Japanese Grand Prix

The drivers’ favorite

Suzuka is the only F1 track in the world built as a figure-eight — the back-straight crosses over the front section on a bridge. It is universally cited by current drivers as the best circuit on the calendar; the high-speed esses of Sector 1 are considered the single hardest sequence in modern racing.

Why it matters

The track was built by Honda as a test facility in 1962 — Soichiro Honda himself involved in the layout. Eight world championships have been decided here, including Senna’s 1988 first title, Prost’s 1989 collision with Senna, Schumacher’s 2000 first Ferrari title, Hamilton’s 2014, and Verstappen’s 2022 and 2023.

What to watch for

• Sector 1 (Turns 1–7) — the esses. Watch a qualifying lap on the FIA video feed; you’ll see what a great car looks like.
• 130R (Turn 15) — an almost-flat-out left at 300+ km/h.
• The crowd — Japanese fans show up in costume, draw the most elaborate banners, and stay through every session. The atmosphere is unmatched.