The 2012 Formula Challenge Japan was a multi-event motor racing championship for open-wheel formula racing cars, and the seventh running of the Formula Challenge Japan 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 7 April and ended on 4 November.[1][2]
The championship featured a close battle between Honda-backed Nobuharu Matsushita and Toyota-supported Ryō Hirakawa; both drivers scored five wins over the course of the 12-race season, with Nissan-supported Mitsunori Takaboshi taking the remaining two victories. Matsushita would ultimately claim the championship title by countback over Hirakawa, with Takaboshi finishing third in the points standings.
Teams and drivers
Race calendar and results
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
|
FUJ
|
SUZ
|
SUZ
|
Points
|
| 1
|
Nobuharu Matsushita
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
15
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
91
|
| 2
|
Ryō Hirakawa
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
Ret
|
5
|
91
|
| 3
|
Mitsunori Takaboshi
|
4
|
15
|
2
|
1
|
5
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
2
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
65
|
| 4
|
Shōta Kiyohara
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
2
|
3
|
14
|
6
|
7
|
6
|
36
|
| 5
|
Hiroki Shinotani
|
5
|
14
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
12
|
5
|
12
|
3
|
3
|
18
|
8
|
28
|
| 6
|
Shintarō Kawabata
|
Ret
|
6
|
Ret
|
6
|
7
|
17
|
6
|
5
|
16
|
7
|
3
|
3
|
15
|
| 7
|
Shō Tsuboi
|
11
|
7
|
12
|
12
|
13
|
5
|
10
|
13
|
Ret
|
5
|
4
|
18
|
7
|
| 8
|
Ryō Ogawa
|
6
|
4
|
6
|
7
|
12
|
11
|
14
|
10
|
6
|
12
|
6
|
7
|
7
|
| 9
|
Keishi Ishikawa
|
|
|
|
|
15
|
8
|
Ret
|
|
|
11
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
| 10
|
Shinya Michimi
|
12
|
9
|
10
|
Ret
|
9
|
9
|
11
|
8
|
4
|
9
|
8
|
9
|
3
|
| 11
|
Ryūnosuke Shibata
|
10
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
9
|
5
|
15
|
12
|
12
|
2
|
| 12
|
Yuichi Mikasa
|
16
|
5
|
11
|
10
|
14
|
10
|
15
|
18
|
10
|
10
|
10
|
Ret
|
2
|
| 13
|
Kiyoto Fujinami
|
9
|
10
|
9
|
11
|
8
|
6
|
7
|
6
|
9
|
8
|
17
|
Ret
|
2
|
| 14
|
Kōhei Sutō
|
8
|
12
|
7
|
8
|
6
|
16
|
8
|
7
|
7
|
Ret
|
11
|
11
|
1
|
| -
|
Shun Kurosaki
|
7
|
Ret
|
8
|
14
|
10
|
7
|
9
|
19
|
Ret
|
14
|
16
|
15
|
0
|
| -
|
Tsubasa Takahashi
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16
|
8
|
|
|
|
0
|
| -
|
Nanin Indra-Payoong
|
14
|
13
|
13
|
DSQ
|
11
|
14
|
13
|
14
|
12
|
13
|
9
|
10
|
0
|
| -
|
Yūdai Jinkawa
|
15
|
Ret
|
14
|
9
|
16
|
13
|
16
|
17
|
Ret
|
17
|
14
|
13
|
0
|
| -
|
Im Che-won
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11
|
11
|
18
|
Ret
|
14
|
0
|
| -
|
Ai Miura
|
13
|
11
|
15
|
13
|
DSQ
|
15
|
12
|
15
|
13
|
19
|
15
|
16
|
0
|
| -
|
Takahiro Matsuda
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16
|
13
|
17
|
0
|
|
|
Driver
|
FUJ
|
MOT
|
FUJ
|
SUZ
|
SUZ
|
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