is a Japanese former racing driver and businessman.
Motorsport career Hoshino's nickname was . 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. He began open-wheel racing in in 1974 and quickly moved upward into the higher tiers.
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 (taking pole position in every race he entered in 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 six 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 (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Points 1974 Tomei AutomobileMarch 733NissanSUZFUJSUZSUZSUZSUZSUZSUZ 7th 20 1975 Tomei AutomobileMarch 733NissanSUZSUZTSUSUZFUJFUJMINSUZSUZ 3rd 67 1976 Tomei AutomobileMarch 733NissanSUZFUJSUZSUZSUZ 1st 67
Complete All Japan F2000/All Japan F2/All Japan F3000/Formula Nippon results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine Tyre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points 1974 Kojima Engineering Surtees TS15 Ford BDASUZSUZSUZ SUZ 5th 10 1975 Victory Circle Club March 742 BMW M12FUJ SUZ FUJ SUZ SUZ 1st 59 1976 Heros Racing Corporation March 742/Nova 512B BMW M12 FUJSUZ FUJ SUZ SUZ 4th 40 1977 Heros Racing Corporation Nova 512B/Nova 532P BMW M12 SUZ SUZMIN SUZ FUJ FUJ SUZ SUZ 1st 90 (102) 1978 Heros Racing Corporation Nova 532 BMW M12 SUZ FUJ SUZ SUZ SUZMIN SUZ 1st 76 1979 Heros Racing Corporation March 792/Nova 532Kai BMW M12 SUZMIN SUZ FUJ SUZ SUZ SUZ 2nd 78 (79) 1980 Heros Racing Corporation March 802 BMW M12 SUZ MIN SUZ SUZ SUZ SUZ 2nd 65 1981 Heros Racing Corporation Lola T850 BMW M12 SUZ SUZ SUZ SUZ SUZ 2nd 48 1982 Heros Racing Corporation Lola T850/March 822 BMW M12 SUZ FUJ SUZ SUZ SUZ SUZ 2nd 55 1983 Hoshino Racing March 832 BMW M12 SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUZ FUJ SUZ SUZ 2nd 79 (89) 1984 Hoshino Racing March 842 BMW M12 SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUZ FUJ SUZ SUZ 3rd 95 (103) 1985 Hoshino Racing March 85J Honda SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUZ FUJ SUZ SUZ 4th 51 1986 Hoshino Racing March 86J Honda SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUZ FUJ SUZ SUZ 2nd 87 1987 Hoshino Racing March 87B/Lola T87-50 Honda RA387E SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUZ SUG FUJ SUZ SUZ 1st 132 1988 Cabin Racing Team with Impul Lola T88/50 Mugen MF308 SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUG FUJ SUZ SUZ 2nd 43 1989 Cabin Racing Team with Impul Lola T88/50/Lola T89-50 Mugen MF308 SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUG FUJ SUZ SUZ 3rd 22 1990 Cabin Racing Team with Impul Lola T90/50 Mugen MF308 SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUG FUJ FUJ SUZ FUJ SUZ 1st 58 (63) 1991 Cabin Racing Team with Impul Lola T90/50/Lola T91/50 Mugen MF308 SUZ AUT FUJ MIN SUZ SUG FUJ SUZ FUJ SUZ FUJ 4th 24 1992 Cabin Racing Team with Impul Lola T91/50/Lola T92/50/Reynard 92D Mugen MF308/Cosworth DFV SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ AUT SUG FUJ FUJ SUZ FUJ SUZ 12th 10 1993 Nisseki Impul Racing Team Lola T92/50 Cosworth DFV SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ AUT SUG FUJ FUJ SUZ FUJ SUZ 1st 32 1994 Nisseki Impul Racing Team Lola T92/50/Lola T93-50 Mugen MF308 SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUG FUJ SUZ FUJ FUJ SUZ 8th 6 1995 Nisseki Impul Racing Team Lola T93/50/Lola T94-50 Mugen MF308 SUZ FUJ MIN SUZ SUG FUJ TOK FUJ SUZ 4th 20 1996 Calsonic RACING TEAM with IMPUL Lola T96/52 Mugen MF308 SUZ MIN FUJ TOK SUZ SUG FUJ MIN SUZ FUJ 3rd 31
Complete Fuji Grand Championship results Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 DC Points 1972 Nissan Sports Car Club Nissan Fairlady 240ZG Nissan FUJ1FUJ2 FUJ3FUJ49th15 1973 Nissan Sports Car Club Nissan Fairlady 240ZG Nissan FUJ1FUJ2FUJ3FUJ4FUJ5 15th 8 1974 Sakai Racing Team March 73S BMW M12FUJ1FUJ2FUJ3 FUJ4FUJ5FUJ6 NC 0 1975 ? March 74S BMW M12FUJ1FUJ2FUJ3 FUJ4 FUJ5 8th 16 1976 Heroes Racing Corporation March 74S BMW M12 FUJ1FUJ2 FUJ3 FUJ4 FUJ5 6th 28 1977 Heroes Racing Corporation March 74S BMW M12 FUJ1 FUJ2 FUJ3 FUJ4 FUJ5 2nd 63 1978 Heroes Racing Corporation March 74S/Nova 53S BMW M12 FUJ1 FUJ2 FUJ3 FUJ4 FUJ5 1st 27 1979 Heroes Racing Corporation Nova 53S/Nova 54S BMW M12 FUJ1 FUJ2 FUJ3 FUJ4 5th 30 1980 Heroes Racing