Rahul Sharma (Editor)

All Japan Formula Three Championship

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Category
  
Single seaters

Inaugural season
  
1979

Tyre suppliers
  
Yokohama

Country
  
Japan

Constructors
  
Dallara

All-Japan Formula Three Championship

Engine suppliers
  
Toyota-TOM'S Mugen-Honda TODA Racing

All-Japan Formula Three Championship (全日本F3選手権, Zen'nihon F3 Senshuken), also known as Japanese Formula Three, is a national motor racing championship that takes place in Japan. It is a junior-level feeder formula that uses small single seater Formula Three chassis.

Contents

History

The first Formula Three championship to take place in Japan was held by Nippon Formula 3 Association (Japanese Formula 3 Association) in 1979, which was won by Toshio Suzuki. By 1981, it had evolved into a national-level series, the Japanese Championship, and was organised by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF).

Foreign drivers' participation has increased since the 1980s and the majority of champions have been foreign since the beginning of the 1990s.

Since 2008 a two-tier championship system was adopted as a bid to increase driver and team participation. The "Championship" class was open to cars conforming to the current three-year cycle, whilst the lower tier "National" class was open to cars meeting the previous three-year cycle and using the spec Toyota engine.

Prior to the changing of super license requirements for the 2016 Formula One season onward, the series used to be one of the four major Formula Three championships that guaranteed the winner an FIA Super Licence. Under the new requirements the winner of the championship earns 10 points towards their super license, with drivers finishing from 2nd to 5th in the final standings receiving a smaller number of points.

Equipment

Like most Formula Three championships, competitors in the Japanese Championship are permitted to use any eligible chassis.

  • Chassis: Only Dallara chassis have been used since 2007. In the past, March, Reynard, Ralt, and Japanese manufacturers like TOM'S and Dome also had supplied chassis.
  • Engines: Engines are supplied by Toyota-TOM'S, Mugen-Honda, Toda Racing and ThreeBond (Nissan). Volkswagen, HKS (Mitshubishi), Fiat and Opel had previously supplied engines.
  • Tyres: Hankook will supply tyres in 2009 as the series' sole supplier. Bridgestone, Dunlop and Yokohama had supplied tyres until 1987. In 1988, Bridgestone took place of the series' sole tyre supplier and supplied until 2008.

    • References

    All-Japan Formula Three Championship Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA