Suzuka Circuit - Blog Posts

Suzuka Circuit

April became Formula 1 month for Suzuka last year, but back in 2018, it was the venue for a Super GT test weekend. I took the opportunity to enjoy the circuit in a much calmer atmosphere, though the weather was very changeable on the day (I got drenched walking down to Inô station afterwards!).

Opened in 1962, the track is very much enjoyed by drivers for its large variety of corners (the Esses, hairpin, chicane, the double-apex sweeper at Spoon, the dauntingly fast 130R...), and has an unusual figure-of-8 shape, crossing over itself - the bridge is before this hairpin, just out of shot on the left. On a test day like this, most grandstands are open to all, offering the viewer a similar variety of angles and vantage points.

The paddock was also open for the relatively few fans to walk around and have a chance to meet the drivers (James Rossiter pictured above). But even then, 2018 was the year Jenson Button was racing, and his garage got a lot of attention!

Despite the weather which turned miserable in the afternoon, the teams didn't shy away from running. There were even a couple of Safety Car training moments: rolling restart, and full SC procedure with class separation.