_logo.png){kind=logo} | |
| Category | Open-wheel racing |
|---|---|
| Country | Japan |
| Inaugural season | 1973 |
| Drivers | 21 |
| Teams | 12 |
| Chassis suppliers | Dallara |
| Engine manufacturers | |
| Tire suppliers | Yokohama |
| Drivers' champion |  Ayumu Iwasa |
| Teams' champion | DocomoTeam Dandelion Racing |
| Official website | superformula.net |
 Current season | |
TheJapanese Super Formula Championship is aformula racing series held primarily inJapan. It is considered to be the pinnacle of single-seater racing in Japan orAsia as a whole, making it one of the top motorsport series in the region. The series is sanctioned by theJapan Automobile Federation (JAF) and managed by Japan Race Promotion (JRP). As of 2025[update], Super Formula is the second fastest racing series in the world, afterFormula One.[1]
The first Japanese top formula championship was held in 1973 as theAll-Japan Formula 2000 Championship. In 1978, the series transformed into theAll-Japan Formula Two Championship, and again in 1987, into theAll-Japan Formula 3000 Championship. For the most part, these Japanese racing series closely followed their European counterparts in terms of technical regulations. The JRP was established in 1995, and began managing the series in 1996, under its new name, theFormula Nippon Championship. This began what is commonly known as the modern era of the series, which has seen it become more independent with regard to technical regulations. The series' name was changed again in 2013, toSuper Formula (officiallyJapanese Championship Super Formula until 2016).
In Japan, touring and sports car racing was very popular throughout the 1960s. TheJapanese Grand Prix was originally held as an event for touring and sports cars, and was immediately established as the largest motor racing event in the country during its original run between 1963 and 1969. On the other hand, formula car racing had a more difficult time being established in the nation's motorsport landscape. The inauguralJAF Grand Prix atFuji Speedway in 1969 was Japan's first major single-seater race. And in 1971, the Japanese Grand Prix was reformatted into an event centered around formula car racing. Neither event managed to be as popular with spectators as the Japanese Grand Prix was during its time as a sports car race.
In 1973, the Japan Automobile Federation established the All-Japan Formula 2000 Championship as the first top-level formula racing series in Japan, to promote the sport of formula car racing in the country.
The series was based on theEuropean Formula Two Championship. But unlike European F2, which only allowed the use of racing engines based on mass production models, the JAF approved the use of purpose-built racing engines from manufacturers such asMitsubishi Motors.
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In 1976, the FIA modified the Formula Two regulations to allow the use of purpose-built racing engines. With this change, the reasoning behind the name "Formula 2000" had disappeared, which led to the series being renamed the All-Japan Formula Two Championship from 1978.
These early years of formula racing in Japan were led by drivers such asKunimitsu Takahashi,Kazuyoshi Hoshino,Masahiro Hasemi,Keiji Matsumoto, andSatoru Nakajima, who would go on to become the first Japanese driver to compete full-time in theFormula One World Championship. During the transition from Formula 2000 to Formula 2, a number of foreign drivers from the European F2 circuit began competing in and winning races in the Japanese series. 1981 European F2 championGeoff Lees became the series' first non-Japanese champion when he won the All-Japan F2 title in 1983.
TheSuzuka Formula Two Championship (established in 1977 as the Suzuka Formula 2000 Championship) was held concurrently at all events staged atSuzuka Circuit, to compete against theFuji Grand Champion Series. During its existence from 1977 to 1986, it was considered to be of equal prestige to the All-Japan Formula 2 Championship.
When European Formula Two ended in1984, its Japanese counterpart did not follow suit immediately. The JAF considered starting a new Formula Two series from1988. However, all entrants ran Formula 3000 cars in1987. So, the 1987 Formula Two Championship was cancelled due to no entry of any cars for that format.
Switching to the open Formula 3000 standard in 1987, the All-Japan Formula 3000 Championship officially started in 1988.
During the late 1980s, a number of factors contributed to a surge in popularity for Japanese Top Formula racing.[2]Honda-poweredFormula One teams began winning multiple championships. TheJapanese Grand Prix was reintroduced to the Formula One calendar in 1987, and that same year, Satoru Nakajima began competing full-time in F1. Fans began following the series throughFuji Television's broadcasts of Formula One, resulting in an increased interest in all forms of formula racing. Combined with the asset-drivenbubble economy of the 1980s, the All-Japan Formula 3000 Championship attracted several entrants and investors.