Corporation MCS(Nova) BMW M12 FUJ1 FUJ2 FUJ3 FUJ4 5th 30 1981 Heroes Racing Corporation MCS (Nova)/MCS II(March 792) BMW M12 FUJ1 FUJ2 FUJ3 FUJ4 4th 33 1982 Heroes Racing Corporation MCS II(March 792) BMW M12 FUJ1 FUJ2FUJ3 FUJ4 FUJ5 1st 50 1983 ? MCS IV(March 822) BMW M12 FUJ1 FUJ2 FUJ3 FUJ4 2nd 40 1984 ? MCS V(March 832) BMW M12 FUJ1 FUJ2 FUJ3 FUJ4 1st 80 1985 ? MCS VI(March 842) BMW M12 FUJ1 FUJ2 FUJ3 FUJ4 1st 55 1986 ? MCS VII(March 85J) BMW M12 FUJ1 FUJ2 FUJ3 FUJ44th35 1987 ? MCS VIIKai(March 86B) Ford FUJ1 FUJ2 FUJ3 FUJ4 1st 75 1988 ? MCS VIII(March 88GC/Lola T88/50) Mugen FUJ1 SUG1 FUJ2 FUJ3 SUZ1 FUJ4 3rd 60 1989 ? Cerumo 89G/MCS VIII(Lola T88/50) Mugen FUJ1 SUG1 FUJ2 FUJ3 SUZ1 FUJ4 5th 22
Complete Formula One results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Points 1976 Heros Racing Tyrrell 007 Cosworth V8 BRA RSA USW ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA JPN NC 0 1977 Heros Racing Kojima KE009 Cosworth V8 ARG BRA RSA USW ESP MON BEL SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA USA CAN JPN NC 0
Complete European Formula Two Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pts Heros Racing Nova 532 BMW THR HOC NÜR PAU MUG VAL ROU DON NOG PER MIS HOC NC 0 James Gresham Racing March 832 BMW SIL THR HOC NÜR VAL PAU JAR DON4 MIS PER ZOL MUG 16th 3
Complete JTC/JTCC results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 DC Pts 1989ImpulNissan Skyline GTS-RJTC-1NISSENTSUSUGSUZFUJ?? 1990ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RJTC-1NISSUGSUZTSUSENFUJ1st230 1991ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RJTC-1SUGSUZTSUSENAUTFUJ3rd174 1992ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RJTC-1AIDAUTSUGSUZMINTSUSENFUJ7th78 1993ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RJTC-1MINAUTSUGSUZAIDTSUTOKSENFUJ2nd119 1994NismoNissan PrimeraAUT1AUT2SUG1SUG2TOK1TOK2SUZ1SUZ2MIN1MIN2AID1AID2TSU1TSU2SEN1SEN2FUJ1FUJ28th53 1995Hoshino RacingNissan PrimeraFUJ1FUJ2SUG1SUG2TOK1TOK2SUZ1SUZ2MIN1MIN2AID1AID2SEN1SEN2FUJ1FUJ23rd98 1996Team ImpulNissan PrimeraFUJ1FUJ2SUG1SUG2SUZ1SUZ2MIN1MIN2SEN1SEN2TOK1TOK2FUJ1FUJ26th61 1997NismoNissan PrimeraFUJ1FUJ2AID1AID2SUG1SUG2SUZ1SUZ2MIN1MIN2SEN1SEN2TOK1TOK2FUJ1FUJ24th95
Complete JGTC results (key) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 DC Pts 1995Hoshino RacingNissan Skyline GT-RGT1SUZFUJSENFUJSUGMIN14th19 1996ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500SUZFUJSENMINSUGMIN4th54 1997ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500SUZFUJSENFUJMINSUG13th16 1998ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500SUZFUJSENFUJMOTMINSUG3rd49 1999ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500SUZFUJSUGMINFUJTAIMOT7th40 2000ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500MOTFUJSUGFUJTAIMINSUZ3rd66 2001ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500TAIFUJSUGFUJMOTSUZMIN13th24 2002ImpulNissan Skyline GT-RGT500TAIFUJSUGSEPFUJMOTMINSUZ24th3
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1986 Nissan Motorsport Keiji Matsumoto Aguri Suzuki Nissan R86V C1 64 DNF DNF 1987 Nissan Motorsport Kenji Takahashi Keiji Matsumoto Nissan R87E C1 181 DNF DNF 1988 Nissan Motorsport Takao Wada Aguri Suzuki Nissan R88C C1 296 DNF DNF 1989 Nissan Motorsport Masahiro Hasemi Toshio Suzuki Nissan R89C C1 167 DNF DNF 1990 Nissan Motorsport Masahiro Hasemi Toshio Suzuki Nissan R90C C1 348 5th 5th 1995 Nissan Motorsport Masahiko Kageyama Toshio Suzuki Nissan Skyline GT-R LM GT1 157 DNF DNF 1996 Nissan Motorsport Masahiro Hasemi Toshio Suzuki Nissan Skyline GT-R LM GT1 307 15th 10th 1997 Nissan Motorsport TWR Érik Comas Masahiko Kageyama Nissan R390 GT1 GT1 294 12th 5th 1998 Nissan Motorsport TWR Aguri Suzuki Masahiko Kageyama Nissan R390 GT1 GT1 347 3rd 3rd
Complete Bathurst 1000 results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1981 Nissan Motor Co. Masahiro Hasemi Nissan Bluebird (910) Turbo 4 Cylinder 66 DNF DNF 1982 Nissan Motor Co. Masahiro Hasemi Nissan Bluebird (910) Turbo B 153 8th 1st
References
External links Kazuyoshi Hoshino profile at the Japan Automobile Federation Calsonic Sponsor's site Impul Own aftermarket company and team site Calsonic racing team Nismo.com: Hoshino History 1969-2002 – charting the motorsport career of Hoshino