The SF19 was formally unveiled in October 2017 at Suzuka Circuit, giving teams and engine suppliers ample time to prepare before its on-track debut. Development testing began in earnest with the car's first run taking place in June 2018 at the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti in Varano de' Melegari, Italy, with Japanese driver Tomoki Nojiri at the wheel. Nojiri completed 71 laps on that occasion and set a track record of 57 seconds — a time reported to be two seconds quicker than the previous benchmark set by an LMP1-class prototype.
Following the Italian shakedown, the first two production cars were shipped to Japan for testing at Fuji Speedway. Nojiri continued as the primary development driver, completing 129 laps across two days at Fuji. Rain on the first day restricted running to wet conditions, but on the second day dry tyres were fitted and Nojiri set a time of 1:26.173 — approximately two seconds faster than the 2017 pole position achieved with the outgoing SF14.
During August 2018 testing, Nojiri also evaluated a new visor-mounted display system, previewing the enhanced cockpit information technology incorporated in the production specification.
The SF19's aerodynamic philosophy moved away from the wing-dominated downforce philosophy of its predecessor and instead placed greater emphasis on ground effect generated by the underbody. This shift was intended to encourage closer racing and increase overtaking opportunities by reducing the sensitivity of trailing cars to the dirty air produced by the car ahead — a challenge that had been a concern in single-seater categories worldwide.
Visually, the SF19 resembled a modern Formula One car more closely than the SF14 had, featuring a pronounced fin on the engine cover and more sculpted sidepod profiles. The Halo cockpit protection device was not included in the original project specification, though Dallara studied the possibility of incorporating it during the development phase.
Power was supplied by turbocharged 2.0-litre engines from Honda and Toyota, both derived from units used in the Super GT series. Both engines featured a fuel-flow limiter and a push-to-pass system providing a temporary power boost. The presence of two competing engine manufacturers from the beginning of the SF19's tenure introduced a variable into the competitive landscape: engine development progress at one supplier could produce meaningful performance gaps between Honda- and Toyota-powered cars, despite the shared chassis.
The SF19 entered service as the championship's mandatory single chassis from the 2019 Super Formula season. As a spec chassis, it placed the emphasis firmly on driver skill, team setup, and engine performance rather than car-to-car aerodynamic differentiation. Its lifespan extended across multiple seasons, during which it served as the platform for some of Japan's most competitive open-wheel racing.
The engine development rivalry between Honda and Toyota remained an ongoing dynamic throughout the car's service life, creating periods where one manufacturer's package held a clear advantage before development responses from the rival brought the field closer again.
The Dallara SF19 successfully modernised Super Formula's technical package while maintaining the championship's identity as one of the fastest and most demanding single-seater series outside Formula One. Its emphasis on ground-effect aerodynamics and spec-chassis parity anticipated trends that Formula One itself would later pursue more aggressively, and its development process — extensive pre-season testing across multiple continents — set a template for the introduction of its successor, the Dallara SF23.