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The Suzuka Circuit

Built by Honda as a test circuit in 1962, the Suzuka circuit was designed by John Hugenholtz, a Dutchman who also produced Zandvoort and Jarama. The circuit is just one component of a giant amusement park and other facilities, and is situated on Honshu, by far the largest of the Japanese islands, which is also home to Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka.

Suzuka has an 18-turn, figure-of-eight course that is unique in F1. It begins with a fast 7th gear bend that tightens to lead into a series of fast S-bends. Spoon Curve and the legendary 130R are the other great challenges on this popular driver's circuit.

Overtaking is normally done in the 50mph Casio Triangle chicane at the end of the lap. More difficult passing moves can be performed into the 140mph First Corner and very occasionally at the Turn 11 Hairpin.

In 2002, the circuit was reduced in length, courtesy of the realigning of several key corners to provide greater run-off areas. Retaining walls were also moved back and the track slightly altered at the S-Curves and Dunlop Curves. For 2003, this programme of modernisation and re-profiling continued with 130R, tweaked into a two-radii sweeper to provide a faster and more fluent corner with an earlier turn-in. More changes were made at the revised Casino Triangle chicane, which is now more open than before. These alterations have added about 3 metres to the overall lap, but the lap record was still comprehensively beaten last year.

Honda F1 Media

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