PETRONAS TEAM TOM'S
Formula Nippon Championship
Season 2009
Part 1

A change is in the air

Since coming back in line with the F3000 in 2002, Formula Nippon had become practically a one-make series with Lola supplying the chassis to the Formula Nippon race cars. In 2006, the regulations changed again with Lola still supplying the chassis but Toyota and Honda providing engine blocks that were using the same 2005 Indy Racing League specification. In 2009, the regulations changed again with a new chassis, engine and the introduction of a new system..

In this two-parter, we take a look at some of these changes. The first part will explore the changes in the chassis and engine, while in Part 2 will look at the introduction of an overtaking system as well as the tyres.

A new Formula Nippon chassis for 2009

The change in the machine regulation for the 2009 Formula Nippon Championship season saw the replacement of the Lola FN06 to the new Swift FN09 chassis, specifically developed by America's Swift Engineering, the differences being quite visible.

Like most modern Formula cars, the car's main monocoque shell is made of carbon composite with the engine mounted in the rear with a stressed mount system, a construction comparable to F1 machines in terms of safety and performance.

But what makes the new car very distinctive is the car's exterior appearance. Mounted on the front end of the machine is a twin-wing device that is rare among single seater formula cars. The wing's end plates, upper and lower wings are connected by curved surfaces that seemingly gives the car it's unique look. The wings also serves as a shock-absorber in the event of a collision to improve the car's overall safety feature.

What also makes the FN09 stand out is its side pods which houses the engine radiator in addition to serving an aerodynamic function. Positioned higher than on other single-seater formula cars, it creates a much larger sense of volume but is not purely aesthetic. It also serves an aerodynamic function directing airflow along the sides of the car to the rear in a way that helps to create down-force and ultimately better handling and stability.

One less-visible characteristic is the lower surface of the side pod is its reverse wing shape that opens up towards the rear. This design was conceived to create rapid airflow between the lower edge of the side pod and track surface while in motion, drawing the flow out through the rear of the car.

In utilising the shape of the lower surface of the side port to create a suction force between the car and track and more downforce is called a "venturi" or "wing" car design. Though banned in Formula One, the security features on the FN09 design has helped make it a viable car. The higher downforce on the FN09 car has also enhances the cornering stability of the cars which also increases overtaking opportunities during a race.

Formula Nippon Engines - RV8K / HR09E

Since 2006, Japan's automanufacturers Toyota and Honda have been supplying their 3000cc racing engines to the series with the RV8J and HF386E engines, respectively. With the revised regulations from 2009, both corporations will be supplying their newly developed 3400cc V8 engines.

Recent advances in racing technology however prompted changes in this area with organisers agreeing to adopt the 3400cc V8 format as the most efficient manner to deliver higher performance.

For 2009, Toyota will supply the RV8K engine, which is incidentally the same engine that is being used in the Super GT machines, though given a slightly different denomination and known as the RV8K-G.

As for engines supplied by Honda, these are known as the HR09E, which has also been designed with the possibility of being used in other categories though at this stage it is only being used for the Formula Nippon championship.

Despite the different engine characteristics between the two manufacturers, the regulations ensures that the engines meet the required specification. Both utilises the latest technologies to achieve its lightweight, compact designs with an output of 600hp at just 120kg. The race machines are also fitted with a rev-limiter that maintains a maximum of 10,300rpms. While this is in line with the prescribed regulations it also helps to limit engine wear as reduce maintenance costs.

As part of the regulations to provide an equal level playing field, all engines are first submitted to the sport's governing body, the Japan Race Promotion (JRP) for inspection before being released to the various teams. It is also another way to help curb excessive engine development costs by extending the engine life to four races with engine failure during the course of a race being the only exception. In the event that a team has to change the engine due to failure before the four-race requirement, the penalty is a hefty 10-place grid penalty.

Part 2: Overtaking System and Tyres