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Ralph Firman
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Ralph David Firman Jr. (born 20 May 1975) is a British and Irish former racing driver who last raced under an Irish licence. His father, Ralph Firman Sr., co-founded the Van Diemen[1] racecar constructor with Ross Ambrose, father of V8 Supercars champion Marcos, then more recently founded RFR. He is married to Aldís Kristín Árnadóttir, an Icelandic UK-educated lawyer. Ralph's sister, Natasha, is also a racing driver.
Key Information
Career
[edit]Formula Three
[edit]
Educated at Gresham's School between 1988 and 1993, Firman went straight into motor racing on leaving school. Despite leading much of the 1995 British F3 championship, he lost the title at the final round to Oliver Gavin. However, he continued in the championship in 1996 and captured the title at his second attempt.
Macau Grand Prix controversy
[edit]Firman won the prestigious Macau Grand Prix in 1996 under controversial circumstances. At the end of round 1, Firman finished ahead of German Formula 3 champion Jarno Trulli. In round 2, he was overtaken by Trulli on the last lap. Firman was running with a broken front wing. Just as Jarno Trulli was on the way to victory, Firman crashed at the hairpin corner, blocked the track and caused a red flag. The race officials counted the results to the previous lap when Firman was ahead of Trulli, thus giving him the win.
Formula Nippon
[edit]Firman then moved to Japan, culminating in the 2002 Formula Nippon championship, before returning to Europe.
Formula One
[edit]
Firman secured a seat in Formula One for the 2003 season at the Jordan team,[2] alongside Giancarlo Fisichella. He participated in 14 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting at the 2003 Australian Grand Prix. He scored one championship point, in the 2003 Spanish Grand Prix. This point was the first for a Republic of Ireland driver since Derek Daly in 1982. He was injured in a huge crash during practice for the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix which forced him to sit out that and the next race, in which he was replaced by Zsolt Baumgartner.
In November 2003, Firman drove a Jordan-Ford EJ13 at Macau's Guia Circuit as part of the Macau Grand Prix's 50th anniversary celebrations, the first time that a contemporary F1 machine had been seen in action around the tight and tricky Guia circuit. Firman clocked an impressive 1:59.4 seconds lap, 13 seconds quicker than F3 poleman Fabio Carbone managed on the same day.[3]
Post-Formula One
[edit]
Firman has also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and was an official test driver for the A1 Grand Prix series in August 2004.[citation needed]
In August 2005, it was announced that he would be the driver for A1 Team Ireland. He had previously been seen to be in competition for the Great Britain seat.
In 2007, Firman, along with Daisuke Ito, won the Japan Super GT GT500 class championship with the Aguri Suzuki co-owned ARTA team. Firman and Ito won the championship before the final race of the season, a first in the series' competitive history.
Retirement from racing
[edit]Firman retired from racing in 2013, and now runs a British engineering company.[4]
Racing career
[edit]Career summary
[edit]Complete British Formula 3 results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | DC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Paul Stewart Racing | Mugen | SIL 1 |
SIL 1 |
THR Ret |
THR 2 |
DON Ret |
SIL 2 |
SIL 3 |
DON Ret |
DON 1 |
OUL 9 |
BRH 1 |
BRH 1 |
SNE Ret |
PEM 1 |
PEM 7 |
SIL DSQ |
SIL 12 |
