View source for 2013 Formula Challenge Japan

{{short description|Japanese formula racing season}}

{{Motorsport season
| series = Formula Challenge Japan
| year = 2013
| next = none
| footer = 
|subheader={{small|Drivers' champion:}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]}}

The '''2013 Formula Challenge Japan''' was a multi-event [[Motorsport#Motor racing|motor racing]] championship for [[Open-wheel car|open-wheel]] [[Formula racing|formula racing cars]], and the eighth and final season of the [[Formula Challenge Japan]] racing series, a young driver development  series jointly supported by [[Honda in motorsport|Honda]], [[Toyota in motorsport|Toyota]], and [[Nismo|Nissan]]. The championship featured a mix of manufacturer-affiliated drivers and independent entries, and commenced on 30 March and ended on 10 November.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2013 Formula Challenge Japan - rounds |url=https://superformula.net/fcj/race/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=Super Formula {{!}} Formula Challenge Japan official website |language=ja}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=2013 Formula Challenge Japan - Drivers |url=https://superformula.net/fcj/race/2013/drivers/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=Super Formula {{!}} Formula Challenge Japan official website |language=ja}}</ref>

The championship was won by [[Toyota in motorsport|Toyota]]-backed rookie [[Kenta Yamashita]] after a season-long battle where the championship lead changed hands numerous times. Yamashita claimed the title after a hat-trick of wins at the final round in [[Fuji Speedway|Fuji]], more than doubling his points tally to emerge victorious in front of [[Honda in motorsport#Honda Formula Dream Project|Honda]]-supported Tsubasa Takahashi and fellow Toyota junior Keishi Ishikawa. Hiroki Shinotani, who had led the championship going into the final round, slipped to fourth in the standings. The season saw five winners, with Yamashita claiming four, Takahashi winning thrice, Shinotani and [[Sho Tsuboi|Shō Tsuboi]] claiming two each, and Shōta Kiyohara dominating a single round.

This was the final season of Formula Challenge Japan before it was replaced by [[Japan Formula 4]] in 2014, and by the [[F4 Japanese Championship|FIA F4 Japanese Championship]] in [[2015 F4 Japanese Championship|2015]].

==Teams and drivers==
{|
|
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%;"
! Team
! {{Tooltip|No.|Car number}}
! Driver
! Rounds
|-
| rowspan="10" | [[Toyota in motorsport#TGR-DC Racing School|FTRS FCJ]]<br>Tokyo [[Toyopet]] FTRS<br>FTRS Scholarship FCJ<br>Ishiyaki Ramen Volcano FTRS FCJ<br>FTRS [[PTT Public Company Limited|PTT]]<br>FTRS Scholarship SMR<br>FTRS [[Toyota|TMC]] FCJ<br>Binchou & Dohtonbori FTRS<br>[[Autobacs Seven|Autobacs]] FTRS FCJ
| 1
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]
|All
|-
|2
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuki Nemoto|Yūki Nemoto]]
|All
|-
|3
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Hiroki Shinotani
|All
|-
|6
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Yuichi Mikasa
|All
|-
|7
|{{flagicon|THA}} Nanin Indra-Payoong
|1–9
|-
|9
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Shinya Sean Michimi
|All
|-
|11
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Sho Tsuboi|Shō Tsuboi]]
|All
|-
|12
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Takuma Imai
|All
|-
|13
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Shūhei Hayashi
|All
|-
|15
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Ren Nagabuchi
|8–9
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Honda in motorsport#Honda Formula Dream Project|HFDP Scholarship]]/[[Suzuka International Racing Course|SRS-F]]/Kotira R<br>[[Honda in motorsport#Honda Formula Dream Project|HFDP]] [[Autobacs Racing Team Aguri|ARTA]]
|4
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Tsubasa Takahashi
|All
|-
|5
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Keishi Ishikawa
|All
|-
|8
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Shōta Kiyohara
|1–9
|-
|[[Toda Racing|Exedy Racing Team]]
|10
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ai Miura]]
|All
|-
|[[Nismo|NDDP FCJ]]
|14
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kiyoto Fujinami]]
|All
|-
|Honda Cars [[Mie Prefecture|Mie]] Team SBT
|16
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Ryūnosuke Shibata
|10–12
|-
|Le Beausset Racing Academy
|17
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Rintarō Kubo
|10–12
|-
|[[B-Max Racing|B-MAX]]
|18
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Yūki Asahara
|10–12
|-
! colspan="4"; text-align:center |'''Source'''<ref name=":0" />
|}
|valign="top"|

