STsukazuka, host of Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, has long been regarded as one of Formula 1’s greatest circuits, beloved by drivers and fans alike, and it has it all. A legendary history full of drama and thrills, and majestic challenges that accompany the changing landscape of Aichi Prefecture. It’s the perfect mix of risk and reward, bold and rigorous, but also retains a terrible reputation for not being tolerant of mistakes. This is a classic track and indeed an old-school track in modern times.
Suzuka recently extended its contract with F1 until 2029, a decision that was widely welcomed given the recent surge in calm street circuits. In 2014, 17-year-old Max Verstappen made his F1 debut here. Suzuka still faced real danger, which filled the world champion with admiration.
“It’s definitely one of my favorites,” he said. “It’s quite intimidating when you first actually drive around the track, that’s what I found. Because it’s so narrow, if you make a small mistake you can end up on the grass or gravel. Falling off on the road. It’s just a little bit more wide than some of the other tracks you can run on. So you definitely need to be really aware of that. If you push a little more, you’re taking a bigger risk and maybe even crashing. This is great for It’s very special to me.”
This season feels like a rebirth for the venerable figure-eight circuit, which hosted the inaugural Japanese Grand Prix in 1987, as this is the first time it has been used early in the season. If this is not the end game of the season, as it has been on so many memorable occasions, with that honor now seemingly forever in the hands of the soulless petrodollars of Abu Dhabi, then an early spot in the spring, Everything Can Be Played This powerful and attractive venue is the place to be for teams still in the Championship and those still getting ready for the new season.
As if to mark the occasion, Sunday’s game coincides with the cherry blossoms blooming – Cherry blossoms – season, so with the usual throngs of enthusiastic fans flocking to the track, pink and white flowers dot the surrounding countryside of this rustic seaside area overlooking Ise Bay, and on clear days, along Looking down the slope you can see the and two.
Well, it’s a very beautiful place, but there have been tragedies, so we shouldn’t forget it. It’s been ten years since Jules Bianchi suffered the accident that ultimately claimed his life. He set off on Dunlop Curve in heavy rain and poor visibility and crashed into a recovery vehicle that was removing another car from the track. The following year, Bianchi died from his injuries.
Fortunately, F1 has learned from this tragedy and there is hope for Sunday’s race, as Suzuka is a track known for its glorious corners. The Esses is a rolling uphill stretch of four undulating corners with slight inclines that can make or break a lap, Degners, Hairpins, Spoons and the fearsome 130R, a left-hander dedicated wholeheartedly to testing one A racing car that may not exist. Another, though the first turn at Sebring is just as gripping.
It might be easy to think these days that drivers prefer purpose-built racing circuits with state-of-the-art facilities, but the reality is that they are as thrill-seeking as ever and these corners make for one hell of a ride.
“There are undulations, cambers, all the things a track has that a city track doesn’t have,” said Williams Racing’s Alex Albon. “Suzuka just doesn’t compromise. There really isn’t a lot of runoff, just white lines and grass. So as a driver you enjoy feeling the adrenaline while driving and knowing that in order to go faster, you It takes more effort.”
It’s no wonder this 3.6-mile track recreates so many classic moments. It was designed as a test track for Honda in 1962 by Dutchman John Hugenholtz. His creations put every aspect of the driver and car into the spotlight and fittingly provide the backdrop for some of F1’s grandest theatre.
In 1988, Ayrton Senna fought back from 14th after stalling on the grid to pull Alain Prost back to win and claim his first title. Their epic rivalries followed in 1989 and 1990, the latter of which attracted 3 million viewers to a draw of 120,000 tickets. Damon Hill won at Wetland in 1994, a race he considers to be one of his favorites, driving solely on instinct in the harsh conditions in the world’s most demanding Beating Michael Schumacher in the rain on one of the tracks.
Then there was Kimi Räikkönen’s charge from 17th to victory in 2005. What was the Finn’s finest moment? Well, it does rank high on the list. This track seems to inspire more drivers. May it long maintain its rightful place as one of the jewels in Formula 1’s crown.
