The 2011 Formula Challenge Japan was a multi-event motor racing championship for open-wheel formula racing cars, and the sixth 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 23 April and ended on 6 November.[1][2] Three race weekends were run in support of Formula Nippon, with the October round at Suzuka being held in support of the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix.
Toyota junior Takamoto Katsuta won the championship by a five-point margin after winning three of the four races in the final round at Motegi, with fellow Toyota drivers Ryō Hirakawa and Kazuya Ishii coming second and third in the points standings. Kazuki Hiramine finished fourth as the highest Honda-supported driver after taking three wins and the championship lead early on. Nissan junior driver Tsubasa Kondō and Yūya Motojima completed the top six, who were the only drivers to take race wins or pole positions throughout the season.
Teams and drivers
Race calendar and results
All races were held in Japan. Rounds 3–4, 9, and 8–14 were run in support of the Formula Nippon Championship, and Rounds 11–12 were held as support races for the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix, a round of the 2011 Formula One World Championship.
Rounds 8 and 9 were originally scheduled to be held on 3–4 September at Suzuka, but were cancelled due to adverse weather conditions caused by Tropical Storm Talas. Round 8 was moved to the final race weekend at Motegi.
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
|
SUZ
|
FUJ
|
SUZ
|
SUZ
|
MOT
|
Points
|
| 1
|
Takamoto Katsuta
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
19
|
7
|
11
|
C
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
78
|
| 2
|
Ryō Hirakawa
|
2
|
2
|
7
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
C
|
4
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
73
|
| 3
|
Kazuya Ishii
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
1
|
6
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
C
|
1
|
2
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
16
|
60
|
| 4
|
Kazuki Hiramine
|
5
|
1
|
15
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
7
|
C
|
8
|
9
|
7
|
15
|
5
|
4
|
45
|
| 5
|
Tsubasa Kondō
|
4
|
9
|
6
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
C
|
16
|
7
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
9
|
36
|
| 6
|
Yūya Motojima
|
16
|
6
|
2
|
7
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
C
|
5
|
4
|
6
|
8
|
7
|
12
|
35
|
| 7
|
Mitsunori Takaboshi
|
3
|
16
|
4
|
2
|
6
|
14
|
5
|
C
|
6
|
8
|
19
|
10
|
10
|
5
|
22
|
| 8
|
Shinnosuke Yamada
|
8
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
10
|
8
|
8
|
C
|
2
|
3
|
10
|
7
|
8
|
7
|
12
|
| 9
|
Shōta Kiyohara
|
Ret
|
4
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
9
|
Ret
|
C
|
11
|
6
|
4
|
6
|
6
|
11
|
9
|
| 10
|
Keishi Niki
|
6
|
Ret
|
10
|
11
|
13
|
Ret
|
14
|
C
|
10
|
14
|
11
|
16
|
14
|
3
|
6
|
| 11
|
Hiroki Shinotani
|
13
|
10
|
5
|
17
|
9
|
5
|
6
|
C
|
7
|
12
|
12
|
Ret
|
13
|
10
|
5
|
| 12
|
Shintarō Kawabata
|
14
|
7
|
14
|
16
|
14
|
Ret
|
13
|
C
|
Ret
|
16
|
9
|
5
|
11
|
DNS
|
2
|
| 13
|
Syunsuke Matsuzaki
|
9
|
5
|
Ret
|
9
|
11
|
15
|
12
|
C
|
13
|
15
|
15
|
11
|
12
|
Ret
|
2
|
| 14
|
Zhu Daiwei
|
Ret
|
DNS
|
11
|
Ret
|
12
|
12
|
9
|
C
|
9
|
11
|
8
|
9
|
9
|
6
|
1
|
| -
|
Takanori Yamabe
|
7
|
13
|
13
|
12
|
7
|
10
|
10
|
C
|
12
|
13
|
13
|
Ret
|
15
|
8
|
0
|
| -
|
Kōhei Sutō
|
11
|
12
|
16
|
15
|
18
|
Ret
|
17
|
C
|
Ret
|
10
|
16
|
14
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
0
|
| -
|
Ryūnosuke Shibata
|
10
|
15
|
Ret
|
14
|
16
|
Ret
|
16
|
C
|
14
|
Ret
|
17
|
Ret
|
17
|
14
|
0
|
| -
|
Ryō Ogawa
|
15
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
17
|
11
|
15
|
C
|
DNS
|
17
|
14
|
12
|
16
|
13
|
0
|
| -
|
Kunihiro Iwatsuki
|
12
|
14
|
17
|
18
|
15
|
13
|
18
|
C
|
15
|
18
|
18
|
13
|
18
|
15
|
0
|
|
|
Driver
|
FUJ
|
SUZ
|
FUJ
|
SUZ
|
SUZ
|
MOT
|
Points
|
|
| Key
|
| Colour |
Result
|
| Gold |
Race winner
|
| Silver |
2nd place
|
| Bronze |
3rd place
|
| Green |
Points finish
|
| Blue
|
Non-points finish
|
| Non-classified finish (NC)
|
| Purple |
Did not finish (Ret)
|
| Black
|
Disqualified (DSQ)
|
| Excluded (EX)
|
| White
|
Did not start (DNS)
|
| Race cancelled (C)
|
| Withdrew (WD)
|
| Blank |
Did not participate
|
Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap
|
References