Formula Nippon 2007

[Monkey Head]

seems the thread can be start now after first team annoucement issued

defending champion IMPUL has annoucement they keep 2 team 4 cars field with toyota engine this year.drivers list as follow:

Team A(Title sponser by Mobilecast?)
#1Benoit Treluyer
#2Tsugio Matsuda

Team B(Title sponser by Arting?)
#19Satoshi Motoyama
#20Micheal Krumn

First and Second official test will be held on 5-6 March and 11-12 March at Suzaka and Fuji respectively

[META4]

looks like a strong lineup

i believe Krumm will do better than Oshino jr...actually it will not be too difficult

any informations about other team?

I red recently on an other website Quintarelli is comfirmed in INGING

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by META4

looks like a strong lineup

i believe Krumm will do better than Oshino jr...actually it will not be too difficult

any informations about other team?

I red recently on an other website Quintarelli is comfirmed in INGING

no idea so dar....just know that Carbone would like to keen a seat in KONDO
and Wakisaka may take TOM'S seat alongside Lotterer.(they clinched SGT title for TOM'S)


Italian site confirmed that?

[META4]

check that out in italian

http://www.italiaracing.net/news.asp...rmula%20nippon


apparently the pair Quintarelli-Yokomizo will be reconducted for this season

What about De oliveira?

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by META4

check that out in italian

http://www.italiaracing.net/news.asp...rmula%20nippon


apparently the pair Quintarelli-Yokomizo will be reconducted for this season

What about De oliveira?

thx for it...
no idea about Joao Paolo so far.....hope he can continue with 5Zigen after last year final race call-up

[chunterer]

Who else can we expect to line up in the series?

How about people like Danielsson (if he doesn't get a GP2 drive?) Maldonado (ditto), Wirdheim again, although 2 Swedes in the same level series might prove difficult sponsorship wise?

[SALEEN S7R]

Carbone, wasnt he in the F3 Euroseries a few years ago? Used to always be near ish the front but never quite at the front if I remember correctly. Would be interesting to see how he does in Formula Nippon if he is who I am thinking of.

[chunterer]

Yeah, sounds like the guy.

He was pretty good in Brit F3 in 2002, but suffered when Renault dropped him from the RDD. Has popped up in various series like Euro F3 (in a strange chassis with 3 letters?), also been strong in Japanese F3 and particularly at Macau as well as having a few races in FR 3.5.

I would say is the current equivalent of a Moreno or Carcascci (spelling?!) as in a fine driver who always seems to be in wrong drives at wrong time?

[META4]

aparently Duval was comfirmed as well in PIAA nakajima

[Obizzz]

Wirdheim said that he wants to stay another year which I think was plan from the start.

I think it's more likely with Danielsson in Champ Car than F Nippon if he doesn't get a seat in GP2.

[Jackman]

Wirdheim was already signed last year.

[Obizzz]

Originally Posted by Jackman

Wirdheim was already signed last year.

Wirdheim raced for Dandelion last year but so far he has not made any announcment what team he would compete for in 2007. He said it could be any team as long as they're good enough to win. He could be staying in Dandelion if they shape up or go elsewhere.

[Jackman]

Heh, I forgot to ask. I'm pretty sure he's staying with DoCoMo though, which amusing just for the goofy graphics on the car.

[Obizzz]

Örnulf (his father) used to come in and give us info over at our swedish F1 forum but it's been pretty silent now for a few months.

He will race in the GT-series as well though.

[Lightning Bug]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Has popped up in various series like Euro F3 (in a strange chassis with 3 letters?)

You're thinking of the SLC (Super Light Car), which he raced in 2005. A modified version was raced in German F3 in 2006 and did quite well. Carbone always seemed to save his best for the big occasion: his only win during his 2002 British F3 season was in the Marlboro Masters; his only win in 2003 Euro F3 (which he did in a Dallara) was the Pau Grand Prix.

Good driver but not quite from the top drawer I reckon.

[Lightning Bug]

This was posted on Fabio Carbone's website last week. Does it mean Formula Nippon or Super GT? Or both?


Brazilian Formula 3 star Fabio Carbone is hoping to conclude a deal that will accelerate his career this year and boost him further up the ladder of world motorsport.

Fabio was a highlight of the Japanese Formula 3 Championship last year, where he took two victories, three pole positions and eight podiums with the Threebond team to finish fourth in the title race.

Now the 26 year-old is preparing for his next challenge, which would keep him in Japan for at least another year – although he may also be making some guest appearances in Europe. Fabio’s new team is expected to announce his recruitment in mid-February.

Fabio said: “I’ve enjoyed racing in Japan, and I would be very pleased to stay here for a little while longer. However, after a few years in Formula 3, I look forward to doing something a bit different, and having a brand new challenge. I spent Christmas and New Year at home in Brazil and now I am concentrating on my physical preparation for the season ahead. I can’t wait to get started: it should be a very good year.”

[Öbus]

Carbone has already signed for Dandelion in the second car and will also join the Nakajiima Honda outfit in Super GT with Loic Duval. Wirdheim will stay in Dandelion for a second season. Hopefully the team has improved since last year and I know that the team will spend some extra money in developing the car during the season. I also know that Wirdheim is testing with Toyota at Sepang this week so obviously he will end up in one of the Toyota factory team cars in Super GT this season.

[Obizzz]

Thanks for that info Öbus!

Please let us know if you hear more about Björn

[META4]

surprising foreigner line up in DANDELION

Wirdheim/Carbone

[SALEEN S7R]

Indeed a suprising line up, but a strong one too I think. Can anyone put together a potential driving line up for Formula Nippon 2007 yet or is it still too early?

[META4]

Mobilcast Team Impul: Treluyer/Matsuda
Arting Team Impul: Motoyama/Krumm
Docomo Dandelion: Wirdheim/Carbone
PIAA Nakajima: Duval/ ?
LeMANS: ?/?
Kondo Racing: ?/?
5Zigen: De oliveira ?/?
Boss IngIng: Quintarelli/Yokomizo
Tom'S: Lotterer ?/?
Team Cerumo: ?
ARTA Autobacs: ?/?

i believe we will find somewhere this year again drivers like Kaneishi,Kogure,...

[SALEEN S7R]

Hmm theres some good drivers there, certainly the series seems to be attracting some big ish name drivers once again after a bit of a lapse recently.

[META4]

formula nippon has always been strong and with the new car who appeared last year it braught a new dynamic in this championship

i believe it is a good deal for European drivers to come over japan because they can earn good living by racing Formula Nippon and Super GT without bringing any (big) money which is the opposite of GP2 where you need to bring some huge amount of money

also japanese mentality is probably also diferent than european as i do not think in Europe Wirdheim would have had a second chance after a quite disapointing first season in formula Nippon...

[SALEEN S7R]

Formula Nippon has always been a good series yes, but a couple of seasons ago things werent looking quite as healthy as they are now, particularly on the driver front.

[Öbus]

Nakjima= Loic D & Kogure
Arting=Ide & Krumm (not Motyama)

True