The 2016 Japanese Super Formula Championship was the forty-fourth season of premier Japanese open-wheel motor racing, and the fourth under the name of Super Formula. Hiroaki Ishiura started his 2015 Championship defense when the season began on 24 April, and ended after seven rounds on 30 October.

The series changed tyre supplier from Bridgestone to Yokohama.

Teams and drivers

All teams were Japanese-registered and used the Dallara SF14 spec-racer chassis. Eight cars were powered by Honda's HR-414E engine, with the other 11 cars using Toyota's RI4A engine.

TeamNo.DriverEngineRounds
Japan P.mu/cerumo・INGING1Japan Hiroaki IshiuraToyota RI4AAll
2Japan Yuji KunimotoAll
Japan Kondō Racing3United Kingdom James RossiterToyota RI4AAll
4United Kingdom William BullerAll
Japan SUNOCO Team LeMans7India Narain KarthikeyanToyota RI4AAll
8Japan Kamui KobayashiAll
Japan Real Racing10Japan Koudai TsukakoshiHonda HR-414EAll
11Japan Takuya IzawaAll
Japan Team Mugen16Japan Naoki YamamotoHonda HR-414EAll
Hong Kong KCMG18Japan Yuichi NakayamaToyota RI4AAll
Japan ITOCHU ENEX Team Impul19Brazil João Paulo de OliveiraToyota RI4AAll
20Japan Yuhi SekiguchiAll
Japan Drago Corse34Japan Takashi KogureHonda HR-414EAll
Japan Vantelin Team TOM'S36Germany André LottererToyota RI4AAll
37Japan Kazuki NakajimaAll
Japan Docomo Team Dandelion Racing40Japan Tomoki NojiriHonda HR-414EAll
41Belgium Stoffel VandoorneAll
Japan Nakajima Racing64Japan Daisuke NakajimaHonda HR-414EAll
65Belgium Bertrand BaguetteAll

Race calendar and results

A provisional calendar for the 2016 season was released on 10 December 2015. The 7 rounds of the 2016 Super-Formula Championship were held over 7 months from April through October, with a 7 week long summer hiatus through June to mid-July. All events were held on premier, natural terrain road racing circuits in Japan. Thus far, no events on the Super Formula calendar have been held on super-speedway ovals or on city street circuits.

The Autopolis round was cancelled on May 29 due to damage caused by the Kumamoto earthquake. However, on July 15, it was decided that Okayama would take its place at the same date, holding a double-header round.

RoundCircuitDatePole positionFastest lapWinning driverWinning team
1Suzuka Circuit24 AprilJapan Naoki YamamotoJapan Yuhi SekiguchiJapan Naoki YamamotoTeam Mugen
2Okayama International Circuit29 MayJapan Hiroaki IshiuraJapan Kamui KobayashiJapan Hiroaki IshiuraP.mu/cerumo・INGING
3Fuji Speedway17 JulyBelgium Stoffel VandoorneJapan Kazuki NakajimaBrazil João Paulo de OliveiraITOCHU ENEX Team Impul
4Twin Ring Motegi21 AugustJapan Yuhi SekiguchiJapan Kamui KobayashiJapan Yuhi SekiguchiITOCHU ENEX Team Impul
5R1Okayama International Circuit10 SeptemberJapan Kazuki NakajimaJapan Kazuki NakajimaBelgium Stoffel VandoorneDocomo Team Dandelion Racing
R211 SeptemberJapan Tomoki NojiriJapan Hiroaki IshiuraJapan Yuji KunimotoP.mu/cerumo・INGING
6Sportsland SUGO25 SeptemberJapan Yuhi SekiguchiJapan Yuhi SekiguchiJapan Yuhi SekiguchiITOCHU ENEX Team Impul
7R1Suzuka Circuit30 OctoberJapan Hiroaki IshiuraGermany André LottererJapan Yuji KunimotoP.mu/cerumo・INGING
R2Japan Hiroaki IshiuraIndia Narain KarthikeyanBelgium Stoffel VandoorneDocomo Team Dandelion Racing

Championship standings

Drivers' Championship

Scoring system

12345678Pole
Rounds 1–4, 61086543211
Round 55432.521.510.51
Round 78432.521.510.51

