2023 Super Formula Lights

The 2023 Super Formula Lights Championship is the fourth Super Formula Lights Championship season, after the Japanese Formula 3 Championship was rebranded following the end of the 2019 season. It features drivers competing in Dallara 320 chassis and with engines made by three different manufacturers, a similar regulation format to the Euroformula Open Championship.

Teams and drivers
Team Engine No. Driver Status Rounds
TOM'S TOM'S 1 Japan Hibiki Taira[1] 1–5
35 Japan Seita Nonaka[1] 1–5
36 Japan Yuga Furutani[2] 1–5
37 Italy Enzo Trulli[2] 1–5
Toda Racing Siegfried Spiess Motorenbau GmbH 2 Japan Syun Koide[3] 1–5
B-Max Racing Team Siegfried Spiess Motorenbau GmbH 4 Japan Nobuhiro Imada[4] M 1–2, 4–5
Japan Togo Suganami[5] 3
50 Japan Iori Kimura[3] 1–5
51 Spain David Vidales[6] 1–5
52 Brazil Igor Fraga[4] 1–5
53 Japan Takashi Hata[7] M 1–3, 5
Japan Togo Suganami[8] 4
TOMEI Engine 30 Japan "Dragon"[4] M 1–2, 4–5
3
Rn-sports Siegfried Spiess Motorenbau GmbH 10 Japan Yuui Tsutsumi[7] 1–4

Team changes

HELM Motorsport, who made their debut in the championship in 2022, left Super Formula Lights after already missing the final two rounds of 2022.

Driver changes

TOM'S signed 2021 Formula 4 UAE champion Enzo Trulli, who moved over to Japan to replace the reigning champion Kazuto Kotaka. Kotaka graduated to Super Formula with Kondō Racing.[1]

Toda Racing promoted reigning Japanese F4 champion Syun Koide to replace Kakunoshin Ohta at Toda Racing, as Ohta was promoted to Dandelion Racing in Super Formula.[3]

B-Max Racing's owner "Dragon" switched from using Spiess engines like the rest of his team to using a TOMEI engine for his car. The team signed two international drivers in David Vidales and Igor Fraga, both graduating from Formula 3, where the former came 16th in 2022 and the latter came 24th in 2020.[4][6] Gentleman driver Takashi Hata rejoined the team after not competing in 2022, while Togo Suganami and Roberto Merhi left the series.

HELM Motorsport's two drivers, Reiji and Yuya Hiraki, left the series when their team pulled out.

Rn-sports saw all three of their drivers, gentleman driver Masayuki Ueda, as well as Kouta Kawaai and Seiya Motojima, who shared a cockpit in 2022, leave the series. The team signed Yuui Tsutsumi, who has been competing in Super GT since 2020.[7]

Mid-season changes

Togo Suganami replaced Nobuhiro Imada in the No. 4 B-Max car for the Suzuka weekend.

Imada was back for the round at Fuji, with Suganami switching to the No. 53 car of the same team to replace Takashi Hata.

Both Hata and Imada returned for Okayama, so Suganami left the series. Yuui Tsutsumi and his team, Rn-sports, also did not attend round five.

Race calendar

The calendar for the 2023 season was announced on 30 November 2022. With the first event being in late May, the season started six weeks later than usual.[9] Only three events will be held supporting the parent Super Formula Championship, a significant reduction from previous years.

Round Circuit Date Supporting Map of circuit locations
1 R1 Autopolis, Hita 20 May Super Formula Championship
Honda N-One Owner's Cup
R2 21 May
R3
2 R4 Sportsland Sugo, Murata 17 June Super Formula Championship
Legend Cars Japan
R5 18 June
R6
3 R7 Suzuka International Racing Course, Suzuka 1 July Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
VITA Race Suzuka
Suzuka - Okayama Challenge Cup
R8 2 July
R9
4 R10 Fuji Speedway, Oyama 15 July Super Formula Championship
Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia
R11 16 July
R12
5 R13 Okayama International Circuit, Mimasaka 9 September TGR 86/BRZ Race
SuperKart Okayama International Series
Yaris Cup West Japan Series
R14 10 September
R15
6 R16 Mobility Resort Motegi, Motegi 10–12 November
R17
R18

Race results
Round Circuit Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning team Masters winner
1 R1 Autopolis Japan Iori Kimura Japan Iori Kimura Japan Iori Kimura B-Max Racing Team Japan Nobuhiro Imada
R2 Japan Iori Kimura Japan Iori Kimura Japan Iori Kimura B-Max Racing Team Japan "Dragon"
R3 Japan Iori Kimura Japan Iori Kimura B-Max Racing Team Japan "Dragon"
2 R4 Sportsland Sugo Japan Hibiki Taira Japan Hibiki Taira Japan Hibiki Taira TOM'S Japan Nobuhiro Imada
R5 Japan Hibiki Taira Japan Iori Kimura Japan Hibiki Taira TOM'S Japan Nobuhiro Imada
R6 Japan Seita Nonaka Brazil Igor Fraga B-Max Racing Team Japan "Dragon"
3 R7 Suzuka International Racing Course Japan Hibiki Taira Brazil Igor Fraga Japan Togo Suganami B-Max Racing Team Japan Takashi Hata
R8 Japan Iori Kimura Japan Iori Kimura Japan Iori Kimura B-Max Racing Team Japan Takashi Hata
R9 Japan Hibiki Taira Japan Hibiki Taira TOM'S Japan Takashi Hata
4 R10 Fuji Speedway Italy Enzo Trulli Italy Enzo Trulli Italy Enzo Trulli TOM'S Japan Nobuhiro Imada
R11 Japan Hibiki Taira Japan Hibiki Taira Japan Syun Koide Toda Racing Japan Nobuhiro Imada
R12 Japan Iori Kimura Italy Enzo Trulli TOM'S Japan Nobuhiro Imada
5 R13 Okayama International Circuit Japan Syun Koide Japan Syun Koide Japan Syun Koide Toda Racing Japan Nobuhiro Imada
R14 Brazil Igor Fraga Japan Hibiki Taira Japan Syun Koide Toda Racing Japan "Dragon"
R15 Japan Syun Koide Japan Syun Koide Toda Racing Japan Nobuhiro Imada
6 R16 Mobility Resort Motegi
R17
R18

