2017 SUPER FORMULAEntering it's second season with the new Yokohama/Advan tires, the Super Formula series is expected to bring much more excitement than in the previous seasons. All the gathered data from the 2016 season has helped the teams and the tyre manufacturer to improve even more the performance of the cars, that broke records in both pre season tests, even in very cold conditions that doesn't suit the Yokohama coumpounds. New sidepods with improved aerodynamics, with closed air entrances to engine cooling, also helped the cars on the downforce side.
In Suzuka Andre Lotterer set the fastest lap with an impressive 1:35.163. The current record in the track belongs to himself, but with a distant 1:36.996. With improved track conditions and the data collected during the pre season tests used correctly, it's possible that the current cars goes into the 1:34 in the first round of the season in late April.
At Fuji the situation was even more dramatic, the track conditions were atrocious, with extremelly low temperatures, the drivers struggled to find good grip, which showed the biggest problem of the current chassis and also the problems regarding the Yokohama tires, the massive understeer, especially in wet conditions. Even though and after the snow has covered the track the night before, Ryo Hirakawa, recplacing Kazuki Nakajima in the tests, set the fastest lap with an impressive 1:21.628, just 3 seconds off the F1 lap record set in 2008 by Lewis Hamilton.
The 2017 season will see a large number of rookies, with the attention mostly turned into RedBull's protegee Pierre Gasly, who will drive for Team Mugen, the team most directly linked with Honda in the series, in the first time RedBull will firmly support a driver in the series.
So let's take a look on every team and every driver of the upcoming season!
TEAMS AND DRIVERSP.Mu/Cerumo-Inging - ToyotaPartners since 2008, Cerumo and Inging that once were separated teams, has been showing the partnership development has reached it's peak of maturity. Champions in 2015 with Hiroaki Ishiura and in 2016 with Yuji Kunimoto, the fusion of those two racing legends also grabbed the team's championship in 2016, coming to 2017 as one of the main contenders for another title.
The drivers, showing the strenght of their own partnership are again Yuji Kunimoto and Hiroaki Ishiura, the 4th season in a row of this couple together. With one title to each driver, they will be fighting hard to have a new crown to their racing career. Both drivers did very well in the pre season tests, although Kunimoto missed on Fuji test days, due to WEC appointments. Kunimoto was replaced in the Fuji tests by the Cerumo/Inging team manager, the former Formula Nippon driver Yuji Tachikawa.
#01 Yuji Kunimoto
Japan, 26 Years Old
Races: 48
Points: 78,5
Wins: 2
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest Laps: 0
Podiums: 6
Titles: 1 (2016)
Debut: Suzuka 2011, Project μ/Cerumo-Inging#02 Hiroaki Ishiura
Japan, 36 Years Old
Races: 60
Points: 176,5
Wins: 3
Pole Positions: 6
Fastest Laps: 4
Podiums: 15
Titles: 1 (2015)
Debut: Fuji 2008, Team LeMansKondo Racing - ToyotaBesides being one of the most traditional teams in the series, Kondo Racing has been showing the most irregular performance amongst all teams. The team that belongs to the J-Music star Masahiko Kondo, who was also a driver in the Formula Nippon days, struggles to set themselves as a strenght in the series. Some good results are achieved at some point, but the good work rarely have continuation.
In 2016, James Rossiter did quite a good work, ending the season with 12 points, but on the other hand, his teammate William Buller failed to score a single point and finished the season at the bottom of the table.
For the 2017 season Kondo Racing bets on the new, changing both drivers and welcoming two rookies, both with great potential, but without someone to help with experience to develop a car. Those drivers are the last two Japanese F3 champions, Nick Cassidy, from New Zealand, who won the 2015 season and Kenta Yamashita, who won the 2016 season after an awesome title decider in Sugo, where he beat the talented british Jann Mardenborough.
In the pre season tests, Nick Cassidy was constantly faster than Yamashita, even setting a 5th place in Suzuka times table, although not doing so well in the Fuji tests. Both drivers are promising, but the results they might achieve are still very hard to predict.
#03 Nick Cassidy
New Zealand, 22 Years Old
Rookie#04 Kenta Yamashita
Japan, 21 Years Old
RookieSunoco Team LeMans - ToyotaThe team went in a complete downhill in the 2016 season, one of the most traditional teams who were once part of the main forces in the series, Team LeMans has finished the last season only ahead of KCMG that hasn't scored a single point. The teammates, both former F1 drivers, Kamui Kobayashi and Narain Karthikeyan were far away from the level expected and the team only reached the podium once, at Okayama with Karthikeyan, while Kobayashi was only able to score a single point in the very last race of the season at Suzuka.