Veteran drivers such as Hoshino, Hasemi, Takahashi, and Matsumoto were succeeded by a new generation of Japanese talents, led by 1988 championAguri Suzuki, and 1991 championUkyo Katayama – who would each go on to enjoy significant tenures in Formula One. The prosperous conditions within All-Japan F3000 also attracted many promising young drivers outside of Japan to compete in the series. Among those drivers included future Formula One Grand Prix winnersJean Alesi,Johnny Herbert,Eddie Irvine, andHeinz-Harald Frentzen. The most notable of these young drivers from outside Japan, however, was future seven-time Formula One World ChampionMichael Schumacher, who made a one-off appearance atSportsland Sugo in 1991.
The eventual burst of the bubble economy led to a decline in the series' popularity during the early to mid 1990s. Japanese and European regulations paralleled one another until 1996, when theInternational Formula 3000 series became a one-make format to lower costs.
In 1995,Japan Race Promotion (JRP) was established byFuji Television, and became the new promoter and organising body of Japanese top formula racing, recognised by the JAF. As F3000 went down the path of a spec formula series abroad, the JRP opted to continue with the previous F3000 regulations which allowed for open chassis and engine competition. For 1996, the first full season under the management of JRP, the series changed its name to Formula Nippon.
Many of the top drivers in Formula Nippon continued to race in sports cars and touring cars as their predecessors had done in years past.Pedro de la Rosa became the first "double champion" of Japan in 1997 when he won both the Formula Nippon andAll-Japan GT Championship GT500 titles in the same calendar year.Satoshi Motoyama andRichard Lyons would later accomplish the same feat in 2003 and 2004, respectively.
Drivers continued to use Formula Nippon as a stepping stone into Formula One including the aforementioned de la Rosa,Ralf Schumacher,Shinji Nakano,Toranosuke Takagi, andRalph Firman. But by the late 2000s, Formula Nippon's status as a pathway into Formula One had diminished, and the series was greatly affected by thebankruptcy of Lehman Brothers (the term used in Japan to describe the2008 financial crisis) - going from 20 cars in 2008 to 13 in2009.
On 5 August 2012, the JRP announced that the series would change its name from Formula Nippon to Super Formula in 2013, stating a "desire to establish the series on an equal footing with the FIA Formula One World Championship and the IndyCar Series as the undisputed, standard-bearer top formula racing in Asia."[3]
The series experienced renewed international interest when2015 GP2 Series champion,Stoffel Vandoorne, entered full-time in2016 with Docomo Team Dandelion Racing. Vandoorne would finish his season with two race victories before making the step up to F1 withMcLaren in2017. A year later,2016 GP2 Series championPierre Gasly entered the series, bringingRed Bull sponsorship with him to Team Mugen. Gasly finished2017 as the Rookie of the Year, with two wins, and finished runner-up in the standings by half a point.
Felix Rosenqvist,Álex Palou, andPatricio O'Ward later becameIndyCar Series race winners after racing in Super Formula. Palou, who was the2019 Rookie of the Year, went on to win the IndyCar Series championship in2021,2023,2024 and2025.Liam Lawson, the 2023 Super Formula series runner-up, drove in Formula One forAlphaTauri/RB Formula One Team for parts of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and drove two races in 2025 forRed Bull Racing before moving back toRB Formula One Team.
In 2023,Masahiko Kondo became the new Chairman of JRP, succeedingSatoru Nakajima.[4] During Kondo's first season as chairman, Super Formula experienced a 64 percent increase in annual attendance from the previous season.[5]Princess Yōko of Mikasa was named as the special honorary president of JRP in 2025, and the Princess Yōko Cup was given to the series champion.[6][7]
In 2020, Super Formula adopted a new top-ten scoring system similar to the one used inSuper GT, awarding 20 points to the race winner. Bonus points were given to the top three qualifiers in every round; three points for pole position, two for second place, and one for third place.[8]
A top-six points system was used in All-Japan F3000 and Formula Nippon from 1988 to 2006, inspired by the contemporaryFormula One points system. Beginning in2007, the series followed Formula One once again and paid out points to the top eight finishers. A bonus point was awarded to the polesitter starting in2008, during which the regular points system was changed again to award the top ten finishers and give 15 points to the race winner in standard events. The points system reverted back to a top-eight format from 2009–2019, though some rounds would have special points payouts.
