Heros Racing

Summary

Heros Racing (listed in some sources as Heroes Racing) was a Japanese motor racing team which competed briefly in Formula One in the 1976 and 1977 seasons. The team entered the 1976 and 1977 Japanese Grands Prix, each time with local driver Kazuyoshi Hoshino with a best result of 11th in 1977.[1] The team also competed in two races in the 1978 European Formula Two Championship and in Japanese top formula racing.

Heros Racing
Full nameHeros Racing Corporation
BaseJapan
Noted driversJapan Kazuyoshi Hoshino
Formula One World Championship career
First entry1976 Japanese Grand Prix
Races entered2
ConstructorsTyrrell
Kojima
Constructors'
Championships
0
Drivers'
Championships
0
Race victories0
Podiums0
Points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
Final entry1977 Japanese Grand Prix

Racing history edit

Formula One edit

The team's first F1 race was the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix, where Hoshino qualified 21st using an outdated Tyrrell 007. However, in the race, run in very wet conditions, he placed as high as third at one point before having to pit for replacement tyres. He was forced to retire on lap 28 (of 73), having used all his available tyres.[2][3]

At the 1977 event, the team entered Hoshino in a Kojima KE009. He qualified 11th ahead of several works entries and also finished 11th, two laps down.[4]

Formula Two edit

Heros Racing, with Hoshino driving, competed in two races in the 1978 European Formula Two Championship using a Nova-BMW, but did not score any points.[5][6]

Japanese Top Formula racing edit

The Japanese Top Formula series (also known as the Super Formula Championship) was the premier single-seater domestic series run to various formulae over several years. In 1973, Motoharu Kurosawa, driving a March 722 for Heros Racing, won the inaugural series run to Formula 2000 rules.[7] This success was repeated in 1976 with Noritake Takahara driving a Nova-BMW[8] and again in 1977 with Hoshino using a Nova. In 1978, the series moved to Formula Two rules and Hoshino again took the title with a Nova-BMW.[6]

In 1984, 1985 and 1986 the team achieved a further hat-trick of title wins with Japanese driver Satoru Nakajima in a March-Honda,[9] and one further title in 1991 for Ukyo Katayama (Lola-Cosworth DFV) when the series had moved on to Formula 3000 regulations.[10]

Complete Formula One results edit

(key)

Year Chassis Engine Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Points
1976 Tyrrell 007 Cosworth V8 Kazuyoshi Hoshino BRA RSA USW ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA JPN
Ret
NC 0
1977 Kojima KE009 Cosworth V8 Kazuyoshi Hoshino ARG BRA RSA USW ESP MON BEL SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA USA CAN JPN
11
NC 0
Source:[11]

References edit

  1. ^ "Kazuyoshi Hoshino - Grands Prix started • Stats F1". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  2. ^ Henry, Alan (December 1976). "The Japanese Grand Prix". Motor Sport magazine archive. p. 34. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  3. ^ Small, Steve (1994). The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. Guinness. p. 191. ISBN 0851127029.
  4. ^ Henry, Alan (December 1977). "The Japanese Grand Prix: Hunt leaves no doubt". Motor Sport magazine archive. p. 44. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  5. ^ "Heros Racing Corporation". Motor Sport magazine database. 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Kazuyoshi Hoshino, Racing career profile, Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Motoharu Kurosawa". driverdb.com. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Noritake Takahara". www.historicracing.com. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  9. ^ "Satoru Nakajima". driverdb.com. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  10. ^ "Ukyo Katayama". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  11. ^ Small, Steve (1994). The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. Guinness. p. 190. ISBN 0851127029.

External links edit

  • Stats at Motor Sport magazine database
  • Stats at laberezina.com (in French)