In 2017, everything is new at Team LeMans, both drivers didn't had their contract renewed and the team went to hire a familiar name, Kazuya Oshima, who drove for Team LeMans back in 2011 and 2012. Oshima will have the task to be the main driver in car development, as the other name is a rookie to the series, the talented swedish Felix Rosenqvist. The two times Macau winner will finally have a chance in a top level racing series and his experience may help in his adjustment to the new challenge.
#07 Felix Rosenqvist
Sweden, 25 Years Old
Rookie#08 Kazuya Oshima
Japan, 29 Years Old
Races: 32
Points: 77,5
Wins: 1
Pole Positions: 2
Fastest Laps: 0
Podiums: 4
Titles: 0
Debut: Fuji 2009, Petronas Team TOM'SReal Racing - HondaAfter a disappointing 2015 season, Real Racing has finally showed progress in the series in the 2016 season, with the talented drivers Kodai Tsukakoshi and Takuya Izawa, the team managed to score two podiums, one from each driver, hitting the 7th place in the team's table, tied with Team Mugen and only half a point behind Nakajima Racing, certainly the most promising sing for this team since it's creation.
However, even with the good results from the 2016 season, the team has decided to run just one car in 2017, that will be driven by Kodai Tsukakoshi, in the 5th season at the team. Although the expectation was good after the last season, the pre season tests wasn't very positive for the team, always in the mid table, Tsukakoshi wasn't able to impress and the performance from 2016 seems far away from reach, at least in the begin of the season.
#10 Koudai Tsukakoshi
Japan, 30 Years Old
Races: 62
Points: 121
Wins: 1
Pole Positions: 2
Fastest Laps: 1
Podiums: 9
Titles: 0
Debut: Fuji 2009, HFDP RacingTeam Mugen - HondaAfter fielding just one car in 2015 and 2016, the official Honda team in the series, returns the two cars entry with a great news for the Japanese fans, the coming of RedBull to Japan as an official supporter of a driver in the series, the frenchman Pierre Gasly, current GP2 champion and one of the promises for a future in F1.
The team will present two very different liveries, in Pierre Gasly car, the famous and iconic Red Bull livery will be finally present in the series, while in Naoki Yamamoto car, the livery will be in the colors of the company, just like in the previous seasons, but with some tweaks and a more white appearance.
In the pre season tests, Gasly has done a great job, 3rd at both tracks, the rookie showed his debut year might be a year of great results and even some victories, just like Vandoorne did in 2016 with Dandelion Racing. Yamamoto was slow at Suzuka, but recovered very well and finished Fuji tests in the top five, showing that Team Mugen will be one of the forces to be feared in 2017.
#15 Pierre Gasly
France, 21 Years Old
Rookie#16 Naoki Yamamoto
Japan, 28 Years Old
Races: 56
Points: 122,5
Wins: 3
Pole Positions: 8
Fastest Laps: 1
Podiums: 8
Titles: 1 (2013)
Debut: Suzuka 2010, Nakajima RacingKCMG - ToyotaEven worse than in 2015, the 2016 season saw no points for the Hong Kong based team. Another year of difficult races and struggling in the back of the grid. Even though, the regular backmakers shows that motorsports are not just about winning, but about loving what you do. KCMG is one of the most sympathetic teams in the series, with good communication with the fans and passionate people working on it.
For 2017, Yuichi Nakayama leaves the team and the former F1 driver Kamui Kobayashi comes to replace him. After a very bad season with Team LeMans, Kobayashi will have now the mission to lead KCMG to a new era, his experience in open wheel racing at top level, both at F1 and Super Formula will be important and this encounter can be very positive, fresh air for Kamui and more experience for KCMG.
The team did quite well in the tests, with Nakayama (who was replacing Kobayashi at Fuji due to the WEC appointments) reaching the 7th place, a position that KCMG are not used to and a sign of improvement.
#18 Kamui Kobayashi
Japan, 30 Years Old
Races: 17
Points: 21
Wins: 0
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest Laps: 2
Podiums: 3
Titles: 0
Debut: Suzuka 2015, Kygnus Sunoco Team LeMansItochu Enex Team Impul - ToyotaThe most traditional and successful team in Super Formula history, Team Impul targets in 2017 the title that doesn't come since 2010. In the last season, it was very close in a very competitive battle that was only decided in the last round. Yuhi Sekiguchi, the 2016 rookie of the year had an awesome debut and could've won the title Mr. Kazuyoshi Hoshino wants so much, but the title decider sent the trophy in the hands of Kunimoto. Sekiguchi ended up in 3rd place in the standings as well as Team Impul.