|}

==Race calendar and results==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%"
! Round
! Circuit
! Date
! {{nowrap|Pole position}}
! {{nowrap|Fastest lap}}
! {{nowrap|Winning driver}}
|-
|-
! 1
|rowspan=2| [[Fuji Speedway]], [[Oyama, Shizuoka|Oyama]]
| 30 March
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kiyoto Fujinami]]
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Keishi Ishikawa
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Sho Tsuboi|Shō Tsuboi]]
|-
!2
| 31 March
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kiyoto Fujinami]]
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Sho Tsuboi|Shō Tsuboi]]
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Tsubasa Takahashi
|-
! 3
|rowspan=2| [[Twin Ring Motegi]], [[Motegi, Tochigi|Motegi]]
| 11 May
| {{flagicon|THA}} Nanin Indra-Payoong
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]
|-
!4
| 12 May
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Shinya Sean Michimi
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Hiroki Shinotani
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Tsubasa Takahashi
|-
! 5
| rowspan="3" | [[Fuji Speedway]], [[Oyama, Shizuoka|Oyama]]
| rowspan="2" | 22 June
| rowspan="3" | {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kiyoto Fujinami]]
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Hiroki Shinotani
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Hiroki Shinotani
|-
!6
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kiyoto Fujinami]]
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Hiroki Shinotani
|-
!7
|23 June
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Hiroki Shinotani
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Tsubasa Takahashi
|-
! 8
| rowspan="2" | [[Fuji Speedway]], [[Oyama, Shizuoka|Oyama]]
| 24 August
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Shōta Kiyohara
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Shōta Kiyohara
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Shōta Kiyohara
|-
!9
| 25 August 
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Shinya Sean Michimi
| {{flagicon|JPN}} Keishi Ishikawa
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Sho Tsuboi|Shō Tsuboi]]
|-
! 10
| rowspan="3" | [[Suzuka International Racing Course|Suzuka Circuit]], [[Suzuka International Racing Course|Suzuka]]
| rowspan="2" | 9 November
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]
|-
!11
| rowspan="2" |{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]
|-
!12
|10 November
|{{flagicon|JPN}} Tsubasa Takahashi
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]
|}

==Championship standings==
===Drivers' Championship===
Points were awarded to the top six classified finishers, with one point awarded for pole position and fastest lap respectively.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%;"
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! [[Pole position|PP]]
! [[Fastest lap|FL]]
|- align="center"
|bgcolor="#FFFFBF"| 10
|bgcolor="#DFDFDF"| 7
|bgcolor="#FFDF9F"| 5
|bgcolor="#DFFFDF"| 3
|bgcolor="#DFFFDF"| 2
|bgcolor="#DFFFDF"| 1
| '''1'''
| ''1''
|}
{|
|valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align:center;"
|-
! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Position}}
! Driver
! colspan="2" | [[Fuji Speedway|FUJ]]
! colspan="2" | [[Twin Ring Motegi|MOT]]
! colspan="3" | [[Fuji Speedway|FUJ]]
! colspan="2" |[[Fuji Speedway|FUJ]]
! colspan="3" |[[Suzuka International Racing Course|SUZ]]
! Points
|-
! 1
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kenta Yamashita]]
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |3
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |''1''
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |6
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |3
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |7
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |7
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |2
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |'''''1'''''
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |'''''1'''''
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |1
! 65
|-
! 2
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Tsubasa Takahashi
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |12
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |1
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |1
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |4
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |6
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |1
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |2
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |2
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |''3''
! 54
|-
!3
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Keishi Ishikawa
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |''2''
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |2
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |3
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |2
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |13
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |''6''
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |3
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |3
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |2
!48
|-
!4
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Hiroki Shinotani
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |6
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |6
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |''4''
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |''1''
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |1
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |''2''
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |3
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |6
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |4
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
!46
|-
!5
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Sho Tsuboi|Shō Tsuboi]]
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |1
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |''7''
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |6
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |7
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |6
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |7
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |3
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |1
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |4
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |6
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
!36
|-
!6
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kiyoto Fujinami]]
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |'''4'''
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" |'''Ret'''
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |3
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |'''2'''
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |''4''
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |3
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |15†
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |14
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |7
!29
|-
!7
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Shinya Sean Michimi
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |4
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |'''2'''
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |3
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |13
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |2
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |'''13'''
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |7
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |12
!26
|-
!8
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Shōta Kiyohara 
| style="background:#FFDF9F;" |3
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
| style="background:#FFFFFF;" |WD
| style="background:#FFFFFF;" |WD
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |'''''1'''''
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
!19
|-
!9
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Yuichi Mikasa
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |7
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |4
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" |Ret
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |7
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |4
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |4
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |12
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |6
!16
|-
!10
| align="left" | {{flagicon|THA}} Nanin Indra-Payoong
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" |Ret
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |'''2'''
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |5
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |13
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |12
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |12
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |14
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |7
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
!10
|-
!11
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuki Nemoto|Yūki Nemoto]]
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |12
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |7
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |12
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |6
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |4
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |12
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |15
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |4
!7
|-
!12
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Shūhei Hayashi
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
| style="background:#000000; color:white" |DSQ
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" |6
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |13
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |8
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" |Ret
!1
|-
!-
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Takuma Imai
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |13
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |13
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |14
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" |Ret
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |7
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |13
!0
|-
!-
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ai Miura]]
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |13
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" |Ret
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |12
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |15
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |13
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |12
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
!0
|-
!-
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Ryūnosuke Shibata
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |11
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |9
!0
|-
!-
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Ren Nagabuchi
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |12
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
!0
|-
!-
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Rintarō Kubo
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" |Ret
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |13
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |10
!0
|-
!-
| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Yūki Asahara
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#;" |
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |14
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |14
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" |14
!0
|-
! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Position}}
! Driver
! colspan="2" | [[Fuji Speedway|FUJ]]
! colspan="2" | [[Twin Ring Motegi|MOT]]
! colspan="3" | [[Fuji Speedway|FUJ]]
! colspan="2" |[[Fuji Speedway|FUJ]]
! colspan="3" |[[Suzuka International Racing Course|SUZ]]
! Points
|}
| valign="top" |{{FIA GT1 results legend}}
<span style="font-size: 85%">'''Bold'''&nbsp;– Pole<br />
''Italics''&nbsp;– Fastest Lap</span>
|}

==References==
<references />

[[Category:2013 in Japanese motorsport]]
[[Category:2013 in formula racing]]