THR 7 |
2nd | 176 |
| 1996 | Paul Stewart Racing | Mugen | SIL 4 |
SIL 2 |
THR 3 |
DON DNS |
BRH 1 |
BRH 1 |
OUL 1 |
DON 2 |
SIL 2 |
THR 2 |
SNE 6 |
SNE C |
PEM 13 |
PEM 5 |
ZAN 5 |
ZAN 4 |
SIL 4 |
1st | 188 |
Complete Formula Nippon results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Team TMS | SUZ Ret |
MIN 4 |
FUJ 15 |
SUZ 6 |
SUG 2 |
FUJ 13 |
MIN Ret |
MOT 5 |
FUJ Ret |
SUZ 11 |
8th | 12 |
| 1998 | Team Nova | SUZ 12 |
MIN Ret |
FUJ Ret |
MOT 14 |
SUZ Ret |
SUG 2 |
FUJ C |
MIN 4 |
FUJ 3 |
SUZ 7 |
7th | 13 |
| 1999 | Team Nova | SUZ Ret |
MOT 3 |
MIN 2 |
FUJ 9 |
SUZ Ret |
SUG 6 |
FUJ 10 |
MIN 9 |
MOT 8 |
SUZ 1 |
4th | 21 |
| 2000 | Team Nova | SUZ Ret |
MOT 11 |
MIN Ret |
FUJ 6 |
SUZ 7 |
SUG 2 |
MOT 10 |
FUJ 13 |
MIN 5 |
SUZ Ret |
9th | 9 |
| 2001 | Nakajima Racing | SUZ 5 |
MOT Ret |
MIN 2 |
FUJ 6 |
SUZ Ret |
SUG Ret |
FUJ 7 |
MIN 8 |
MOT 1 |
SUZ 1 |
4th | 29 |
| 2002 | Nakajima Racing | SUZ 1 |
FUJ 2 |
MIN Ret |
SUZ 1 |
MOT 9 |
SUG 1 |
FUJ 2 |
MIN 2 |
MOT 1 |
SUZ 3 |
1st | 62 |
Source:[4]
| |||||||||||||
Complete JGTC/Super GT results
[edit]Complete Formula One results
[edit](key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | WDC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Jordan Ford | Jordan EJ13 | Ford V10 | AUS Ret |
MAL 10 |
BRA Ret |
SMR Ret |
ESP 8 |
AUT 11 |
MON 12 |
CAN Ret |
EUR 11 |
FRA 15 |
GBR 13 |
GER Ret |
HUN WD |
ITA | USA Ret |
JPN 14 |
19th | 1 |
Complete World Series by Nissan results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | DC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Gabord Reyco | JAR 1 14 |
JAR 2 Ret |
ZOL 1 DNS |
ZOL 2 DNS |
MAG 1 |
MAG 2 |
VAL 1 |
VAL 2 |
LAU 1 |
LAU 2 |
EST 1 |
EST 2 |
CAT 1 |
CAT 2 |
VAL 1 |
VAL 2 |
JER 1 |
JER 2 |
30th | 0 |
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
[edit]| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 |  Racing for Holland
|
Tom Coronel Justin Wilson
|
Dome S101-Judd | LMP1 | 313 | DNF | DNF |
Complete A1 Grand Prix results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | DC | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–06 | Ireland | GBR SPR |
GBR FEA |
GER SPR 9 |
GER FEA 6 |
POR SPR 19 |
POR FEA 3 |
AUS SPR |
AUS FEA |
MYS SPR 7 |
MYS FEA 9 |
UAE SPR 4 |
UAE FEA Ret |
RSA SPR 4 |
RSA FEA Ret |
IDN SPR 6 |
IDN FEA Ret |
MEX SPR Ret |
MEX FEA Ret |
USA SPR 5 |
USA FEA 6 |
CHN SPR |
CHN FEA |
8th | 68 | [10] |
| 2007–08 | NED SPR 8 |
NED FEA 6 |
CZE SPR |
CZE FEA |
MYS SPR |
MYS FEA |
ZHU SPR |
ZHU FEA |
NZL SPR |
NZL FEA |
AUS SPR |
AUS FEA |
RSA SPR |
RSA FEA |
MEX SPR |
MEX FEA |
SHA SPR |
SHA FEA |
GBR SPR |
GBR SPR |
6th | 94 | [11] | |||
Source:[4]
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References
[edit]- ^ RFR – In development: the 2010 RFR F2000/FC – Ralph Firman Racing
- ^ "Firman set to join Jordan F1". Irish Examiner. 3 February 2003.
- ^ "Firman breaks Macau lap record". Crash Net. 14 November 2003.
- ^ a b c d "Ralph Firman". Motor Sport. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ a b c "Ralph Firman Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Ralph Firman jr". Driver Database. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "Complete Archive of Ralph Firman". Racing Sports Cars. pp. 2, 3. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "Ralph Firman – Involvement". StatsF1. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "Ralph Firman". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "Ralph Firman – 2005 A1 Grand Prix Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "Ralph Firman – 2007 A1 Grand Prix Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ralph Firman.