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 20 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Until 2002, Formula Nippon was an open formula category, where a variety of chassis builders, engine manufacturers, and tyre manufacturers could compete. Chassis were supplied byLola,Reynard, andG-Force.Mugen-Honda supplied the vast majority of the engines along withCosworth andJudd.Bridgestone,Yokohama, andDunlop supplied teams with tyres. However, the series began adopting more spec components. Bridgestone became the series' sole tyre supplier beginning in 1997, and in 1998, Mugen-Honda became the sole engine supplier (though open tuning was still allowed). Chassis remained an open formula until 2003, after Reynard declared bankruptcy and G-Force withdrew from the series. The Lola B03/51 became the series' spec chassis thereafter.
In 2006, Formula Nippon underwent a drastic revision of its technical regulations. The new Lola FN06 chassis was introduced, while new three-litre V8 engines byToyota andHonda were introduced, based on the same engine blocks that the manufacturers used in the2005 IndyCar Series. American racecar manufacturerSwift Engineering produced the FN09 chassis that was introduced in 2009, and used until 2013. Also, in 2009, a new 3.4 litre V8 engine formula was introduced, a common engine that would be used in Formula Nippon and the GT500 class of Super GT, as well as a "push-to-pass" overtake system that is still used today.
TheDallara SF14 was used between the 2014 to 2018 season. It featured new two-litre single turbocharged engines built by Honda and Toyota under the Nippon Race Engine (NRE) formula and featured at least 30% components manufactured in Japan.[9]
Regulation changes in 2014, both in Super Formula and Formula 1, resulted in the closest gap ever between lap times: In the first round of the 2014 season at Suzuka Circuit,André Lotterer set a lap time of 1:36.996 in Q2, which was 4.49 seconds slower thanNico Rosberg's pole time of 1:32.506 for the2014 Japanese Grand Prix; Lotterer's time was not only inside the107% rule, but would have put him 21st on the F1 grid in front of the Caterham ofKamui Kobayashi (1:37.015) and the Marussia ofMax Chilton (1:37.481).
In 2016, Yokohama Rubber replaced Bridgestone as the series' sole tyre supplier.
TheDallara SF19, which was used from the 2019 to 2022 season, was unveiled atSuzuka Circuit in October 2017. It weighed 670 kilograms (including the driver) and featured ahalo crash protection system. TheDallara SF23, a slightly modified version of the SF19, was unveiled on December 13, 2022, and has been used since the 2023 season. It has upgraded aerodynamics to improve overtaking and wheel-to-wheel racing.[10]
The engines used in Super Formula have been detuned compared to their counterparts used in Super GT's GT500 class, but continue to allow for the use of the "push-to-pass" style Overtaking System (OTS) that allows for an additional five kilogrammes per hour (5 kg/h) of fuel burn for up to 200 seconds during a race.[11]
Source:[12]
Source:[12]
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In terms of drivers, Super Formula is a high-level series where the field is composed mainly of professional factory drivers who are paid to race.[13] It is unanimously regarded as the highest level offormula racing in Japan and Asia, and although opinions on its exact global position vary, it is generally considered to be a higher level series thanFormula 2, but slightly belowIndyCar and to a larger extentFormula One.[14]
Super Formula is a top-level national series and not a feeder or junior category, as there is no series directly above it and many professional drivers compete in it until they retire. Some drivers, mostly foreign, have used it as a platform to prove their ability in an attempt to move to Formula One or elsewhere.[15]
The bulk of the grid consists of Japanese drivers, most of whom have the goal of forging successful long-term careers in the series. Foreign drivers have always been regular participants in the series, and there have been several drivers to come from a Japanese Top Formula drive to a prominent Formula One role; the best-known of these includeMichael Schumacher,Eddie Irvine,Ralf Schumacher,Pedro de la Rosa,Stoffel Vandoorne,Pierre Gasly, andLiam Lawson.