Championship standings

The points are awarded as follows:

1 2 3 4 5 6 PP FL
10 7 5 3 2 1 1 1

Every drivers' four worst results will be dropped.

Overall
Pos Driver AUT SUG SUZ FUJ OKA MOT Points
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18
1 Japan Hibiki Taira 2 6 2 1 1 12 2 2 1 3 3 2 5 4 4 92
2 Japan Iori Kimura 1 1 1 3 2 8 11 1 5 6 2 3 11 3 6 82
3 Japan Syun Koide 5 2 5 4 3 3 4 5 6 4 1 7 1 1 1 76
4 Brazil Igor Fraga Ret 4 7 2 6 1 Ret 9 7 8 4 8 2 2 2 47
5 Italy Enzo Trulli 7 7 6 5 4 2 5 7 4 1 DSQ 1 7 Ret 5 42
6 Japan Seita Nonaka 6 5 10 6 9 4 3 3 3 7 6 9 3 5 Ret 31
7 Japan Togo Suganami 1 8 2 5 7 5 21
8 Japan Yuga Furutani 3 3 3 Ret 8 7 7 4 8 9 Ret 6 6 6 7 21
9 Spain David Vidales 4 Ret 4 11 5 6 6 6 10 Ret 10 10 4 7 3 19
10 Japan Yuui Tsutsumi 8 8 8 7 7 5 9 10 9 2 5 4 14
11 Japan Nobuhiro Imada 9 10 11 8 10 11 10 8 11 8 9 8 0
12 Japan "Dragon" 10 9 9 9 11 9 10 12 12 11 9 12 9 8 9 0
13 Japan Takashi Hata 11 DNS DNS 10 Ret 10 8 11 11 10 10 10 0
Pos Driver R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18 Points
AUT SUG SUZ FUJ OKA MOT
Key
Colour Result
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenOther points position
Blue Other classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
PurpleNot classified, retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Did not enter (cell empty)
Text formatting Meaning
Bold Pole position
Italics Fastest lap

Masters' Class
Pos Driver AUT SUG SUZ FUJ OKA MOT Points
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18
1 Japan Nobuhiro Imada 1 2 2 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 116
2 Japan "Dragon"[lower-alpha 1] 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 105
3 Japan Takashi Hata 3 DNS DNS 3 Ret 2 1 1 1 3 3 3 68
Pos Driver R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18 Points
AUT SUG SUZ FUJ OKA MOT

Teams' standings
Pos Driver AUT SUG SUZ FUJ OKA MOT Points
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18
1 B-Max Racing Team 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 5 3 3 2 2 2 116
2 TOM'S 2 3 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 3 1 3 4 4 106
3 Toda Racing 5 2 5 4 3 3 4 5 6 4 1 7 1 1 1 73
4 Rn-sports 8 8 8 7 7 5 9 10 10 2 5 4 14
Pos Driver R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18 Points
AUT SUG SUZ FUJ OKA MOT

Engine manufacturer standings
Pos Driver AUT SUG SUZ FUJ OKA MOT Points
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18
1 Siegfried Spiess Motorenbau GmbH 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 3 1 1 1 133
2 TOM'S 2 3 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 3 1 3 4 4 106
3 TOMEI Engine 10 9 9 9 11 9 9 12 12 11 9 12 9 8 9 0
Pos Driver R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18 Points
AUT SUG SUZ FUJ OKA MOT

References
  1. "TOYOTA GAZOO Racing announced its 2023 motorsport team setups". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  2. "Enzo Trulli lands TOM'S Super Formula Lights drive". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  3. "Honda 2023 Motorsports Program Overview". Honda Racing. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  4. "Igor Fraga completes B-Max Super Formula Lights line-up". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  5. "Suzuka | 2023年 SFL シリーズカレンダー | superformula lights". superformula-lights.com. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  6. "F3 winner Vidales secures B-Max Super Formula Lights drive". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  7. "Round1_2_3 | 2023年 SFL シリーズカレンダー | superformula lights en". superformula-lights.com. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  8. "FUJI | 2023年 SFL シリーズカレンダー | superformula lights". superformula-lights.com. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  9. Wood, Ida (2022-11-30). "Super Formula Lights revamps calendar for 2023". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2022-11-30.

Notes
  1. "Dragon" entered rounds 1,2 and 4 as a Master's Class competitor, but entered round 3 as a normal competitor.
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