Ralph Firman
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life and background
Family heritage
Ralph David Firman Jr. was born on 20 May 1975 in Norwich, Norfolk, England, to parents Ralph Firman Sr. and Angela Firman.[1] His mother, Angela, is of Irish heritage, which later enabled Firman to hold Irish citizenship and race under an Irish licence.[1] Firman Sr., a former Lotus mechanic, co-founded Van Diemen Racing Cars in 1973 with Ross Ambrose, establishing it as a leading manufacturer of single-seater racing cars that achieved significant success in Formula Ford and Formula 3 categories.[4][5] The company produced chassis such as the RF99 for Formula Ford 1600 and a 1992 model for Formula 3,[4][6] powering drivers including future stars like Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher in their early careers,[7][8] and it grew to become the world's largest volume producer of bespoke racing cars.[9] After selling Van Diemen in 2001, Firman Sr. founded Ralph Firman Racing (RFR) in 2008, continuing the family's involvement in designing Formula Ford 2000, Formula 1000, and Formula Ford 1600 chassis.[4] Despite initially discouraging his son from pursuing racing—viewing it as a potential "fad" and encouraging alternatives like golf—Firman Sr.'s legacy in motorsport profoundly influenced Ralph Jr.'s entry into the sport.[10] Firman has a younger sister, Natasha Firman (born 22 June 1976), who also pursued a career in racing, competing in the all-female Formula Woman series, where she became the inaugural champion in 2004.[11][12] Growing up in a motorsport-centric family, Firman gained early exposure to racing through frequent visits to the Van Diemen facilities, immersing him in the world of car manufacturing and competition from a young age.[13]Education
Ralph Firman attended Gresham's School, an independent boarding and day school in Holt, Norfolk, from 1988 to 1993.[14] The school emphasizes holistic development through a balanced curriculum that integrates academic rigor with extensive co-curricular opportunities, particularly in sports such as rugby, cricket, hockey, swimming, and athletics, fostering discipline, teamwork, and physical fitness among students.[15][16] Although Gresham's does not offer specific motorsport programs, its focus on outdoor pursuits and strength conditioning provided preparation beneficial for competitive endeavors.[17] Upon completing his education in 1993, Firman transitioned directly into motor racing, motivated in part by his family's involvement in the Van Diemen racing car manufacturing business founded by his father.[14][18]Professional racing career
Junior formulae
Firman entered single-seater racing in 1993 at the age of 17, debuting in the British Formula Vauxhall Junior series with Team JLR, driving an Orion-NES 93 chassis powered by a 1.4-litre Vauxhall engine. Despite his karting background, the transition to open-wheel cars presented initial adjustments in handling and braking under high speeds, though he quickly adapted.[19] His family heritage in motorsport, through his father's co-founding of Van Diemen—which built the series' chassis—provided early access and sponsorship support via the company's networks.[20] Firman excelled in the season, securing nine victories, ten pole positions, and the championship title with 146 points ahead of runner-up Darren Manning.[21] This dominant performance earned him the McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year award, recognizing his potential in British junior formulae.[22] In 1994, Firman progressed to the more competitive Formula Vauxhall Championship, joining Paul Stewart Racing and competing in the Reynard FVL Mk.2 chassis with a 1.6-litre Vauxhall-Lotus engine. The series featured larger grids and faster machinery, offering his first significant exposure to professional team operations and sponsorship demands beyond family ties.[1] He achieved five race wins and eight podium finishes across the 13-round season, culminating in fourth place overall with 149 points, behind champion Owen McAuley.[23] These results highlighted his growing consistency and speed, setting the stage for advancement to higher formulae while navigating challenges like increased competition and mechanical reliability in the Reynard chassis.[24]Formula Three
