The 2013 Formula Challenge Japan was a multi-event motor racing championship for open-wheel formula racing cars, and the eighth and final season of the Formula Challenge Japan racing series, a young driver development series jointly supported by Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. The championship featured a mix of manufacturer-affiliated drivers and independent entries, and commenced on 30 March and ended on 10 November.
The championship was won by Toyota-backed rookie Kenta Yamashita after a season-long battle where the championship lead changed hands numerous times. Yamashita claimed the title after a hat-trick of wins at the final round in Fuji, more than doubling his points tally to emerge victorious in front of Honda-supported Tsubasa Takahashi and fellow Toyota junior Keishi Ishikawa. Hiroki Shinotani, who had led the championship going into the final round, slipped to fourth in the standings. The season saw five winners, with Yamashita claiming four, Takahashi winning thrice, Shinotani and Shō Tsuboi claiming two each, and Shōta Kiyohara dominating a single round.
This was the final season of Formula Challenge Japan before it was replaced by Japan Formula 4 in 2014, and by the FIA F4 Japanese Championship in 2015.
Teams and drivers Team Driver Rounds FTRS FCJTokyo Toyopet FTRSFTRS Scholarship FCJIshiyaki Ramen Volcano FTRS FCJFTRS PTTFTRS Scholarship SMRFTRS TMC FCJBinchou & Dohtonbori FTRSAutobacs FTRS FCJ 1 Kenta YamashitaAll2 Yūki NemotoAll3 Hiroki ShinotaniAll6 Yuichi MikasaAll7 Nanin Indra-Payoong1–99 Shinya Sean MichimiAll11 Shō TsuboiAll12 Takuma ImaiAll13 Shūhei HayashiAll15 Ren Nagabuchi8–9HFDP Scholarship/SRS-F/Kotira RHFDP ARTA4 Tsubasa TakahashiAll5 Keishi IshikawaAll8 Shōta Kiyohara1–9Exedy Racing Team10 Ai MiuraAllNDDP FCJ14 Kiyoto FujinamiAllHonda Cars Mie Team SBT16 Ryūnosuke Shibata10–12Le Beausset Racing Academy17 Rintaro Kubo10–12B-MAX18 Yūki Asahara10–12Source
Race calendar and results Round Circuit Date 1 Fuji Speedway, Oyama 30 March Kiyoto Fujinami Keishi Ishikawa Shō Tsuboi2 31 March Kiyoto Fujinami Shō Tsuboi Tsubasa Takahashi 3 Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi 11 May Nanin Indra-Payoong Kenta Yamashita Kenta Yamashita4 12 May Shinya Sean Michimi Hiroki Shinotani Tsubasa Takahashi 5 Fuji Speedway, Oyama 22 June Kiyoto Fujinami Hiroki Shinotani Hiroki Shinotani6 Kiyoto Fujinami Hiroki Shinotani723 June Hiroki Shinotani Tsubasa Takahashi 8 Fuji Speedway, Oyama 24 August Shōta Kiyohara Shōta Kiyohara Shōta Kiyohara9 25 August Shinya Sean Michimi Keishi Ishikawa Shō Tsuboi 10 Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka 9 November Kenta Yamashita Kenta Yamashita Kenta Yamashita11 Kenta Yamashita Kenta Yamashita Kenta Yamashita1210 November Tsubasa Takahashi Kenta Yamashita
Championship standings Drivers' Championship Points were awarded to the top six classified finishers, with one point awarded for pole position and fastest lap respectively. 1 2 3 4 5 6 PP FL 10 7 5 3 2 1 1 1 Driver FUJ MOT FUJFUJSUZ Points 1 Kenta Yamashita5316103772111 65 2 Tsubasa Takahashi12181461109223 543 Keishi Ishikawa2238521386332484 Hiroki Shinotani669411253648465 Shō Tsuboi176767531465366 Kiyoto Fujinami4Ret5324315†141087297 Shinya Sean Michimi9542313112139712268 Shōta Kiyohara 311WDWD88815199 Yuichi Mikasa74Ret97544125561610 Nanin Indra-PayoongRet8251312121471011 Yūki Nemoto10127101211106412154712 Shūhei Hayashi8101011DSQ96138810Ret1- Takuma Imai111311131114Ret1111711130- Ai Miura139Ret1291099151312110- Ryūnosuke Shibata11990- Ren Nagabuchi12100- Rintaro KuboRet13100- Yūki Asahara1414140 Driver FUJ MOT FUJFUJSUZ PointsBold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap
References