The 1991 Japanese Formula 3000 Championship was scheduled over 11 rounds and contested over 10 rounds. 27 different teams, 47 different drivers, five different chassis and three different engines competed.

Heroes Racing driver Ukyo Katayama won the championship and would step up to Formula One the following year. The 1991 season was also noteworthy for a one-off appearance by Michael Schumacher at the sixth round of the championship at Sportsland Sugo. Schumacher would finish second in his only appearance before making his Formula One debut four weeks later in Spa-Francorchamps, and would go on to win seven Formula One World Drivers' Championships.

36 cars attempted to qualify for the third round of the championship at Fuji, the most entries for a single Japanese top formula event.

Calendar

All events took place at venues located within the country of Japan.

Race NoTrackRace nameDateLapsDistanceTimeSpeedWinnerPole positionFastest race lap
1SuzukaMillion Card Cup Race 2&4 Suzuka3 March 1991355.864=205.241 km1'03:33.365193.757 km/hUkyo KatayamaUkyo KatayamaUkyo Katayama
2AutopolisAll Japan F3000 Championship in Autopolis24 March 1991434.674=200.982 km1'08:17.963176.560 km/hAkihiko NakayaAkihiko NakayaKazuyoshi Hoshino
3FujiCabin International Formula Cup14 April 1991454.470=201.15 km1'00:09.320200.631 km/hKazuyoshi HoshinoMauro MartiniKeiji Matsumoto
4MineNippon Shinpan Super Cup Rd.1 Nishi-Nihon All Star12 May 1991623.239=200.818 km1'36:48.120124.471 km/hEddie IrvineAkihiko NakayaTakuya Kurosawa
5SuzukaMillion Card Cup Race Round 2 Suzuka26 May 1991345.864=199.376 km1'03:38.746187.955 km/hUkyo KatayamaUkyo KatayamaRoss Cheever
6SugoNippon Shinpan Super Cup Rd.2 Sugo Inter Formula28 July 1991543.704=200.016 km1'06:46.689179.714 km/hRoss CheeverRoss CheeverAkihiko Nakaya
7FujiNippon Shinpan Super Cup Rd.3 Fuji Champions11 August 1991454.470=201.15 km0'59:58.828201.216 km/hKazuyoshi HoshinoMauro MartiniUkyo Katayama
FujiNippon Shinpan Super Cup Rd.4 Fuji Inter8 September 1991race postponed to November, 30 due to heavy rain
8SuzukaMillion Card Cup Race Round 3 Suzuka29 September 1991355.864=205.241 km1'05:07.814189.074 km/hRoss CheeverUkyo KatayamaVolker Weidler
FujiNippon Shinpan Super Cup Rd.5 Fuji Final27 October 1991cancelled due to heavy rain
9SuzukaMillion Card Cup Race Final Round Suzuka17 November 1991355.864=205.241 km1'04:23.785191.229 km/hRoss CheeverKazuyoshi HoshinoVolker Weidler
10FujiNippon Shinpan Super Cup Rd.4 Fuji Inter30 November 1991454.470=201.15 km0'59:33.076202.666 km/hVolker WeidlerKazuyoshi HoshinoToshio Suzuki

Note:

Race 10 was started with the qualification times set for the race scheduled on September, 8.

The weekend in Fuji with the race cancelled on October, 27 saw only practice and qualification sections.

Final point standings

Driver

For every race, points were awarded: 9 points to the winner, 6 to the runner up, 4 to third place, 3 to fourth place, 2 to fifth place, and 1 to sixth place. No additional points were awarded. The best 7 results count. No driver had a point deduction.