Firman made his breakthrough in British Formula Three during the 1995 season, competing with Paul Stewart Racing in the Dallara F395 chassis powered by a Mugen-Honda engine.[25] He secured second place overall in the championship, behind Oliver Gavin, with six victories and nine podium finishes across 18 races, including a pole-to-flag win in the season-opening round at Silverstone.[26] This strong performance highlighted his adaptation from junior formulae to the more demanding F3 category.[27] In 1996, Firman continued with Paul Stewart Racing, now driving the updated Dallara F396-Mugen Honda, benefiting from incremental chassis refinements that improved aerodynamics and handling on varied British circuits.[25] He dominated the season to claim the British Formula Three Championship title with seven wins, amassing 188 points for first place overall ahead of Kurt Mollekens. Key victories included wins at Silverstone and Brands Hatch, where his consistent pace and racecraft outmaneuvered rivals like Jonny Kane and Guy Smith.[28] Firmer's F3 tenure culminated in a controversial victory at the 1996 Macau Grand Prix, a prestigious non-championship event that often served as a launchpad for higher categories.[29] Firman was leading the race but crashed at the hairpin on the final lap, triggering a red flag. Officials declared the results based on the order at the end of the previous lap, when Firman was ahead of Jarno Trulli, awarding him the win and sparking disputes among drivers including Trulli over the decision. This outcome, while debated, underscored the high-stakes intensity of international F3 competition during Firman's era.[29]Formula Nippon
Ralph Firman entered Japan's Formula Nippon series in 1997, driving for Team TMS in a Reynard 97D chassis powered by a Mugen engine, where he achieved consistent top-ten finishes, culminating in an eighth-place overall standing with 12 points.[30][31] Over the following seasons from 1998 to 2000, he competed with Team Nova, initially in Lola T96/51 and later G-Force GF03B chassis, also with Mugen power, securing podiums such as third at Mine in 1998 and establishing himself as a reliable contender amid the series' demanding schedule.[32] In 2001, switching to Nakajima Racing in a Reynard 2KL-Mugen, Firman notched two wins and finished fourth in the championship, demonstrating progressive adaptation to the high-speed circuits like Suzuka and Fuji Speedway, known for their technical complexity and overtaking challenges.[33][13] Firman's tenure in Formula Nippon was marked by hurdles including the cultural shift to Japanese racing protocols, where precise team communication and endurance under intense competition were paramount, though specific accounts of language barriers for him remain limited in records.[34] He faced stiff rivalry from established Japanese talents, including former champions like Toranosuke Takagi, who dominated in 2000 with eight wins for the same Nakajima team Firman later joined, forcing Firman to refine his qualifying pace and racecraft on tracks emphasizing high cornering speeds.[35] The pinnacle came in 2002, when Firman clinched the Formula Nippon title for Nakajima Racing in a Reynard 01L-Mugen, amassing 62 points to edge out Satoshi Motoyama by just two.[36] Driving with precision, he secured four victories—at the season-opening Suzuka round, Mine, Motegi, and the finale at Suzuka—despite a gearbox failure while leading at Mine that tested his resilience.[37][2] These results, building on his prior Formula Three achievements, showcased his international prowess and forged key connections in Japan, paving the way for his Formula One opportunity.[2][3]Formula One
Ralph Firman secured a seat with Jordan Grand Prix for the 2003 Formula One season, signing a three-year contract in early February to partner Giancarlo Fisichella in the team's EJ13-Ford chassis.[38][39] His entry into the series was facilitated by his 2002 Formula Nippon championship title, which provided both performance credentials and sponsorship support.[2] Under team principal Eddie Jordan, the outfit faced significant financial constraints, including a £16 million shortfall in its 2003 budget due to sponsor withdrawals, limiting development and testing opportunities.[40] The EJ13 proved underpowered and unreliable, with the Ford V10 engine lagging behind rivals and the chassis suffering from structural weaknesses, such as suspension and aerodynamic failures, contributing to the team's ninth-place constructors' finish.[41][42] Firman made his Formula One debut at the 2003 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, where he qualified 20th but retired on lap 42 after spinning off due to a loss of control.[43] Over the course of the season, he contested 14 races, often qualifying in the lower half of the field—his best starting position was 14th at the European Grand Prix—but demonstrated resilience amid the car's limitations.[44] Retirements were frequent, including mechanical issues and crashes; notably, at the Brazilian Grand Prix, his right rear suspension collapsed at over 175 mph on the pit straight, slamming the car into the barriers and ending his race early.