For 2017, Oliveira is gone after long years of service at Impul, both in Super Formula and SuperGT and the talented british Jann Mardenborough comes to his place. The teammates are very fast and can achieve great results, but the lack of a more experienced driver, who can help developing the car might hurt Impul quite a bit and in a very competitive series, where every half point is important, this can be the difference between winning or losing.
#19 Yuhi Sekiguchi
Japan, 29 Years Old
Races: 9
Points: 28,5
Wins: 2
Pole Positions: 2
Fastest Laps: 2
Podiums: 3
Titles: 0
Debut: Suzuka 2016, Itochu Enex Team Impul#20 Jann Mardenborough
Great Britain, 25 Years Old
RookieVantelin Team TOM'S - ToyotaTeam TOM'S can be considered as the strongest contenders, even ahead of title holders from Cerumo/Inging. Currently the most well organized team, they have the most positive results of the decade, including three drivers championships and four teams championships.
The drivers, for the 7th season in a row are, Andre Lotterer and Kazuki Nakajima. Lotterer has the most amazing numbers between all the current drivers, while Kazuki Nakajima is currently the only driver in the grid with two championships in his career. Certainly the strongest pair of teammates in Super Formula.
In the pre season tests, Team TOM'S completelly dominated, with Lotterer setting a new unofficial lap record at Suzuka and Ryo Hirakawa who was replacing Kazuki Nakajima at Fuji, also setting an unofficial lap record at the track. Anyone who wants to win the title will have to beat Team TOM'S first.
#36 Andre Lotterer
Germany, 35 Years Old
Races: 116
Points: 506
Wins: 23
Pole Positions: 9
Fastest Laps: 10
Podiums: 53
Titles: 1 (2011)
Debut: Suzuka 2003, PIAA Nakajima#37 Kazuki Nakajima
Japan, 32 Years Old
Races: 47
Points: 225,5
Wins: 8
Pole Positions: 4
Fastest Laps: 5
Podiums: 26
Titles: 2 (2012, 2014)
Debut: Suzuka 2011, Petronas Team TOM'SDoCoMo Team Dandelion Racing - HondaA well stablished team in Super Formula scenario, Dandelion Racing had a very good year in 2016, with the belgium starlet Stoffel Vandoorne winning two races and finishing 4th in the championship, the team was also able to reach the same 4th place in the teams championship, also thanks to the contribution of Tomoki Nojiri, who did a regular season even though shadowed by Vandoorne.
For 2017, Nojiri retains his seat to drive for the 4th season in a row for Dandelion, the leaving Vandoorne will be replaced by an old and familiar figure, Takuya Izawa, who raced for Dandelion Racing between 2009 and 2013.
Although the expectations are good for a team that has been familiar with the first positions lately, the pre season tests wasn't encouraging, the drivers were always lost by mid table and it's unsure how they will fare at the upcoming season.
#40 Tomoki Nojiri
Japan, 27 Years Old
Races: 26
Points: 43,5
Wins: 1
Pole Positions: 1
Fastest Laps: 2
Podiums: 4
Titles: 0
Debut: Suzuka 2014, DoCoMo Dandelion#41 Takuya Izawa
Japan, 32 Years Old
Races: 68
Points: 115,5
Wins: 3
Pole Positions: 3
Fastest Laps: 1
Podiums: 6
Titles: 0
Debut: Fuji 2008, ARTAB-MAX Racing Team - HondaA new entry to the Super Formula, B-MAX has a very good experience in Japanese low open wheeler series, such as Japanese F3 and Japanese F4. With the good results from the 2016 season encouraging the team owners, they decided to take the next step and join a top level racing series. The challenge at Super Formula will be taken powered by Honda and supported by a very experienced and talented Takashi Kogure, the best choice for a new team that wants a good driver with great developing skills.
During the pre season tests the team already showed some little improvement. After being last and very slow at Suzuka, Kogure escalated two places in Fuji and got much closer to the times from the other teams. For a new team with such a little time to test, the current improvement may be a sign that until the end of the season, B-MAX can be fighting in the mid table and even dreaming with a few points.
#50 Takashi Kogure
Japan, 36 Years Old
Races: 120
Points: 249
Wins: 7
Pole Positions: 15
Fastest Laps: 10
Podiums: 23
Titles: 0
Debut: Suzuka 2003, PIAA NakajimaTCS Nakajima Racing - HondaA very famous team with a great past but a very difficult present, that's how we can summarize Nakajima Racing right now. The team that was once one of the heavyweights in the series, is now just a coadjuvant. The 2016 season saw Nakajima Racing getting just one podium and several bad results overall, which the team hopes to turn around in 2017.
