Suzuka Circuit facts for kids
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| Location | Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan |
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| Time zone | GMT +9 |
| Owner | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. |
| Operator | Mobilityland Corporation |
| Major events | FIA Formula One Japanese Grand Prix Endurance World Championship Suzuka 8 Hours Super GT 1000 km Suzuka |
| Length | 5.807 km (3.609 mi) |
| Turns | 17 |
| Race lap record | 1:31.540 ( Kimi Räikkönen, McLaren, 2005) |
The Suzuka International Racing Course, often called Suzuka Circuit, is a famous race track in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan. It is owned by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and run by Mobilityland Corporation. This track is well-known around the world for its unique design and exciting races.
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About Suzuka Circuit
The Suzuka Circuit was designed in 1962 by John Hugenholtz. It was first built as a test track for Honda. One special thing about Suzuka is its "figure 8" layout. This means the track crosses over itself, but it doesn't actually touch. A bridge carries one part of the track over another section.
The circuit can be used in different ways. There is the full circuit, which is the longest. There are also two shorter versions: the "Suzuka East" course and the "Suzuka West" course. These different layouts allow for various types of races and events to be held.
Exciting Motorsport Events
Suzuka is one of the oldest tracks still used in the Formula One World Championship. It has hosted the Japanese Grand Prix many times. For a few years, another track called Fuji Speedway took its place. But Suzuka returned to host the Japanese Grand Prix from 2009 onwards.
The circuit closed for a year to get upgrades. These changes were needed to meet the rules for Formula One races in 2009. The track reopened in April 2009, ready for more big events.
Besides Formula One, Suzuka hosts other exciting motorsport events. One of them is the Suzuka 1000 km endurance race. This race is part of the Super GT series. It is the longest race in that series. Suzuka also holds the Suzuka 8 Hours race for motorcycles. This tough race has been happening since 1978.
In the 1990s, NASCAR even held exhibition races at Suzuka. These were called the NASCAR Thunder 100. They used a shorter part of the track. It was a unique event, and it was the first time NASCAR cars used rain tyres in their modern history.
In 2011, Suzuka Circuit also hosted a round of the World Touring Car Championship. This shows how versatile the track is for different kinds of racing.
The 130R Corner
The 130R corner at Suzuka is very famous and challenging. It is a fast, sweeping turn. After some accidents in 2002 and 2003, safety became a big concern here.
Track officials decided to change the corner. They made it into a "double-apex" section. This means it became two smaller turns instead of one long curve. This change also brought the track closer to the Casio Triangle, which is a slower section of the track. These changes were made to make the corner safer for drivers and riders.
Suzuka in Popular Culture
Suzuka Circuit is very popular in video games and arcade games. You can find it in most Formula One games released since 1987. The East Course of Suzuka was also featured in the game NASCAR 98. This means many racing fans around the world have driven this famous track virtually.
Images for kids
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The circuit, as it appeared in July 2018
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Lewis Hamilton won the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.
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Layout of the fictional Sakitto Circuit, used in Project CARS to replace the Suzuka Circuit.
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See also
In Spanish: Circuito de Suzuka para niños