[45] Another high-speed incident occurred during practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix, when the EJ13's rear wing detached, sending Firman into a heavy impact that sidelined him for the subsequent two races.[46] The highlight of Firman's season came at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, where he capitalized on reliability and strategic driving to finish eighth, securing the only championship point of his Formula One career and outperforming several established British drivers that day.[47] This result stood as his peak achievement in the series, underscoring his adaptation to the demanding single-seater environment despite the EJ13's shortcomings and the team's budgetary pressures, which hampered consistent progress throughout the year.[2][42]Sportscar and touring car racing
Following his single season in Formula One, Firman transitioned to sportscar and touring car racing, leveraging his single-seater experience to adapt quickly to GT machinery and endurance formats.[2] In 2004, Firman made his debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Racing for Holland, driving a Dome S101 powered by a Judd V10 engine alongside Tom Coronel and Justin Wilson; the entry retired after 313 laps due to mechanical failure.[48][49] That same year, he undertook a brief stint in the World Series by Nissan with Gabord Competición, contesting three rounds in a Dallara SN01-Nissan before departing the series. Firman competed in the A1 Grand Prix series for Team Ireland from 2005 to 2008, securing multiple podium finishes across the seasons, including third place at Estoril in 2005 and a podium at Dubai in 2005, which contributed to an eighth-place finish in the 2005–06 drivers' standings.[50] Firman returned to Japan for a sustained commitment to the Super GT series (formerly JGTC) in the GT500 class from 2005 to 2013, racing the Honda NSX for the Autobacs Racing Team Aguri (ARTA). Partnered with Daisuke Ito, he clinched the 2007 drivers' championship with three victories that season, marking the first title for a non-Japanese driver pairing in the category's history. Firman amassed further wins, including at Fuji Speedway in 2005, one in 2006, two in 2009, one in 2010, and his final triumph at Sugo in 2013, tying him with Benoît Tréluyer as the most successful foreign driver in Super GT with 12 victories overall.[2][51] He announced his retirement from competitive racing at the conclusion of the 2013 Super GT season to focus on family and business commitments, including running his engineering firm.[52]Post-racing activities
Business involvement
Following his retirement from professional racing in 2013, Ralph Firman Jr. transitioned into motorsport-related business ventures, leveraging his engineering interests to maintain ties to the industry without competing. He took an active role in running Pure Precision Engineering Ltd., a specialist firm offering water jet cutting services for precision motorsport components, based near Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk, England. Incorporated on 10 June 2011, the company provided fabrication support to racing teams until its dissolution on 21 February 2023.[53][54] Firman also contributed to the family-owned Ralph Firman Racing (RFR), established in 2008 as the successor to Van Diemen, the chassis manufacturer founded by his father, Ralph Firman Sr. RFR specializes in designing and producing race car chassis for junior formulae, including Formula 4 series, as well as components for historic racing categories. The company drew on over four decades of expertise to support various single-seater projects, emphasizing innovative manufacturing techniques for competitive performance.[55] In addition to RFR, Firman founded Van Diemen RF in the early 2020s to revive and expand the family legacy, focusing on high-performance trackday vehicles and racing cars developed with input from former Formula 1 designers. This included aerodynamic modeling and chassis engineering aimed at the performance and historic markets. By 2019, he was collaborating directly with his father on initiatives like the Firman R1 sports car prototype, underscoring his shift toward entrepreneurial leadership in motorsport engineering.[9][56][55]Ambassador and media roles
Following his retirement from competitive racing in 2013, Ralph Firman has contributed to motorsport promotion through media engagements and leadership in racing car development. In a 2023 interview with Motorsport.com, he discussed his Super GT legacy, including 12 victories with Honda teams such as ARTA, which remain the most wins by a foreign driver in the GT500 class.[2] Firman appeared in a live video interview in September 2025 on The Hard Compound platform, where he shared insights from his Formula 1 season with Jordan, Formula Nippon championship, and Super GT successes, while reflecting on the evolution of Japanese motorsport.[57] As founder of the revived Van Diemen RF brand since 2022, Firman oversees the design and production of new single-seater chassis like the RF350, aimed at track days, championships, and historic racing tributes to the original Van Diemen's Formula Ford heritage from the 1970s to 2000s. The company, based at the original Snetterton factory, emphasizes accessible, high-performance vehicles to support emerging UK and international talent.[9][56]Personal life
