Kojima Engineering

Kojima Engineering
Full name Kojima Engineering
Base Japan
Founder(s) Matsuhisa Kojima
Noted drivers Japan Masahiro Hasemi
Formula One World Championship career
Debut 1976 Japanese Grand Prix
Races competed 2
Constructors Kojima-Ford
Drivers'
Championships		 0
Race victories 0
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 1
Final race 1977 Japanese Grand Prix

Kojima Engineering was a Japanese Formula One constructor who entered cars in the Japanese Grand Prix in 1976 and 1977.

The team was founded in 1976 by Matsuhisa Kojima.[1] Kojima had made a fortune importing bananas,[1] and was a motor-racing enthusiast, having ridden in Motocross himself in the 1960s.[1] He began entering Formula Two cars in Japan, and struck a deal with Dunlop to supply tyres for the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix. To go with these, the company constructed the KE007 chassis, and brought on several staff from the Maki team. They helped arrange an entry for the Grand Prix at Fuji, and a Cosworth DFV engine.

The car was tested throughout the Autumn of 1976, with Masahiro Hasemi, a Japanese Formula 2 driver, at the wheel. Hasemi then scored a huge stir at the Japanese Grand Prix, posting 4th best time in the first qualifying session. However, he crashed in the second session, and the car had to be rebuilt virtually from scratch.[2] Hasemi started 10th, and ran superbly before tyre trouble led to an eventual 11th place. He was credited with fastest lap, but since then there have been questions raised over the accuracy of this.

A planned entry into the 1977 South American races didn't emerge, but the team built a new Kojima KE009 for the 1977 Japanese Grand Prix. Bridgestone this time supplied the tyres, but these were unsatisfactory, and Noritake Takahara started only 19th before crashing avoiding debris. A second KE009 was entered by Heros Racing for the same race,[3] Kazuyoshi Hoshino starting and finishing 11th.

Kojima continued as an F2 entrant until the late 1980s, but never ventured beyond domestic racing.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Points WCC
1976 Kojima Engineering Kojima KE007 Ford V8 D BRA RSA USW ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA JPN 0 16th
Japan Masahiro Hasemi 11
1977 Kojima Engineering Kojima KE009 Ford V8 B ARG BRA RSA USW ESP MON BEL SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA USA CAN JPN 0 16th
Japan Noritake Takahara Ret
Heros Racing Japan Kazuyoshi Hoshino 11

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Kojima Engineering". grandprix.com. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  2. ↑ Lang, Mike (1983). Grand Prix! Vol 3. Haynes Publishing Group. pp. 154–155. ISBN 0-85429-380-9.
  3. ↑ "1977 Japanese Grand Prix entry list". ChicaneF1. Retrieved 2010-12-06.