Set in an amusement park, Suzuka’s figure-of-eight layout is unique in Formula 1. Since first hosting the Japanese Grand Prix in 1987, it has been widely recognised as one of the sport’s finest circuits, rivalled only by Spa-Francorchamps as the greatest test for today’s GP drivers. Originally designed by John Hugenholtz as a test circuit for Honda (which still owns the facility), Suzuka was the scene of championship showdowns between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1989 and 1990, when the bitter rivals collided. Nelson Piquet, Damon Hill, Mika Hakkinen and Sebastian Vettel have all secured world titles here, and Michael Schumacher clinched Ferrari’s first drivers’ crown in 21 years at Suzuka in 2000. The Japanese Grand Prix was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