Conversely, several foreign drivers have built long careers in Japan; examples of such drivers includeAndré Lotterer,Benoît Tréluyer,Loïc Duval, andJoão Paulo de Oliveira. Most drivers in the series are contracted to eitherHonda orToyota – the series' two engine manufacturers since 2006 – for whom they also typically compete in theSuper GT sports car series, Japan's other top motorsport category.[13]
The primary feeder series for Super Formula isSuper Formula Lights, which was known as theJapanese Formula 3 Championship prior to 2020. TheFormula Regional Japanese Championship andF4 Japanese Championship sit below Super Formula Lights in the Japanese single-seater pyramid.[16]
Honda Performance Development (now Honda Racing Corporation US) offered a US$600,000 annual scholarship to the winner of theFormula Regional Americas Championship towards a Honda-powered seat in Super Formula beginning in 2021.[17] 2022 series championRaoul Hyman was the only driver to accept the scholarship before it was discontinued whenLigier replaced Honda as the engine supplier of F4 and FR in the United States.[18]
Super Formula races are traditionally held at the six major national racing circuits in Japan.Suzuka Circuit, the traditional home of the Formula OneJapanese Grand Prix, has staged more rounds than any other venue and has been on the calendar every year since the formation of the series in 1973. Suzuka typically hosts two rounds per season: TheJAF Suzuka Grand Prix, Japan's oldest national formula racing event, is typically held at the end of the season in the autumn. Until 2025, the Suzuka 2&4 Race, a joint event staged with theAll-Japan Road Race Championship, was typically held in the spring.
Fuji Speedway did not host any racing in 2004 while the circuit underwent a wholesale renovation, but otherwise, it has been part of the calendar in almost every Super Formula season, including the very first season of the All-Japan F2000 Championship in 1973.Mobility Resort Motegi (known as Twin Ring Motegi until 2022) opened in 1997 and has been part of the calendar every year since. Likewise,Sportsland Sugo has been on the calendar every year since its current configuration was opened in 1987.
Miné Circuit (formerly Nishinihon Circuit) was a regular fixture of the calendar until it closed for spectator events after the 2005 season.Autopolis, inKyushu, andOkayama International Circuit, in theChūgoku region, have since replaced Miné as the westernmost venues that Super Formula visits, though as of 2021 the series no longer races at Okayama.Tokachi International Speedway inHokkaido briefly hosted the series from 1995 to 1996.
Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia hosted the first and only championship round outside of Japan when it was part of the 2004 calendar. The series planned to race atInje Speedium in South Korea during the 2013 season and again in 2025, but both events were cancelled.
| Number | Circuit | Years | Total Races |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suzuka Circuit | Grand Prix Circuit: 1973–present East Circuit: 1999 East Special Circuit: 2000–2002[a] | 182 |
| 2 | Fuji Speedway | 1973, 1975–1979, 1982–2003, 2005–present | 99 |
| 3 | Mobility Resort Motegi | 1997–present | 48 |
| 4 | Sportsland Sugo | 1987–present | 40 |
| 5 | Miné Circuit | 1977–1980, 1982–2005 | 35 |
| 6 | Autopolis | 1991–1992, 2006, 2009–2015, 2017–present | 18 |
| 7 | Okayama International Circuit | 2007–2008, 2015–2020 | 11 |
| 8 | Tokachi International Speedway | 1995–1996 | 2 |
| 9 | Sepang Circuit | 2004 | 1 |
| Source:[19] | |||
* The( ) indicates the tyre (since 1997), chassis (since 2003), or engine (1998–2005) was a spec part that all competitors used for that season.
Indicates active driver, team, and manufacturer.
