Matsuhisa Kojima is a Japanese entrepreneur who amassed a decent fortune through his business, allowing him to pursue his passion as a motocross rider before later turning to four-wheel racing. In 1974, he founded his own racing team, debuting with driver Masahiro Hasemi in the Japanese Formula 2 and Formula 2000 championships, initially using Surtees chassis and later March chassis. In 1976, he launched a project to debut with his own car in the Formula 1 World Championship. In a rare case for Formula 1, the design of the car was entrusted to a working group led by Masao Ōno, the very same group responsible for designing the rival Maki F102A.
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| KOJIMA KE007, Goodwood Festival 2004 |
However, unlike its counterpart, the Kojima KE007 immediately demonstrated an impressive level of performance and could have played a significant role if it had competed more regularly in the World Championship. The car featured an interesting design, resembling a mix between a Tyrrell 007 and a Surtees TS16, with innovative suspension geometry and, most notably, a special type of tires developed specifically by the Japanese division of Dunlop.
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| KOJIMA KE007, Masahiro Hasemi Fuji, Japanese GP 1976 |
The aluminum monocoque chassis, built specifically for the KE007, housed the classic 3.0-liter Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine paired with the equally traditional Hewland FGA 400 gearbox. The car had a short wheelbase of just 2,500 mm, which provided decent maneuverability at the cost of stability, and it weighed 578 kg. The Kojima underwent extensive testing throughout the autumn with Japanese Formula 2 driver Masahiro Hasemi before being entered in only one World Championship event, the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji International Circuit.
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| KOJIMA KE007, Masahiro Hasemi Fuji, Japanese GP 1976 |
During the first qualifying session, Hasemi stunned everyone by setting the fourth-fastest time. Unfortunately, he was unable to improve his time in the second session due to an accident that sidelined the KE007. However, his Friday lap time secured him tenth place on the starting grid. Thanks to the relentless efforts of the small team of mechanics, who worked tirelessly in a rented garage at the circuit to repair the damage, the Japanese single-seater was ready to take the start on race day. Hasemi’s participation in the Fuji Grand Prix led to a peculiar historical footnote for the Kojima KE007.
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| KOJIMA KE007, Masahiro Hasemi Fuji, Japanese GP 1976 |
During the race, Hasemi’s car was credited with the fastest lap, despite being overtaken by three cars on that same lap. A few days later, the race stewards corrected the results, awarding the fastest lap to Jacques Laffite. However, this decision was never officially communicated to the FIA, so for many years, the Kojima KE007 of Hasemi remained listed as the holder of the fastest lap. The small Japanese team’s only race in 1976 saw the car complete the event, finishing in 11th place.
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