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Renowned Japanese F3 series gets new Dallara car, new name

The All-Japan Formula 3 championship will be rebranded as 'Super Formula Lights' from 2020, when it adopts a new Dallara 320 chassis

Japan's F3 championship can trace its history to 1979 and some its past champions include multiple Le Mans 24 Hours winners Tom Kristensen and Benoit Treluyer, and ex-Formula 1 drivers Adrian Sutil (pictured below in 2006) and more recently Marcus Ericsson.

This season the series is being dominated by 2017 Formula Renault Eurocup champion and ex-Renault F1 junior driver Sacha Fenestraz, who has won seven races and finished off the podium twice in 15 attempts.

Next season Super Formula Lights will remain on the undercard for the main Super Formula series - which has also introduced a new car, for the 2019 season - although some events are likely to be held on a standalone basis.

The F1-level car that leaves drivers' brains spinning

Japanese F3 has had the designation of a national F3 championship and offers 10 FIA superlicense points to the title winner.

But with the FIA standardising the single-seater ladder by introducing a new FIA F3 series on the F1 support bill this year, as well as its 'Regional F3' concept, the F3 moniker has been dropped from the series' name in favour of an Indy Lights-style title.

The name change will coincide with the introduction of the new halo-equipped Dallara 320 chassis, which will also be adopted by Euroformula Open in 2020.

The new Dallara 320 will be shaken down in Italy this month, before it undergoes a further test in Japan during the Okayama round of Super Formula series.

Watch's this Sunday's Super Formula race at Motegi live on Motorsport.tv from 6:00am GMT.

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