Japanese Super Formula sits at the peak of domestic single-seater racing, and the Dallara SF23 is its current specification machine — a chassis introduced for 2022 that replaced the SF19 and raised the technical bar across the grid. Spark Model has catalogued the full 2024 grid in 1:43, and the No. 55 Team TGM Grand Prix entry driven by Nobuharu Matsushita is among the more individual pieces in that range: an independent Honda-powered squad with a driver who has accumulated serious mileage across Formula 2, Super Formula, and Super GT.
The Dallara SF23 — Italy Builds Japan's Fastest Single-Seater
Designed and manufactured by Dallara Automobili in Varano de' Melegari, Italy, the SF23 is the mandatory spec chassis for every Super Formula competitor from 2022 onward. It measures 5,100 mm in length and 1,900 mm wide, making it a physically imposing open-wheeler. Power comes from a Honda HR-417-E 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-four prepared by M-TEC Co. Ltd, producing approximately 550 hp — a unit shared across the Honda-client teams in the series, with Toyota running its own TRD alternative on the other side of the garage.
Matsushita and Team TGM Grand Prix in the 2024 Super Formula Season
Nobuharu Matsushita, born in Osaka in 1993, built his reputation through several seasons in FIA Formula 2 before committing more fully to Japanese domestic categories. In 2024, he carried car No. 55 for Team TGM Grand Prix, an independent Honda-powered outfit competing against the larger, works-aligned programmes that dominate the Super Formula entry list. That positioning — a smaller team, a recognised driver, Honda machinery — gives the car a clear identity within the season's grid and makes it a distinct reference point in any 2024 Super Formula collection.
Spark Model in 1:43 — Resin Construction, Racing Precision
Spark Model produces this piece as a 1:43 scale model in resin, following the same construction approach the French manufacturer applies across its single-seater racing catalogue. Resin allows the fine surface detail that an open-wheel car demands: the tight bodywork geometry of the SF23, the exposed suspension geometry, and the livery graphics of the No. 55 TGM entry are all rendered without the compromises of diecast tooling. This is a static display model with no opening parts.
In the Display Cabinet — Building the 2024 Super Formula Grid
The No. 55 Matsushita car pairs naturally with the other Spark 1:43 Super Formula releases from the same season, where the full 2024 grid is represented across Honda and Toyota-powered SF23 entries. Collectors focused on Honda motorsport in Japan will also find it connects to the broader M-TEC-supported programme. For those tracing Matsushita's career in miniature, it sits alongside earlier Spark Super Formula and Super Formula Lights references covering his previous seasons in the Japanese domestic ladder.