Daisuke Nakajima, the younger brother of Kazuki, stays one more season and with Baguette leaving, Narain Karthikeyan, the oldest driver of the grid, was brought aboard to help developing the car. The pre season tests doesn't give them much hope though, as the best they could reach was the 9th place with Karthikeyan in both tracks.
#64 Daisuke Nakajima
Japan, 28 Years Old
Races: 47
Points: 29,5
Wins: 0
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest Laps: 0
Podiums: 2
Titles: 0
Debut: Suzuka 2011, Nakajima Racing#65 Narain Karthikeyan
India, 40 Years Old
Races: 36
Points: 18
Wins: 0
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest Laps: 2
Podiums: 2
Titles: 0
Debut: Suzuka 2001, excite ImpulSUPER FORMULA CIRCUITSThe Super Formula season, runs through many places in Japan, there are seven rounds (including two double rounds), spread at six different circuits, so let's take a look at them, with track information and the respective lap records:
SUZUKA CIRCUITCircuit Lenght: 5807m
Official Lap Record: 1:36.996 (Andre Lotterer - 2014 - Petronas TEAM TOM'S - Toyota - Dallara SF14)
OKAYAMA INTERNATIONAL CIRCUITCircuit Lenght: 3703m
Official Lap Record: 1:12.429 (Hiroaki Ishiura - 2015 - Project Mu./Cerumo-Inging - Toyota - Dallara SF14)
FUJI SPEEDWAYCircuit Lenght: 4563m
Official Lap Record: 1:22.572 (Andre Lotterer - 2014 - Petronas Team TOM'S - Toyota - Dallara SF14)
TWIN RING MOTEGICircuit Lenght: 4801m
Official Lap Record: 1:32.321 (João Paulo de Oliveira - 2014 - Lenovo Team Impul - Toyota - Dallara SF14)
AUTOPOLISCircuit Lenght: 4674m
Official Lap Record: 1:26.469 (Naoki Yamamoto - 2014 - Team Mugen - Honda - Dallara SF14)
SPORTSLAND SUGOCircuit Lenght: 3704m
Official Lap Record: 1:05.005 (Andre Lotterer - 2015 - Petronas Team TOM'S - Toyota - Dallara SF14)
2017 SUPER FORMULA CALENDAR
Round 1 - Suzuka - April 21, 22, 23rd
Round 2 - Okyama - May 26, 27, 28th*
Round 3 - Fuji - July 7, 8, 9th
Round 4 - Motegi - August 18, 19, 20th
Round 5 - Autopolis - September 8, 9, 10th
Round 6 - Sugo - September 22, 23, 24th
Round 7 - Suzuka - October 20, 21, 22nd*
*Double Race RoundsSUPER FORMULA POINTS SYSTEMRegular Rounds: 10 - 8 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 (PP: 1)
Double Race Rounds: 5 - 4 - 3 - 2,5 - 2 - 1,5 - 1 - 0,5 (PP: 1)2016 DRIVERS STANDINGS1 - Yuji Kunimoto - 33 Pts
2 - Andre Lotterer - 30 Pts
3 - Yuhi Sekiguchi - 28,5 Pts
4 - Stoffel Vandoorne - 27 Pts
5 - Hiroaki Ishiura - 27 Pts
6 - Kazuki Nakajima - 22 Pts
7 - Naoki Yamamoto - 15,5 Pts
8 - João Paulo de Oliveira - 15,5 Pts
9 - Tomoki Nojiri - 14,5 Pts
10 - James Rossiter - 12 Pts
11 - Kodai Tsukakoshi - 11 Pts
12 - Daisuke Nakajima - 10,5 Pts
13 - Takashi Kogure - 8 Pts
14 - Narain Karthikeyan - 5 Pts
15 - Bertrand Baguette - 4,5 Pts
16 - Takuya Izawa - 3,5 Pts
17 - Kamui Kobayashi - 1 Pt
18 - Yuichi Nakayama - 0 Pts
19 - William Buller - 0 Pts2016 TEAMS STANDINGS1 - P.Mu/Cerumo-Inging Toyota - 54 Pts
2 - Vantelin Team TOM'S Toyota - 51 Pts
3 - Itochu Enex Team Impul Toyota - 42 Pts
4 - DoCoMo Dandelion Honda - 36,5 Pts
5 - Nakajima Racing Honda - 15 Pts
6 - Team Mugen Honda - 14,5 Pts
7 - Real Racing Honda - 14,5 Pts
8 - Kondo Racing Toyota - 12 Pts
9 - Drago Corse Honda - 8 Pts
10 - Sunoco Team LeMans Toyota - 6 Pts
11 - KCMG Toyota - 0 Pts
*Pole Positions Points, does not count for the Teams Championship