Kojima Engineering was a Japanese Formula One constructor who entered cars in the

Japanese Grand Prix The Japanese Grand Prix ( ja, 日本グランプリ, Nihon-guranpuri) is a motor racing event in the calendar of the Formula One World Championship. Historically, Japan has been one of the last races of the season, and as such the Japanese Gran ...

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and

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The team was founded in 1976 by Matsuhisa Kojima. Kojima had made a fortune importing bananas, and was a motor-racing enthusiast, having ridden in

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himself in the 1960s. He began entering

Formula Two Formula Two (F2 or Formula 2) is a type of open-wheel formula racing category first codified in 1948. It was replaced in 1985 by Formula 3000, but revived by the FIA from 2009– 2012 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship. The name ...

cars in Japan, and struck a deal with Dunlop to supply tyres for the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix. To go with these, the company constructed the KE007 chassis, and brought in several staff-members from the

Maki Maki may refer to: People *Mäki, a Finnish surname (includes a list of people with the name) *Maki (name), a Japanese given name and surname (includes a list of people with the name) Places *Maki, Ravar, Kerman Province, Iran *Maki, Rigan, Ke ...

team. They helped arrange an entry for the Grand Prix at

Fuji Fuji may refer to: Places China * Fuji, Xiangcheng City (付集镇), town in Xiangcheng City, Henan Japan * Mount Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan * Fuji River * Fuji, Saga, town in Saga Prefecture * Fuji, Shizuoka, city in Shizuoka Prefec ...

, and a Cosworth DFV engine. The car was tested throughout the autumn of 1976, with Masahiro Hasemi, a Japanese Formula 2 driver, at the wheel. Hasemi then scored a huge stir at the Japanese Grand Prix, posting 4th best time in the first qualifying session. However, he crashed in the second session, and the car had to be rebuilt virtually from scratch. Hasemi started 10th, and ran superbly before tyre trouble led to an eventual 11th place. He was initially credited with fastest lap, but this was a measurement mistake, and, several days later, the circuit issued a press release to correct the fastest lap holder of the race to Jacques Laffite. A planned entry into the 1977 South American races was cancelled, but the team built a new Kojima KE009 for the

1977 Japanese Grand Prix The 1977 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 23 October 1977 at Fuji. It was the 17th and final race of the 1977 Formula One World Championship. At the time, this was the last Japanese Grand Prix due to traveling and financia ...

. Bridgestone this time supplied the tyres, but these were unsatisfactory, and Noritake Takahara started only 19th before crashing avoiding debris. A second KE009 was entered by Heros Racing for the same race,

Kazuyoshi Hoshino is a Japanese former racing driver and businessman. Motorsport career Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan facto ...

starting and finishing 11th. Kojima continued as an F2 entrant until the late 1980s, but did not venture again beyond domestic racing.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

( key) (results in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

Notes

# It was initially announced that the fastest lap at the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix was set by Masahiro Hasemi in a Kojima, but this was a measurement mistake, and, several days later, the circuit issued a press release to correct the fastest lap holder of the race to Jacques Laffite in a Ligier. This release was promptly made known in Japan, and the

Japan Automobile Federation The is an automobile association based in Minato, Tokyo. Founded in 1963, the main purpose of the organization is to handle various businesses related to automobiles, and to protect the interests of owners and drivers in Japan. , the organization ...

(JAF) and Japanese media corrected the record. But this correction was not made well known outside Japan, thus, Kojima is credited with one fastest lap in many record books.

References

Kojima Formula One Cars
{{Formula One constructors Formula One constructors Formula One entrants Japanese auto racing teams Japanese racecar constructors Auto racing teams established in 1976