Kazuyoshi Hoshino


Kazuyoshi Hoshino is a Japanese former racing driver and businessman.

Motorsport career

Hoshino's nickname was "the fastest man/guy in Japan". He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969.
Hoshino participated in two Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 24 October 1976 at the Japanese Grand Prix, making him – along with compatriots Noritake Takahara and Masahiro Hasemi – the first Japanese driver to start a Formula One Grand Prix. Driving a Tyrrell-Ford for Heros Racing, he ran as high as fourth, but retired having used up his tyre supply. He returned in 1977 and once again entered the Japanese Grand Prix driving for Heros Racing. He finished in eleventh place driving a year-old Kojima-Ford. He scored no championship points in his Formula 1 career.
Hoshino's only major world championship win was in the 1985 World Sportscar Championship round at the Fuji 1000 race, which was boycotted by many competing teams due to torrential rain.
Hoshino won the Japanese Formula 2000 championship in 1975 and 1977, before winning the Japanese Formula Two championship in 1978. He then competed in the Japanese Formula 3000 championship, winning that title in 1987, 1990 and 1993. His 6 championships and 39 race wins still stand as series records.
Hoshino also dominated the Fuji Grand Champion Series in the 1970s and 1980s. He won five titles in 1978, 1982, 1984, 1985 and 1987, collecting 28 wins and 42 podiums.
Like his compatriot, Masahiro Hasemi, Hoshino continued his career racing for Nissan, driving a Skyline GT-R to win the Japanese Touring Car Championship in 1990. Hoshino drove a Nissan R90C with Toshio Suzuki to win the 1990 Suzuka 1000 race. Hoshino and Suzuki also won the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship in 1991 and 1992. Along with Nissan Motorsports teammates Aguri Suzuki and Masahiko Kageyama, Hoshino drove a Nissan R390 GT1 to a third-place finish at the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Hoshino retired from racing in 2002 and now continues to run his own Super GT team and his own Nissan specialised aftermarket parts company, Impul. Since 2003, his racing team has won the Formula Nippon championship seven times in eight years. His son, Kazuki Hoshino, also became a racing driver before succeeding his father as Impul's team director in both Super GT and Super Formula in 2023.

Racing record

All Japan FJ1300 Championship results

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789DCPoints
1974Tomei AutomobileMarch 733NissanSUZ
1		FUJSUZSUZSUZSUZ
Ret		SUZSUZ
Ret		7th20
1975Tomei AutomobileMarch 733NissanSUZ
3		SUZTSU
Ret		SUZFUJ
Ret		FUJ
1		MIN
1		SUZ
Ret		SUZ
2		3rd67
1976Tomei AutomobileMarch 733NissanSUZ
1		FUJ
3		SUZSUZ
2		SUZ
1		1st67