Family
Firman is married to Angela Firman. He has a sister, Jennifer, who married the late Jim Russell, founder of the Jim Russell Racing Driver School.[55]Nationality and residence
Ralph Firman was born on 20 May 1975 in Norwich, Norfolk, England, granting him British citizenship by birth. He also holds Irish citizenship through his mother Angela, who hails from Kildare, Ireland, which enabled him to secure an Irish racing license from 2003 onward.[1][58] Firman maintains his primary residence in the Norfolk area of the United Kingdom, where his family business is based. His extensive racing career fostered ongoing ties to Ireland and Japan, but following his retirement from full-time competition in 2013, he has made no permanent relocations abroad, instead engaging in occasional international travel for motorsport ambassadorial roles.[55][59] Firman's dual nationality played a key role in his Formula One participation, enhancing his eligibility and aligning with team choices such as the Irish-founded Jordan Grand Prix in 2003.[60][61]Racing record
Career summary
Ralph Firman began his professional racing career in the United Kingdom, progressing through junior formulas before achieving early success in Formula 3. In 1996, he won the British Formula 3 Championship with Paul Stewart Racing, securing four victories and eleven podiums across sixteen rounds, and also claimed the prestigious Macau Grand Prix.[1] Firman relocated to Japan in 1997, establishing a long-term presence in Asian motorsport series. He competed in Formula Nippon from 1997 to 2002, amassing seven wins, six pole positions, and four fastest laps, culminating in the 2002 championship title with Nakajima Racing, where he recorded four victories and edged out Satoshi Motoyama by two points.[2] This success earned him a single-season opportunity in Formula 1 with Jordan in 2003, where he started 14 races, scored one point with an eighth-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix, and finished 19th in the drivers' standings.[62] Returning to Japan post-Formula 1, Firman focused on sportscar racing, particularly in the Super GT series (formerly JGTC), from 2005 to 2013 with teams including ARTA. He achieved three victories en route to the 2007 GT500 class championship alongside Daisuke Ito, clinching the title with a round to spare—the first time this had occurred in the category—and added two more wins for second place in 2009.[63][25] His Super GT tenure yielded 12 wins, tying him as the most successful non-Japanese driver in the series.[2]| Year | Series | Team | Key Achievements/Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | British Formula 3 | Paul Stewart Racing | Champion (4 wins) |
| 1996 | Macau Grand Prix (F3) | Paul Stewart Racing | Winner |
| 2002 | Formula Nippon | Nakajima Racing | Champion (4 wins) |
| 2003 | Formula 1 | Jordan | 19th overall (1 point) |
| 2007 | Super GT (GT500) | ARTA | Champion (3 wins) |
British Formula Three Results
Ralph Firman raced in the British Formula Three Championship for Paul Stewart Racing in 1995 and 1996.[25]| Year | Team | Car | Championship Position | Points | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Paul Stewart Racing | Dallara F395 Mugen Honda | 2nd | 176 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
| 1996 | Paul Stewart Racing | Dallara F396 Mugen Honda | 1st | 188 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 4 |
Macau Grand Prix Results
Firman participated in the 1996 Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix with Paul Stewart Racing.| Year | Event | Qualifying Position | Race Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Macau GP (F3) | 2nd | 1st | Victory declared after red flag on final lap due to Firman's crash at the hairpin; results taken from previous lap where Firman led ahead of Jarno Trulli.[64][65] |
Formula Nippon results