Driver standings

PosDriverSUZOKAFUJMOTOKASUGSUZPoints
Pos Driver SUZ OKA FUJ MOT OKA SUG SUZ Points 1 Japan Yuji Kunimoto 2 6 Ret 4 2 1 15 1 6 33 2 Germany André Lotterer 7 8 4 2 12 4 5 2 2 30 3 Japan Yuhi Sekiguchi 14 13 3 1 13 9 1 18 8 28.5 4 Belgium Stoffel Vandoorne 3 12 Ret 6 1 7 6 17 1 27 5 Japan Hiroaki Ishiura 11 1 6 3 7 3 16 3 3 27 6 Japan Kazuki Nakajima 12 17 2 7 19 2 4 5 16 22 7 Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira 10 19 1 Ret 8 5 Ret 8 4 15.5 8 Japan Naoki Yamamoto 1 5 Ret 8 10 6 14 19 Ret 15.5 9 Japan Tomoki Nojiri 9 4 13 Ret 4 16 3 4 Ret 14.5 10 United Kingdom James Rossiter 6 9 5 5 9 10 8 12 15 12 11 Japan Koudai Tsukakoshi 5 2 8 12 5 11 11 11 12 11 12 Japan Daisuke Nakajima Ret 7 DNS 10 6 12 2 10 10 10.5 13 Japan Takashi Kogure 4 15 12 11 11 14 7 7 9 8 14 India Narain Karthikeyan Ret 16 7 Ret 3 Ret 12 15 14 5 15 Belgium Bertrand Baguette 8 14 14 Ret 14 18 9 6 5 4.5 16 Japan Takuya Izawa Ret 3 11 14 16 8 13 16 Ret 3.5 17 Japan Kamui Kobayashi 16 18 10 9 18 17 17 9 7 1 18 Japan Yuichi Nakayama 13 10 9 15 17 13 Ret 14 11 0 19 United Kingdom William Buller 15 11 Ret 13 15 15 10 13 13 0 Pos Driver SUZ OKA FUJ MOT OKA SUG SUZ PointsColour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points classification Blue Non-points classification Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired, not classified (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX) Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap
1Japan Yuji Kunimoto26Ret421151633
2Germany André Lotterer784212452230
3Japan Yuhi Sekiguchi141331139118828.5
4Belgium Stoffel Vandoorne312Ret617617127
5Japan Hiroaki Ishiura1116373163327
6Japan Kazuki Nakajima121727192451622
7Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira10191Ret85Ret8415.5
8Japan Naoki Yamamoto15Ret81061419Ret15.5
9Japan Tomoki Nojiri9413Ret41634Ret14.5
10United Kingdom James Rossiter69559108121512
11Japan Koudai Tsukakoshi5281251111111211
12Japan Daisuke NakajimaRet7DNS106122101010.5
13Japan Takashi Kogure415121111147798
14India Narain KarthikeyanRet167Ret3Ret1215145
15Belgium Bertrand Baguette81414Ret14189654.5
16Japan Takuya IzawaRet311141681316Ret3.5
17Japan Kamui Kobayashi1618109181717971
18Japan Yuichi Nakayama13109151713Ret14110
19United Kingdom William Buller1511Ret1315151013130
PosDriverSUZOKAFUJMOTOKASUGSUZPoints
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints classification
BlueNon-points classification
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired, not classified (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
BlankDid not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Teams' Championship

PosTeamNo.SUZOKA†FUJMOTOKASUGSUZPoints
Pos Team No. SUZ OKA† FUJ MOT OKA SUG SUZ Points 1 P.mu/cerumo・INGING 1 11 1 6 3 7 3 16 3 3 54 2 2 6 Ret 4 2 1 15 1 6 2 VANTELIN Team TOM'S 36 7 8 4 2 12 4 5 2 2 51 37 12 17 2 7 19 2 4 5 16 3 ITOCHU ENEX Team Impul 19 10 19 1 Ret 8 5 Ret 8 4 42 20 14 13 3 1 13 9 1 18 8 4 Docomo Team Dandelion Racing 40 9 4 13 Ret 4 16 3 4 Ret 36.5 41 3 12 Ret 6 1 7 6 17 1 5 Nakajima Racing 64 Ret 7 DNS 10 6 12 2 10 10 15 65 8 14 14 Ret 14 18 9 6 5 6 Team Mugen 16 1 5 Ret 8 10 6 14 19 Ret 14.5 7 Real Racing 10 5 2 8 12 5 11 11 11 12 14.5 11 Ret 3 11 14 16 8 13 16 Ret 8 Kondō Racing 3 6 9 5 5 9 10 8 12 15 12 4 15 11 Ret 13 15 15 10 13 13 9 Drago Corse 34 4 15 12 11 11 14 7 7 9 8 10 SUNOCO Team LeMans 7 Ret 16 7 Ret 3 Ret 12 15 14 6 8 16 18 10 9 18 17 17 9 7 11 KCMG 18 13 10 9 15 17 13 Ret 14 11 0 Pos Team No. SUZ OKA† FUJ MOT OKA SUG SUZ PointsColour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points classification Blue Non-points classification Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired, not classified (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX) Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap
1P.mu/cerumo・INGING11116373163354
226Ret4211516
2VANTELIN Team TOM'S36784212452251
371217271924516
3ITOCHU ENEX Team Impul1910191Ret85Ret8442
201413311391188
4Docomo Team Dandelion Racing409413Ret41634Ret36.5
41312Ret6176171
5Nakajima Racing64Ret7DNS106122101015
6581414Ret1418965
6Team Mugen1615Ret81061419Ret14.5
7Real Racing105281251111111214.5
11Ret311141681316Ret
8Kondō Racing369559108121512
41511Ret131515101313
9Drago Corse34415121111147798
10SUNOCO Team LeMans7Ret167Ret3Ret1215146
8161810918171797
11KCMG1813109151713Ret14110
PosTeamNo.SUZOKA†FUJMOTOKASUGSUZPoints
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints classification
BlueNon-points classification
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired, not classified (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
BlankDid not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

† Half points were awarded at the first Okayama round as less than 75% of the scheduled distance was completed.

External links