PlaceNameCountryTeamChassisEngineJapanJapanJapanJapanJapanJapanJapanJapanJapanJapanTotal points
1Ukyo KatayamaJapanCabin Racing/HeroesLolaCosworth93--9166-640
2Ross CheeverUnited StatesTeam LeMansReynardMugen Honda-----9-99-27
3Volker WeidlerGermanyTeam NovaLolaMugen Honda---44-4-4925
4Kazuyoshi HoshinoJapanTeam ImpulLolaMugen Honda-69---9---24
5Hitoshi OgawaJapanStellar InternationalLolaMugen Honda614-6--21-20
6Akihiko NakayaJapanLe Garage Cox Racing/MooncraftLolaMugen Honda-9---4-3--16
7Eddie IrvineUnited KingdomTeam CerumoLolaMugen Honda-2-93-----14
8Mauro MartiniItalySuntec RacingLolaMugen Honda14----2-6-13
9Thomas DanielssonSwedenTeam NovaLolaMugen Honda-----3342-12
10Johnny HerbertUnited KingdomTeam LeMansRaltMugen Honda2--6-----19
11Jan LammersNetherlandsDomeDomeMugen Honda4-2---1---7
12Keiji MatsumotoJapanDomeDomeMugen Honda--6-------6
Michael SchumacherGermanyTeam LeMansRaltMugen Honda-----6----6
Jeff KrosnoffUnited StatesSuntec RacingLolaMugen Honda--3-----3-6
15Toshio SuzukiJapanUniversal RacingLolaMugen Honda---22-----4
Paulo CarcasciBrazilBitoku MotorsportLolaMugen Honda---------44
17Masanori SekiyaJapanLeyton House RacingLolaMugen Honda3---------3
Minoru TanakaJapanLeyton House RacingLolaMugen Honda---3------3
Naoki HattoriJapanLe Garage Cox Racing/MooncraftLolaMugen Honda-----2-1--3
Maurizio Sandro SalaBrazilSuper Evolution RacingLolaMugen Honda---------33
21Masahiro HasemiJapanSpeed Star Wheel RacingLolaMugen Honda---------22
22Takuya KurosawaJapanNakajima RacingRaltMugen Honda--1-------1
Mika SaloFinlandAd Racing Team Co. Ltd.LolaMugen Honda---1------1
Geoff LeesUnited KingdomTeam HayashiRaltMugen Honda----1-----1

Complete Overview

first column of every race10= grid position
second column of every race10= race result

