Swift FN09

After many years of Lola Cars competition in Formula Nippon a new chassis was needed for the 2009 season. As early as 2007 American company Swift Engineering, headed by former Japanese racing driver Hiro Matsushita, was selected to provide the new racing car to all teams. The Swift FN09 was designed by Swift Engineering chief designer Chris Norris. Dutch engineer Casper van der Schoot was the program director. The car was initially intended to compete from 2009 to 2011, however the run of the race car was extended through 2013. The racecar was characterized by the distinctive exterior appearance. The dual wing design of the front wing and rear wing provided the car with 750 kg of downforce (in combination with the diffuser). The car made its race debut at Fuji Speedway on 5 April 2009. Kohei Hirate scored the pole position as Benoît Tréluyer won the race. ==FT5000==

In April 2016 it was revealed that the Swift FN09 chassis was chosen as the base chassis for a new race series, Formula Thunder 5000. The series is intended to race in New Zealand and Australia, resembling the former Tasman Series. New-Zealander Chris Lambden purchased one chassis from Swift Engineering as a prototype for the series. The rolling chassis was fitted with a 5.0 L Ford Coyote V8 engine. Michael Borland, of Borland Racing Developments, purchased the molds and drawings to build additional chassis fitted to the FT5000 specifications. The modifications included a modified front wing and heightened air box to more resemble the former Formula 5000. In the end, thanks to governing body Motorsport Australia's frustrating, constantly changing requirements for the manufacture/use of the Swift tub and accessories, the project switched to a brand new Ligier F3 tub (complete with 'halo'), adapted to take the 560hp V8, and the series, renamed the S5000 Australian Drivers' Championship, was launched late in 2019. ==Statistics==

A total of 24 Swift FN09 chassis were built. In Formula Nippon 39 races were run with the American built chassis. Best laps ==Gallery==

2010 Formula Nippon Motegi round (May) formation lap.jpg|Formula Nippon at Motegi in 2010 Swift FN09 front wing 2010 Motorsport Japan.jpg|A detail picture of the front wing The frontview of No.1 PETRONAS TEAM TOM'S FN09.JPG|Front view of the Swift FN09 entered by Petronas Team TOM's Loic Duval 2010 Formula Nippon Motegi (May) FP2.jpg|Loïc Duval at Motegi in 2010 Koudai Tsukakoshi Formula Nippon 2012.jpg|Koudai Tsukakoshi at Twin Ring Motegi in 2012 ==References==