Super FJ, commonly abbreviated as S-FJ, is a single-seater motor racing category based in Japan. Utilized by several regional championships throughout Japan since its introduction in 2007 by the Japan Automobile Federation, the category is overseen by the Japan Scholarship System and supported by the FJ Association, and is commonly referred to as the entry point on the Japanese formula racing ladder.[1]
Since its inception in 1980, the Formula Ford-adjacent FJ1600 series had served as Japan's entry-level formula racing category; however, the Subaru-manufactured EA71 engine, originally introduced in 1976 for use in the Subaru Leone and long utilised as the regulation engines for FJ1600, had become increasingly difficult to source since the engine was discontinued in 1994. In response to calls for a more accessible regulation set, Super FJ was announced by the Japan Automobile Federation in November 2006 as Japan's new entry-level formula racing category.[3]
In the inaugural 2007 season, Super FJ featured JAF-sanctioned regional championships at four major circuits throughout Japan. The Suzuka Series featured grids of solely Super FJ cars, while the championships at Motegi, Okayama, and Tsukuba were run alongside the existing FJ1600 entries. In the subsequent years, new regional championships were introduced for Fuji Speedway, Autopolis, and the northern Tōhoku region (where the championship was held between Sportsland SUGO and Sendai Hi-Land Raceway until the latter's closure in 2014.)
Since 2007, champions and other top competitors in each regional series have competed in the season-ending final race (Japanese: 日本一決定戦, lit. "Japan's No. 1 Deciding Race"; variously referred to as the All-Japan "Masters Race," "National Championship," and "Final") at Suzuka International Racing Course in December.[4] Through the Japan Scholarship System, top drivers in the final race are awarded scholarships to compete in higher-level formula (typically the F4 Japanese Championship) for the following season.
Car specifications
A number of chassis manufacturers compete in Super FJ, with all cars adhering to the same series regulations. All cars feature a HondaL15A engine (originally manufacturered for the Honda Fit) mated to a five-speed manual racing transmission, powering a steel space-frame chassis designed as an evolution of the FJ1600/Formula Ford design. Unlike the FJ1600 cars, Super FJ cars feature front and rear wings.[1][5]
^ ab"About S-FJ". Super FJ (in Japanese). Retrieved 20 December 2024.
^"Super FJ". jss-org.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 20 December 2024.
^"スーパーＦＪ プレスリリース" [Super FJ Press Release] (PDF). zap-speed.com (in Japanese). FJ Association. 23 November 2006. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
^Kawafuku, Kenta; Ooyane, Tsubasa (16 May 2024). "登竜門のジュニアフォーミュラSuper FJ｜走らせ方と魅力まで解説！" [Junior formula Super FJ, a gateway to success | Explaining how to race and its appeal!]. &Race. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