| Driver | Total | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Kazuyoshi Hoshino | 6 | 1975, 1977, 1978, 1987, 1990, 1993 |
| Satoru Nakajima | 5 | 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986 |
| Satoshi Motoyama | 4 | 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005 |
| Naoki Yamamoto | 3 | 2013, 2018, 2020 |
| Noritake Takahara | 2 | 1974, 1976 |
| Tsugio Matsuda | 2007, 2008 | |
| Kazuki Nakajima | 2012, 2014 | |
| Hiroaki Ishiura | 2015, 2017 | |
| Tomoki Nojiri | 2021, 2022 | |
| Motoharu Kurosawa | 1 | 1973 |
| Keiji Matsumoto | 1979 | |
| Masahiro Hasemi | 1980 | |
 Geoff Lees | 1983 | |
| Aguri Suzuki | 1988 | |
| Hitoshi Ogawa | 1989 | |
| Ukyo Katayama | 1991 | |
 Mauro Martini | 1992 | |
| Marco Apicella | 1994 | |
| Toshio Suzuki | 1995 | |
 Ralf Schumacher | 1996 | |
 Pedro de la Rosa | 1997 | |
 Tom Coronel | 1999 | |
| Toranosuke Takagi | 2000 | |
 Ralph Firman | 2002 | |
| Richard Lyons | 2004 | |
 Benoît Tréluyer | 2006 | |
| Loïc Duval | 2009 | |
 João Paulo de Oliveira | 2010 | |
| André Lotterer | 2011 | |
| Yuji Kunimoto | 2016 | |
 Nick Cassidy | 2019 | |
| Ritomo Miyata | 2023 | |
| Sho Tsuboi | 2024 | |
| Ayumu Iwasa | 2025 |
| Team | Total | Drivers' titles | Teams' titles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team Impul | 19 | 11 (1987, 1990, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010) | 8 (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2021) |
| Team TOM'S | 11 | 6 (2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2023, 2024) | 5 (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2020) |
| Nakajima Racing | 8 | 4 (1999, 2000, 2002, 2009) | 4 (1999, 2000, 2002, 2009) |
| Heroes Racing | 7 | 7 (1973, 1977, 1978, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1991) | 0 |
| Team Mugen | 5 (2013, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2025) | 2 (2022, 2023) | |
| Dandelion Racing | 6 | 2 (2004, 2020) | 4 (2012, 2019, 2024, 2025) |
| Team LeMans | 5 | 3 (1979, 1996, 1998) | 2 (1996, 1998) |
| Cerumo・Inging | 3 (2015, 2016, 2017) | 2 (2016, 2017) | |
| Team Ikuzawa | 3 | 3 (1981, 1982, 1983) | 0 |
| Nova Engineering | 2 (1992, 1997) | 1 (1997) | |
| Takahara Racing | 2 | 2 (1974, 1976) | 0 |
| Victory Circle Club | 1 | 1 (1975) | 0 |
| Tomy Racing Team | 1 (1980) | 0 | |
| Mooncraft | 1 (1988) | 0 | |
| Stellar International | 1 (1989) | 0 | |
| Dome | 1 (1994) | 0 | |
| Team 5ZIGEN | 0 | 1 (2001) | |
| Kondo Racing | 0 | 1 (2018) |
After the2025 season.
| Rank | Chassis constructor | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lola | 124 |
| 2 | Dallara | 100 |
| 3 | March | 75 |
| 4 | Reynard | 72 |
| 5 |  Swift | 38 |
| 6 | Nova | 11 |
| 7 | Dome | 5 |
| 8 | Chevron | 3 |
| 9 | Brabham | 2 |
| 9 | Kojima | 2 |
| 9 | Spirit | 2 |
| 12 | Surtees | 1 |
| 12 | G-Force | 1 |
| Rank | Engine manufacturer | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mugen | 160 |
| 2 | Honda | 109 |
| 3 | Toyota | 95 |
| 4 | BMW | 52 |
| 5 | Cosworth | 8 |
| 6 | Cosworth/Yamaha | 6 |
| 7 | Ford | 3 |
| 7 | Yamaha | 3 |
| Rank | Tire Supplier | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BBridgestone | 311 |
| 2 | YYokohama | 92 |
| 3 | DDunlop | 33 |
| Rank | Chassis constructor | Poles |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lola | 128 |
| 2 | Dallara | 103 |
| 3 | Reynard | 75 |
| 4 | March | 70 |
| 5 | Swift | 38 |
| 6 | Nova | 16 |
| 7 | Dome | 3 |
| 8 | Chevron | 2 |
| 8 | G-Force | 2 |
| 10 | Maurer | 1 |
| 10 | Spirit | 1 |
| 10 | Ralt | 1 |
| Rank | Engine manufacturer | Poles |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mugen | 167 |
| 2 | Honda | 115 |
| 3 | Toyota | 85 |
| 4 | BMW | 60 |
| 5 | Cosworth/Yamaha | 5 |
| 6 | Cosworth | 4 |
| 7 | Yamaha | 3 |
| 8 | Ford | 1 |
| Rank | Tire Supplier | Poles |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BBridgestone | 320 |
| 2 | YYokohama | 88 |
| 3 | DDunlop | 31 |
| 4 | FFirestone | 1 |