R=retired NS=did not start NQ=did not qualify DIS=disqualified

PlaceNameCountryTeamChassisEngineJapanJapanJapanJapanJapanJapanJapanJapanJapanJapan
1Ukyo KatayamaJapanCabin Racing/HeroesLolaCosworth1144393R1136321241022
2Ross CheeverUnited StatesTeam LeMansReynardMugen Honda16R8R5122R1011114R21314R
3Volker WeidlerGermanyTeam NovaLolaMugen Honda201534NQ2019183531388310108361
4Kazuyoshi HoshinoJapanTeam ImpulLolaMugen Honda7R32218R4R11R216R1R1R
5Hitoshi OgawaJapanStellar InternationalLolaMugen Honda221161336R2212171312451069R
6Akihiko NakayaJapanLe Garage Cox Racing/MooncraftLolaMugen Honda1216117R1R877368342R715
7Eddie IrvineUnited KingdomTeam CerumoLolaMugen Honda1082511151112249716138R2013139
8Mauro MartiniItalySuntec RacingLolaMugen Honda36531165R3R201015171452313
9Thomas DanielssonSwedenTeam NovaLolaMugen Honda6R221919R15913DIS64747311517R
10Johnny HerbertUnited KingdomTeam LeMansRaltMugen Honda55978R1327R21R20R9712R226
11Jan LammersNetherlandsDomeDomeMugen Honda8316917510R151025R17615R14727R
12Keiji MatsumotoJapanDomeDomeMugen Honda18R15R927R6R18R18241612251816R
Michael SchumacherGermanyTeam LeMansRaltMugen Honda----------42--------
Jeff KrosnoffUnited StatesSuntec RacingLolaMugen Honda13761010414NS11R141411171297412R
15Toshio SuzukiJapanUniversal RacingLolaMugen Honda221113NS6826521516929NQ281126121511
Paulo CarcasciBrazilBitoku MotorsportLolaMugen Honda--DIS-141819R1212171312711R68103
17Masanori SekiyaJapanLeyton House RacingLolaMugen Honda441815241791017R109--5NS
Leyton House RacingLeyton HouseMugen Honda511
Team LeMansRaltMugen Honda169
Minoru TanakaJapanLeyton House RacingLolaMugen Honda21R23R32NQ16428R15122215--
DomeDomeMugen Honda2815
Leyton House RacingLeyton HouseMugen Honda33NQ
Naoki HattoriJapanLe Garage Cox Racing/MooncraftLolaMugen Honda14R7131610121516R251510569R1412
Maurizio Sandro SalaBrazilSuper Evolution RacingLolaMugen Honda--------34NQ24R2814271622R184
21Masahiro HasemiJapanSpeed Star Wheel RacingLolaMugen Honda23929NQ231429NQ20R26R141919152714115
22Takuya KurosawaJapanNakajima RacingRaltMugen Honda15R10846479R815511--8R
Nakajima RacingReynardMugen Honda1817
Mika SaloFinlandAd Racing Team Co. Ltd.LolaMugen Honda--261433NQ22631NQ28NQ1832NQ
Ad Racing Team Co. Ltd.ReynardMugen Honda2515R19R
Geoff LeesUnited KingdomTeam HayashiRaltMugen Honda2414141827131711146
Team HayashiLolaMugen Honda10R
Team HayashiLolaJudd31NQ13829NQ26R
-Naohiro FuruyaJapanDomeLolaMugen Honda26R2012212430NQ23R27NQ262524R23R297
-Takao WadaJapanAdvan Sport PalLolaMugen Honda271719NS12728R32NQ--32NQ------
-Tetsuya OtaJapanCSK RacingLolaMugen Honda32NQ31NQ31NQ271225932NQ21232619--248
-Osamu NakakoJapanNakajima RacingLolaMugen Honda2810121122R21819R22R242030NQ--32NQ
-Hisashi WadaJapanFunaki RacingLolaMugen Honda25NS32NQ30NQ31NQ26834NQ30NQ29NQ--23NS
-Yoshiyasu TachiJapanNavi Connection/Funaki RacingLolaMugen Honda11R272129NQ32NQ24R29NQ9R20R13162010
-Masahiko KageyamaJapanStellar InternationalLolaMugen Honda19R2117151125R181319R1916141324R31NQ
-Kunimitsu TakahashiJapanAdvan Sport NovaLolaMugen Honda29NQ25202522241430NQ231623212120191121R
-Hideshi MatsudaJapanTakeshi Project RacingLolaCosworth171217R2820DIS-36NQ----------
-Hideo FukuyamaJapanTeam Noji InternationalLolaMugen Honda91330NQ2623201329NQ30NQ34NQ181717R25R
-Katsunori IketaniJapanSuper Cad Racing/NojiLolaMugen HondaDIS---35NQDIS-33NQ--33NQ22R21R2814
-Enrico BertaggiaItalyFootwork Racing InternationalLolaMugen Honda34NQ241618212316------------
-Katsutomo KaneishiJapanZoom RacingLolaCosworthDIS-282234NQDIS-27R31NQ27222318--30NQ
-Koji SatoJapanNakajima RacingReynardMugen Honda--------------25R----
-Masyoshi NishigaitoJapanAdvan Sport PalLolaMugen Honda--------------31NQ30NQ--
-Philippe AdamsBelgiumCSK RacingLolaMugen Honda----------------32NQ--
-Kouichi IwakiJapanTeam IwakiLolaMugen Honda31NQ--DIS---------------
-Shunji KasuyaJapanSuper Evolution RacingLolaMugen Honda36NQ--36NQ--------------
-Hideki OkadaJapanAd Racing Team Co. Ltd.LolaMugen Honda30NQ------------------
-Shuji HyoudouJapanBitoku MotorsportLolaMugen Honda33NQ------------------
-Kenny AchesonUnited KingdomAd Racing Team Co. Ltd.ReynardMugen HondaDIS-------------------
-Pedro ChavesPortugalNakajima RacingLolaMugen Honda----------------DIS---
-Emanuele PirroItalyTeam HayashiLolaJudd--------------------