The 2008 Formula Challenge Japan was a multi-event

motor racing An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gene ...

championship for

open-wheel An open-wheel car is a car with the wheels outside the car's main body, and usually having only one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, sports cars, stock cars, and touring cars, which have their wheels below the body or inside fend ...

formula racing cars, and the third season of the

Formula Challenge Japan Formula Challenge Japan was an open wheel racing series based in Japan. The first season was in 2006 and carried on from the defunct Formula Dream series. It is promoted as a young driver development project jointly by Honda, Toyota and Nissan a ...

racing series, a young driver development series jointly supported by

Honda commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...

Toyota is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is the List of manuf ...

, and

Nissan is a Japanese multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the ''Nissan'' and ''Infiniti'' brands, and formerly the ''Datsun'' brand, with in-house ...

. The championship featured a mix of manufacturer-affiliated drivers and independent entries, and commenced on 5 April and ended on 21 September. All but one of the race weekends were run in support of the Formula Nippon Championship.

junior driver Yūji Kunimoto, whose brother Keisuke had won the previous year's title, dominated the championship in his second year of competition. Kunimoto took eight wins and seven pole positions from the season's sixteen races, and finished all but one race on the podium to secure a 101-point lead over his nearest rival,

junior and former

Formula BMW UK Formula BMW was a junior racing formula for single seater cars. It was positioned at the bottom of the motorsport career ladder alongside the longer established Formula Ford category. Like Formula Ford, it was intended to function as the young ...

driver Kimiya Satō. Nissan stablemate

Katsumasa Chiyo is a Japanese factory racing driver, currently competing in the Autobacs Super GT Series as a factory driver for Nissan. He is a graduate of the Nissan Driver Development Program (NDDP), and a past champion of the Bathurst 12 Hour race, and t ...

won thrice to finish third in the standings, while

Takamitsu Matsui is a Japanese racing driver affiliated with Toyota Gazoo Racing who currently competes in Super GT for Hoppy (drink), Hoppy Tsuchiya Engineering, Team Tsuchiya. A longtime competitor in the series, he is best known for winning the 2016 Super G ...

and Tsubasa Mekaru took the remaining race victories.

Teams and drivers

Race calendar and results

All races were held in Japan. All rounds, with the exception of rounds 7–8, were run in support of

Formula Nippon The Japanese Super Formula Championship is a formula racing series held primarily in Japan. It is considered to be the pinnacle of single-seater racing in Japan or Asia as a whole, making it one of the top motorsport series in the region. The s ...

Championship standings

Drivers' Championship

Points were awarded to the top ten classified finishers, with one point awarded for pole position and fastest lap respectively. {, , valign="top", {, class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align:center;" , - ! ! Driver ! colspan="2" , FUJ ! colspan="2" , SUZ ! colspan="2" ,

MOT Mot or MOT may refer to: * Montserrat, UNDP country code Media * Ministry of Truth, the propaganda ministry in George Orwell 1949 novel ''Nineteen Eighty-Four'' * ''mot'' (magazine), former German car magazine * Mot (Star Trek), a minor charact ...

! colspan="2" , FUJ ! colspan="2" , SUZ ! colspan="2" ,

! colspan="2" , FUJ ! colspan="2" , SUG ! Points , - ! 1 , align="left" , Yūji Kunimoto , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , ''2'' , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , 1 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , ''1'' , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , ''1'' , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , 1 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , 1 , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , ''1'' , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , ''1'' , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , 1 ! 272 , - ! 2 , align="left" , Kimiya Satō , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , ''2'' , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , ''1'' , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , ''3'' , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 ! 171 , - !3 , align="left" ,

, style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , 1 , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , ''1'' , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , 1 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret !136 , - !4 , align="left" ,

, style="background:#FFFFBF;" , 1 , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , ''2'' , style="background:#FFFFFF;" , DNS , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , ''6'' , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , ''1'' , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , 1 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , ''4'' !129 , - !5 , align="left" , Makoto Kanai , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 !78 , - !6 , align="left" nowrap="", Masayuki Yamashita , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 24 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 !67 , - !7 , align="left" , Tsubasa Mekaru , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#FFFFBF;" , 1 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#FFFFFF;" , DNS , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 !63 , - !8 , align="left" ,

Naoya Gamou is a Japanese professional racing driver who currently competes in Super GT for K2 R&D LEON Racing alongside Togo Suganami is a racing driver from Japan who currently competes in Super GT. Career Formula career Suganami started his first ...

, style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 24 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 !62 , - !9 , align="left" , Takashi Kobayashi , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 26 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , ''7'' , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , ''8'' , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , 2 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 !51 , - !10 , align="left" , Kazuki Miura , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 25 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 24 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 !46 , - !11 , align="left" , Kōta Lee , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 24 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 !34 , - !12 , align="left" , Tohjirō Azuma , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 !33 , - !13 , align="left" , Yūichi Nakayama , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 !32 , - !14 , align="left" , Kenji Hosokawa , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#DFDFDF;" , ''2'' , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret !31 , - !15 , align="left" ,

Daiki Sasaki is a Japanese racing driver who last competed in Super GT for Kondo Racing. He was champion of the National Class of the Japanese Formula 3 Championship in 2012. Career Sasaki has raced in Japanese Formula 3 Championship for 2 seasons in Nati ...

, style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#FFFFFF;" , DNS , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 !29 , - !16 , align="left" , Kazuma Kokubu , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 4 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 !27 , - !17 , align="left" , Yūki Iwasaki , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#FFDF9F;" , 3 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 !19 , - !18 , align="left" , Toshihiro Hinata , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 5 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 !19 , - !19 , align="left" nowrap="", Shigetomo Shimono , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#FFFFFF;" , DNS , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 7 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 !10 , - !20 , align="left" , Hikaru Abe , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 24 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 9 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 !8 , - !21 , align="left" , Kōtarō Hatano , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 26 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 6 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 !7 , - !22 , align="left" , Igor Sushko , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 12 , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 10 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 15 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#DFFFDF;" , 8 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 13 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 24 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 !4 , - !- , align="left" , Kazuumi Kobayashi , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 14 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 11 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 18 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 24 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 !0 , - !- , align="left" , Mika Kagoshima , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 25 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 24 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 16 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 24 !0 , - !- , align="left" , Kōta Matsui , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 25 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 24 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 21 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 !0 , - !- , align="left" , Kazuki Kawamura , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 24 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 25 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 22 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 23 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 17 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 20 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 25 , style="background:#EFCFFF;" , Ret , style="background:#CFCFFF;" , 19 !0 , - ! ! Driver ! colspan="2" , FUJ ! colspan="2" , SUZ ! colspan="2" ,

! colspan="2" , FUJ ! colspan="2" , SUZ ! colspan="2" ,

! colspan="2" , FUJ ! colspan="2" , SUG ! Points , valign="top" , {{FIA GT1 results legend Bold – Pole
''Italics'' – Fastest Lap

References

2008 in Japanese motorsport 2008 in formula racing