Complete All Japan F2000/All Japan F2/All Japan F3000/Formula Nippon results

YearEntrantChassisEngineTyre1234567891011DCPoints
1974Kojima EngineeringSurtees TS15Ford BDASUZSUZSUZSUZ
3		5th10
1975Victory Circle ClubMarch 742BMW M12FUJSUZ
2		FUJ
1		SUZ
3		SUZ
1		1st59
1976Heros Racing CorporationMarch 742/Nova 512BBMW M12FUJ
Ret		SUZFUJ
1		SUZ
1		SUZ
DNS		4th40
1977Heros Racing CorporationNova 512B/Nova 532PBMW M12SUZ
3		SUZ
1		MINSUZ
2		FUJ
1		FUJ
1		SUZ
Ret		SUZ
2		1st90
1978Heros Racing CorporationNova 532BMW M12SUZ
1		FUJ
1		SUZ
3		SUZ
Ret		SUZ
1		MINSUZ
12		1st76
1979Heros Racing CorporationMarch 792/Nova 532KaiBMW M12SUZ
2		MINSUZ
2		FUJ
10		SUZ
2		SUZ
6		SUZ
1		2nd78
1980Heros Racing CorporationMarch 802BMW M12SUZ
3		MIN
2		SUZ
4		SUZ
Ret		SUZ
2		SUZ
1		2nd65
1981Heros Racing CorporationLola T850BMW M12SUZ
2		SUZ
10		SUZ
1		SUZ
3		SUZ
Ret		2nd48
1982Heros Racing CorporationLola T850/March 822BMW M12SUZ
3		FUJ
Ret		SUZ
Ret		SUZ
1		SUZ
5		SUZ
2		2nd55
1983Hoshino RacingMarch 832BMW M12SUZ
4		FUJ
DSQ		MIN
3		SUZ
2		SUZ
2		FUJ
3		SUZ
2		SUZ
3		2nd79
1984Hoshino RacingMarch 842BMW M12SUZ
2		FUJ
2		MIN
1		SUZ
2		SUZ
2		FUJ
5		SUZ
2		SUZ
Ret		3rd95
1985Hoshino RacingMarch 85JHondaSUZ
10		FUJ
2		MIN
2		SUZ
DNS		SUZ
1		FUJ
11		SUZ
14		SUZ
DNS		4th51
1986Hoshino RacingMarch 86JHondaSUZ
Ret		FUJ
3		MIN
Ret		SUZ
2		SUZ
1		FUJ
Ret		SUZ
1		SUZ
1		2nd87
1987Hoshino RacingMarch 87B/Lola T87-50Honda RA387ESUZ
1		FUJ
10		MIN
2		SUZ
1		SUZ
1		SUG
1		FUJ
6		SUZ
2		SUZ
2		1st132
1988Cabin Racing Team with ImpulLola T88/50Mugen MF308SUZ
1		FUJ
2		MIN
3		SUZ
2		SUG
3		FUJ
Ret		SUZ
1		SUZ
1		2nd43
1989Cabin Racing Team with ImpulLola T88/50/Lola T89-50Mugen MF308SUZ
1		FUJ
Ret		MIN
Ret		SUZ
Ret		SUG
Ret		FUJ
1		SUZ
3		SUZ
Ret		3rd22
1990Cabin Racing Team with ImpulLola T90/50Mugen MF308SUZ
1		FUJ
1		MIN
4		SUZ
16		SUG
3		FUJ
1		FUJ
1		SUZ
1		FUJ
5		SUZ
1		1st58
1991Cabin Racing Team with ImpulLola T90/50/Lola T91/50Mugen MF308SUZ
Ret		AUT
2		FUJ
1		MIN
Ret		SUZ
Ret		SUG
Ret		FUJ
1		SUZ
Ret		FUJ
C		SUZ
Ret		FUJ
Ret		4th24
1992Cabin Racing Team with ImpulLola T91/50/Lola T92/50/Reynard 92DMugen MF308/Cosworth DFVSUZ
2		FUJ
Ret		MIN
DNS		SUZ
Ret		AUT
Ret		SUG
7		FUJ
3		FUJ
Ret		SUZ
Ret		FUJ
12		SUZ
13		12th10
1993Nisseki Impul Racing TeamLola T92/50Cosworth DFVSUZ
2		FUJ
1		MIN
Ret		SUZ
2		AUT
C		SUG
Ret		FUJ
C		FUJ
Ret		SUZ
5		FUJ
1		SUZ
Ret		1st32
1994Nisseki Impul Racing TeamLola T92/50/Lola T93-50Mugen MF308SUZ
Ret		FUJ
7		MIN
Ret		SUZ
Ret		SUG
Ret		FUJ
5		SUZ
15		FUJ
Ret		FUJ
4		SUZ
6		8th6
1995Nisseki Impul Racing TeamLola T93/50/Lola T94-50Mugen MF308SUZ
11		FUJ
C		MIN
3		SUZ
6		SUG
Ret		FUJ
2		TOK
Ret		FUJ
2		SUZ
4		4th20
1996Calsonic RACING TEAM with IMPULLola T96/52Mugen MF308SUZ
1		MIN
Ret		FUJ
3		TOK
4		SUZ
5		SUG
2		FUJ
Ret		MIN
Ret		SUZ
2		FUJ
Ret		3rd31