Ralph Firman competed in Formula Nippon from 1997 to 2002, establishing himself as one of the series' top drivers during a period of transition from Lola and Reynard chassis dominance to more competitive machinery. His career in the category began with Team TMS and progressed to high-profile teams like Nakajima Racing, where he drove advanced Reynard models powered by Mugen Honda engines. Over six seasons, spanning 59 races primarily held at circuits such as Suzuka, Fuji Speedway, Motegi, Mine, and Sugo, Firman recorded 7 wins, 18 podiums, 6 pole positions, and 4 fastest laps, accumulating 146 points and achieving a championship victory in 2002.[25] The following table summarizes Firman's seasonal performance, including team affiliations, equipment, and key statistics:| Year | Team | Chassis | Engine | Races | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Points | Championship Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Team TMS | Reynard 97D | Mugen Honda 3.0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 8th |
| 1998 | Shionogi Team Nova | Lola T96/51 | Mugen | 9 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 7th |
| 1999 | Shionogi Team Nova | G-Force GF03 | Mugen | 10 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 4th |
| 2000 | Team Morinaga Nova | G-Force GF03B | Mugen Honda | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 9th |
| 2001 | Nakajima Racing | Reynard 99L | Mugen Honda 3.0 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 4th |
| 2002 | Nakajima Racing | Reynard 01L | Mugen Honda 3.0 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 62 | 1st |
Formula One results
Ralph Firman participated in 14 of the 16 rounds of the 2003 Formula One World Championship, driving for the Jordan team in the Jordan EJ13 chassis, which was powered by a Ford Cosworth V10 engine and fitted with Bridgestone tires.[69] His season was marked by one points-scoring finish—an 8th place at the Spanish Grand Prix, earning him his sole championship point—and six retirements due to various incidents and mechanical issues.[69] He was sidelined for the Hungarian and Italian Grands Prix after sustaining injuries in a testing accident at Brands Hatch prior to the Hungarian event.| Grand Prix | Date | Qualifying | Race Position | Points | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian | 9 March | 17th | DNF | 0 | Accident |
| Malaysian | 23 March | 20th | 10th | 0 | Finished |
| Brazilian | 6 April | 16th | DNF | 0 | Suspension failure |
| San Marino | 20 April | 19th | DNF | 0 | Oil line failure |
| Spanish | 4 May | 15th | 8th | 1 | Finished |
| Austrian | 18 May | 16th | 11th | 0 | Finished |
| Monaco | 1 June | 16th | 12th | 0 | Finished |
| Canadian | 8 June | 19th | DNF | 0 | Engine failure |
| European | 29 June | 14th | 11th | 0 | Finished |
| French | 6 July | 18th | 15th | 0 | Finished |
| British | 20 July | 17th | 13th | 0 | Finished |
| German | 3 August | 18th | DNF | 0 | Collision |
| United States | 28 September | 18th | DNF | 0 | Spun off |
| Japanese | 12 October | 15th | 14th | 0 | Finished |
Super GT results
Ralph Firman competed in the Super GT GT500 class from 2005 to 2013, primarily with the Autobacs Racing Team Aguri (ARTA) in Honda machinery, following his Formula One stint.[2] His partnership with Japanese co-driver Daisuke Ito from 2005 to 2007 yielded consistent results, culminating in the 2007 drivers' championship, which they secured with three victories and a 25-point lead after nine races at tracks including Suzuka and Fuji Speedway.[2][70] Firman later teamed with Takuya Izawa for the 2008–2009 seasons, achieving two wins and a runner-up finish in 2009, before shorter stints with Yuji Ide in 2010 and Kosuke Matsuura in 2013, where he added a final victory at Sportsland SUGO.[2] In 2011 and 2012, his schedule was limited, including four GT500 appearances and a partial season with Takashi Kobayashi, respectively, amid ARTA's driver changes.[25] Overall, Firman's GT500 tenure featured twelve wins, three poles, and 19 podiums across 71 starts, highlighting his adaptation to endurance-style racing on circuits like Fuji and Suzuka.[25][2]| Year | Team | Car | Co-Driver | Races | Wins | Poles | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | ARTA | Honda NSX | Daisuke Ito | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 61 | 3rd |
| 2006 | ARTA | Honda NSX | Daisuke Ito | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 61 | 3rd |
| 2007 | ARTA | Honda NSX | Daisuke Ito | 9 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 94 | 1st |
| 2008 | ARTA | Honda NSX | Takuya Izawa | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 49 | 8th |
| 2009 | ARTA | Honda NSX | Takuya Izawa | 9 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 81 | 2nd |
| 2010 | ARTA | Honda HSV-010 GT | Yuji Ide | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 11th |
| 2011 | Various | Various | Various | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 34th |
| 2012 | ARTA | Honda HSV-010 GT | Takashi Kobayashi | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15.5 | 10th |
| 2013 | ARTA | Honda HSV-010 GT | Kosuke Matsuura | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 11th |