Formula Toyota was a

spec racing One-design racing is a racing method which may be adopted in sports using complex equipment, whereby all vehicles have identical or very similar designs or models, avoiding the need for a handicap system. Motorsport One-make racing series (also ...

series in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

between 1991 and 2007. Many Japanese

Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

drivers, like

Kazuki Nakajima is a Japanese former racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from to . In Japanese motorsport, Nakajima won the Super Formula Championship in 2012 and 2014 with TOM'S. In endurance racing, Nakajima won the 2018� ...

and

Toranosuke Takagi Toranosuke "Tora" Takagi (高木虎之介; born 12 February 1974) is a Japanese former racing driver. Early career Takagi was heavily influenced by his father, a touring car driver. In the early 1980s he began racing karts, competing in his ...

, made their racing debut in the Formula Toyota. The class folded after the 2007 season when it was effectively replaced by 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 ...

History

The Formula Toyota held its inaugural race in 1990, this race was won by

Masami Kageyama is a Japanese racing driver from Kanagawa Prefecture.Masami Kageyama ...

. Toyota launched their first

Formula 3 Formula Three (F3) is a third-tier class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers. History Formula Three (adop ...

engine in 1991 and won both the drivers title and engine title in the 1991 Japanese Formula Three Championship. Together with their Formula 3 engine Toyota launched their own racing class, Formula Toyota. The first generation car, the

Argo In Greek mythology, the ''Argo'' ( ; ) was the ship of Jason and the Argonauts. The ship was built with divine aid, and some ancient sources describe her as the first ship to sail the seas. The ''Argo'' carried the Argonauts on their quest fo ...

-Tom's FT10, uses an

aluminium Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...

monocoque Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell". First used for boats, ...

. The car was powered by a Toyota 4A-GE engine, which produced 140 hp. The FT10 was used until 1994 when it was replaced by a Tom's built FT20. This car was powered by a 5-valve engine, replacing the previous 4-valve engine. In 1995 the Formula Toyota Racing School was founded and the best driver from each class won a fully funded drive in the Formula Toyota championship. Between 1991 and 1999 there were two Formula Toyota championships, Main and West. But after the fields became smaller Toyota merged the two classes into one class for the 2000 season. The championships last race was on November 25, 2007 at

Fuji International Speedway is a motorsport race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Shizuoka, Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the ...

. The race was won by Italian-Japanese driver Kei Cozzolino. Team Le Beauset was the most successful team in Formula Toyota, their drivers won the championship six times. The series folded after the creation of the

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 ...

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 ...

and Toyota joined forces and created this racing class in 2006. The Formula Challenge Japan was replaced by the

Japan Formula 4 Formula Beat, known as until its rebranding in 2023, is a formula racing class in Japan. The class was founded in 1993 by the Japan Automobile Federation as a class above FJ1600 and below the former All-Japan Formula Three Championship and th ...

after the 2013 season. In

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

the

Toyota Racing Series The Formula Regional Oceania Championship is New Zealand's premier formula racing category. The series includes races for every major trophy in New Zealand circuit racing including the New Zealand Motor Cup and the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy. ...

, also known as Formula Toyota, currently uses a

Tatuus Tatuus is an Italian chassis manufacturer for a series of formula racing series, being first founded in 1980. The company is known for its association with Renault Sport for its production of the Formula Renault chassis. Company history Tatuu ...

built Toyota FT40. There is no relationship between the Japanese series and this one except the use of Toyota engines.

Champions

Other notable drivers

Formula 1 Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

driver for Tyrrell in

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...

and Arrows in

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

Takashi Kogure is a Japanese racing driver who currently competes in Super GT, driving the No. 88 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 for JLOC in the GT300 class. He is the reigning champion of Super GT's GT300 class alongside teammate Yuya Motojima. He previously ...

Super GT Super GT (stylized as SUPER GT) is a sports car racing series that began in 1993. Launched as the , generally referred to as the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC), the series was renamed to Super GT in 2005. It is the top level of ...

and

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 ...

driver *

Hiroki Yoshimoto (born 2 September 1980 in Osaka) is a Japanese race car driver. He raced in the 2005 GP2 Series for the BCN Competicion team, alongside the Venezuelan E. J. Viso. For 2006 he was initially teamed with the more experienced Timo Glock of Germ ...

, former

GP2 Series The GP2 Series was a form of open wheel motor racing introduced in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term Formula One feeder series, Formula 3000. The GP2 format was conceived by Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, while Ecc ...

driver and WTCC driver *

Kohei Hirate is a Japanese race car driver. Hirate has won the Super GT series twice. Career Hirate began karting in 1999 when he was 13. After winning the All Japan Junior Kart Championship, coming third and fifth in the All Japan Kart Championship and c ...

, former GP2 Series driver and former test driver for

Toyota Racing Toyota Racing may refer to: * Toyota Gazoo Racing * Toyota Motorsport GmbH * Toyota Racing (Formula One team) * Toyota Racing Development * Toyota Racing Series See also

* Toyota Supra in motorsport * Toyota in motorsport {{disambiguation ...

Keisuke Kunimoto , also known as Lee Kyung-woo () is a Japanese/Zainichi Koreans, Zainichi Korean Auto racing, race car driver who raced with a Japanese racing license. His mother is Japanese. His father, Yoshihiro Lee (李好廣、이호광 ''Lee Ho-gwang''), ...

, winner of the

2008 Macau Grand Prix The 2008 Macau Grand Prix (formally the 55th Windsor Arch Macau Grand Prix) was a Formula Three (F3) car race held on the streets of Macau on 16 November 2008. Unlike other races, such as the Masters of Formula 3, the 2008 Macau Grand Prix was ...

Formula Three Formula Three (F3) is a third-tier class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers. History Formula Three (adop ...

race *

Yuji Kunimoto is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing who is currently competing in Super GT for Racing Project Bandoh and in Super Formula for Team Impul. He is the champion of the 2016 Super Formula Championship and the 2010 Japanese Formula ...

, 2010 All-Japan Formula Three champion * Takuto Iguchi, Super GT GT300 driver

References

External links

Official website
{{Toyota Motor Corporation Auto racing series in Japan Formula racing Formula racing series Recurring sporting events established in 1990 Recurring sporting events disestablished in 2007 1990 establishments in Japan 2007 disestablishments in Japan Defunct auto racing series