Complete Formula One results

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234567891011121314151617WDCPoints
1976Heros RacingTyrrell 007Cosworth V8BRARSAUSWESPBELMONSWEFRAGBRGERAUTNEDITACANUSAJPN
Ret		NC0
1977Heros RacingKojima KE009Cosworth V8ARGBRARSAUSWESPMONBELSWEFRAGBRGERAUTNEDITAUSACANJPN
11		NC0

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789101112Pts
Heros RacingNova 532BMWTHR
HOC
NÜR
PAU
MUG
VAL
ROU
Ret		DON
Ret		NOG
PER
MIS
HOC
NC0
James Gresham RacingMarch 832BMWSIL
THR
HOC
NÜR
VAL
PAU
JAR
DON
4		MIS
PER
ZOL
MUG
16th3

Complete JTC/JTCC results

YearTeamCarClass123456789101112131415161718DCPts
1989ImpulNissan Skyline GTS-RJTC-1NIS
Ret		SEN
1		TSU
4		SUG
Ret		SUZ
6		FUJ
Ret		??
1990ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RJTC-1NIS
1		SUG
1		SUZ
2		TSU
1		SEN
1		FUJ
1		1st230
1991ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RJTC-1SUG
1		SUZ
Ret		TSU
3		SEN
1		AUT
2		FUJ
1		3rd174
1992ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RJTC-1AID
Ret		AUT
3		SUG
1		SUZ
Ret		MIN
Ret		TSU
1		SEN
1		FUJ
6		7th78
1993ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RJTC-1MIN
1		AUT
3		SUGSUZ
3		AID
1		TSU
2		TOK
1		SEN
1		FUJ
Ret		2nd119
1994NismoNissan PrimeraAUT
1
3		AUT
2
Ret		SUG
1
Ret		SUG
2
3		TOK
1
7		TOK
2
Ret		SUZ
1
3		SUZ
2
20		MIN
1
16		MIN
2
Ret		AID
1
4		AID
2
Ret		TSU
1
Ret		TSU
2
DNS		SEN
1		SEN
2		FUJ
1
1		FUJ
2
Ret		8th53
1995Hoshino RacingNissan PrimeraFUJ
1
6		FUJ
2
6		SUG
1
24		SUG
2
6		TOK
1
Ret		TOK
2
Ret		SUZ
1
3		SUZ
2
2		MIN
1
14		MIN
2
Ret		AID
1
2		AID
2
2		SEN
1
6		SEN
2
5		FUJ
1
2		FUJ
2
1		3rd98
1996Team ImpulNissan PrimeraFUJ
1
Ret		FUJ
2
Ret		SUG
1
5		SUG
2
16		SUZ
1
9		SUZ
2
17		MIN
1
1		MIN
2
2		SEN
1
Ret		SEN
2
4		TOK
1
10		TOK
2
Ret		FUJ
1
5		FUJ
2
2		6th61
1997NismoNissan PrimeraFUJ
1
C		FUJ
2
C		AID
1
6		AID
2
14		SUG
1
2		SUG
2
1		SUZ
1
2		SUZ
2
6		MIN
1
4		MIN
2
11		SEN
1
2		SEN
2
Ret		TOK
1
3		TOK
2
Ret		FUJ
1
8		FUJ
2
1		4th95

Complete JGTC results

YearTeamCarClass12345678DCPts
1995Hoshino RacingNissan Skyline GT-RGT1SUZFUJSEN
2		FUJ
7		SUG
2		MIN
3		14th19
1996ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500SUZ
8		FUJ
5		SEN
5		MIN
1		SUG
2		MIN
Ret		4th54
1997ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500SUZ
Ret		FUJSEN
15		FUJ
4		MIN
6		SUG
14		13th16
1998ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500SUZ
11		FUJSEN
5		FUJ
3		MOT
2		MIN
7		SUG
4		3rd49
1999ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500SUZ
10		FUJ
3		SUG
5		MIN
6		FUJ
5		TAI
10		MOT
7		7th40
2000ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500MOT
17		FUJ
5		SUG
5		FUJ
3		TAI
6		MIN
1		SUZ
3		3rd66
2001ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500TAIFUJSUGFUJ
7		MOT
3		SUZ
11		MIN
5		13th24
2002ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500TAI
14		FUJ
Ret		SUG
8		SEP
14		FUJ
Ret		MOTMINSUZ24th3