||||||||||||||
| | Sam MacLeod | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 7 | | | | | |
| Pos | Driver | SUZ | SUZ | MOT1 | MOT1 | MOT1 | OKA | OKA | FUJ1 | FUJ1 | MOT2 | MOT2 | SUG | SUG | FUJ2 | FUJ2 | Points |
| 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 | MOT1 | MOT1 | MOT1 | OKA | OKA | FUJ1 | FUJ1 | MOT2 | MOT2 | SUG | SUG | FUJ2 | FUJ2 | Points |
| 1 | Hiroshi Koizumi | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 10 | NC | 11 | 9 | 10 | 124 |
| 2 | Rintaro Kubo | 9 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 8 | Ret | 10 | 11 | Ret | 8 | 12 | Ret | 97 |
| 3 | Tairoku Yamaguchi | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 9 | Ret | 13 | 11 | 69 |
| 4 | Ai Miura | 11 | 9 | 11 | Ret | 10 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 14 | Ret | 12 | Ret | 12 | 55 |
| 5 | Shohei Yuzawa | 15 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 9 | Ret | 13 | 10 | 9 | 11 | Ret | 55 |
| 6 | "Dragon" | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 33 |
| 7 | Masaru Miura | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 17 | | | 16 | 15 | 4 |
| Pos | Driver | SUZ | SUZ | MOT1 | MOT1 | MOT1 | OKA | OKA | FUJ1 | FUJ1 | MOT2 | MOT2 | SUG | SUG | FUJ2 | FUJ2 | Points |

### Teams' Championship

* Points were awarded as follows:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Pos | Team | SUZ | SUZ | MOT1 | MOT1 | MOT1 | OKA | OKA | FUJ1 | FUJ1 | MOT2 | MOT2 | SUG | SUG | FUJ2 | FUJ2 | Points |
| 1 | Petronas Team TOM'S | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 111 |
| 2 | B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 99 |
| 3 | HFDP Racing | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 93 |
| 4 | Toda Racing | 5 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | Ret | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 22 |
| 5 | Cerumo INGING Jr | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | Ret | Ret | 7 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 4 |
| | Hanashima Racing | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 10 | Ret | 11 | 9 | 10 | 0 |
| | Tochigi Le Beausset Motorsports | 9 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 8 | Ret | 10 | 11 | Ret | 8 | 12 | Ret | 0 |
| | Exedy Racing Team | 11 | 9 | 11 | Ret | 10 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 14 | Ret | 12 | Ret | 12 | 0 |
| | Tairoku Exceed | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 9 | Ret | 13 | 11 | 0 |
| | KCMG | 15 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 9 | Ret | 13 | 10 | 9 | 11 | Ret | 0 |
| | B-MAX Racing Team | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 0 |
| | CMS | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 17 | | | 16 | 15 | 0 |
| Pos | Team | SUZ | SUZ | MOT1 | MOT1 | MOT1 | OKA | OKA | FUJ1 | FUJ1 | MOT2 | MOT2 | SUG | SUG | FUJ2 | FUJ2 | Points |

### Engine Tuners' Championship

| Pos | Tuner | SUZ | SUZ | MOT1 | MOT1 | MOT1 | OKA | OKA | FUJ1 | FUJ1 | MOT2 | MOT2 | SUG | SUG | FUJ2 | FUJ2 | Points |
| 1 | TOM'S | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 132 |
| 2 | M-TEC | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 93 |
| 3 | Toda Racing | 5 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | Ret | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 22 |
| Pos | Tuner | SUZ | SUZ | MOT1 | MOT1 | MOT1 | OKA | OKA | FUJ1 | FUJ1 | MOT2 | MOT2 | SUG | SUG | FUJ2 | FUJ2 | Points |