| Team Le Mans |
Our motorsports experience is a valuable asset on which we draw in many of our business fields. The many talented and dedicated drivers, support staff, customers and supporters with whom we have come into contact over the years have all contributed to our pool of knowledge.
Team LeMans has been participating in the top ranks of Japanese formula racing, including Formula Nippon (formerly F2, F3000), since the Team’s inauguration in 1969. Many Team LeMans drivers have later moved up to F1, CART, etc., including Michael and Ralf Schumacher and Johnny Herbert.
http://www.lemans.co.jp/e_company/index.html
History of Team Le Mans race
- 1969
- Team LeMans is launched.
- 1976
- Competes in the All Japan F2000, then the top category in Japan, with driver Keiji Matsumoto.
F1 driver Jacque Laffite drives for the Team in a Chevron BMW in Rd. 5 (Fuji), winning the race.
- 1977
- Team driver Keiji Matsumoto takes on the Japanese F2000 Championship.
The Team attracts a number of F1 drivers, including Patrick Tambay and Keke Rosberg.
Riccardo Patrese, one of these F1 drivers, wins the final round “JAF Suzuka Grand Prix” in a Chevron BMW.
- 1978
- Team driver Keiji Matsumoto competes in the All Japan F2 Championship, which had just changed its name from F2000.
Marc Surer, one of the Team’s drivers invited from overseas, wins Rd. 4 (Suzuka).
- 1979
- Keiji Matsumoto wins the Drivers Championship of the All Japan F2 Championship with 3 wins.
- 1980
- Keiji Matsumoto wins Rd. 5 of the All Japan F2 Championship.
- 1981
- Keiji Matsumoto wins the opening round of the All Japan F2 Championship.
Stefan Johansson, Thierry Boutsen and Teo Fabi, all F1 drivers, join the Team for selected events.
- 1982
- Keiji Matsumoto finishes 2nd in the All Japan F2 Championship. He also finishes 2nd in the Fuji GC Series with 1 win.
Other drivers joining the Team at various points in the season are Johnny Cecotto, Geoff Lees and Christian Danner.
- 1983
- Keiji Matsumoto and Eje Elgh compete in the All Japan F2 Championship as the Team’s regular drivers.
Matsumoto also wins the Fuji GC Series for the first time with 1 win and 1 second.
- 1984
- Keiji Matsumoto drives for the Team in both the All Japan F2 Championship and Fuji GC Series.
Toshio Suzuki is also a regular driver for the Team, piloting a March BMW in the All Japan F2 Championship.
In June, the LM03C Nissan driven by Team drivers Haruhito Yanagida/Takao Wada comes in 2nd overall in the Fuji 500km event.
- 1985
- Keiji Matsumoto wins the opening round of the All Japan F2 Championship. He ends up finishing 2nd overall, and 3rd in the Fuji GC Series.
In October at WEC In Japan, the LM05C piloted by Team drivers Osamu Nakako/Akio Morimoto/Emanuele Pirro finishes 2nd overall.
- 1986
- Keiji Matsumoto finishes 2nd overall in the All Japan F2 Championship with 2 wins, including a victory in the opening round. He also comes in 2nd overall in the Fuji GC Series with a win in Rd. 3. Meanwhile, Team driver Akio Morimoto wins the drivers title at the All Japan F3 Championship with 4 wins.
- 1987
- The All Japan F2 Championship becomes the All Japan F3000 Championship. Matsumoto comes in 4th overall; he also finishes 2nd overall at the Fuji GC Series.
In September, Team drivers Takao Wada and Anders Olofsson take their March 86S/Nissan to pole position at WEC In Japan.
- 1988
- The Team enters the All Japan F3000 Championship with drivers Emanuele Pirro and Geoff Lees. In Rd. 5 (Sugo), Lees and Pirro finish 1-2. Pirro finishes the season in 3rd overall.
Lees also drives for the Team at the Fuji GC Series, taking the title with wins in 3 of the 6 rounds.
- 1989
- Pirro and Lees are again the drivers for the All Japan F3000 Championship. Significant progress is made with the Team’s machines thanks to the increased support of Reynard Racing Cars Co. Pirro wins Rd. 4 (Suzuka).
In the All Japan GC, Pirro and Lees battle each other until the final round. Lees finishes as Series Champion with 1 win, 2 seconds and 1 third. Pirro is the runner-up with 2 wins.
- 1990
- Team drivers Takuya Kurosawa and Jonny Herbert take on the All Japan F3000 Championship, both driving Reynard 90D/Mugens.
In Rd. 2 (Fuji) of the JSPC, Takao Wada / Osamu Nakako take pole position in a CABIN R90V Nissan.
- 1991
- The Team participates in F3000, F3 and JSPC. In Rd. 6 (Sugo) of the All Japan F3000 Championship, Ross Cheever comes in 1st in a Reynard 91D, while Michael Schumacher is 2nd in a Ralt RT23. (Schumacher makes his F1 debut later this year.) Cheever also wins Rd. 8 and Rd. 11.
- 1992
- Enters the All Japan F3000 Championship with driver Ross Cheever. Cheever wins Rd. 1 (Suzuka) in a Reynard 92D and ultimately takes 3rd in the Series. Takao Wada also competes in a Ralt RT24.
- 1993
- Team drivers Ross Cheever and Akira Ishikawa take on the All Japan F3000 Championship in Reynard 93Ds. Cheever wins Rd. 1 (Suzuka) and Rd. 9 (Suzuka) en route to a 3rd-place finish in the Series.
- 1994
- The Team enters the All Japan F3000 Championship with Ross Cheever and Naoki Hattori in Reynard 94Ds. Cheever wins Rd. 1 (Suzuka) and Rd. 7 (Suzuka), and finishes the season in 3rd overall for the third consecutive year. Hattori wins the final round at Suzuka. In keeping with its tradition of cultivating talented young drivers, the Team uses driver Masami Kageyama for Rd. 7 and Rd. 9.
- 1995
- Naoki Hattori and Katsumi Yamamoto participate in the All Japan F3000 Championship in Reynard 95Ds. Hattori wins Rd. 1 (Suzuka), the Team’s record fourth consecutive victory in the opening round.
- 1996
- Competes in Formula Nippon with drivers Ralf Schumacher and Naoki Hattori. In one of the Team’s most successful seasons, R. Schumacher and Hattori finish 1-2 overall in the Series with 5 wins between them; Team LeMans also wins the team title. In the All Japan GT Championship, the Team not only competes in a 300ZX, but also handles maintenance for the Championship-winning Lark McLaren GT-R Team.
- 1997
- Norberto Fontana, then the main rival to Ralf Schumacher, joins Team LeMans, entering Formula Nippon along with Esteban Tuero. Fontana comes in 3rd overall in the Series.
- 1998
- Norberto Fontana and Satoshi Motoyama are the Team drivers in Formula Nippon. Motoyama wins 3 races, becoming the first Japanese to win the Drivers Championship. Team LeMans also takes the team title.
- 1999
- Competes in Formula Nippon with drivers Satoshi Motoyama and Koji Yamanishi. Satoshi is in contention for the title until the final round, ultimately finishing 2nd; the Team finishes 2nd in the team point standings. Team LeMans also enters the All Japan GT Championship with drivers Wayne Gardner and Hideki Noda in a Toyota Supra.
- 2000
- Team drivers Hideki Noda and Yudai Igarashi compete in Formula Nippon. Malaysian rookie Alex Yoong is the driver for a second team in the Series, called Team Malaysia.
In the All Japan GT Championship, Wayne Gardner and Nideki Noda continue to compete for the Team in a Toyota Supra.
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