Suzuka Circuit F1 Layout & Records

Description

 

Suzuka circuit: Three corners in detail

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The Esses (Turns 3 – 7)

The high speed Esses are a flowing sequence of interlinking turns that sees the car change direction rapidly at very high speed. The driver will enter turn three, the start of the Esses, at approximately 245km/h and carry the speed through until the exit of the complex. The high speed switches of direction subject the internals of the engine and lubricant systems to high lateral G-forces. The fuel and oil can be squashed to one side of the tank away from the collectors, so engineers must regularly check minimum levels. Gear selection is also crucial here as the driver will spend approximately 15secs in fourth or fifth gear through this section.

Spoon Curve (Turns 13 – 14)

The Spoon Curve is another Suzuka circuit classic. The driver enters Turn 13 at around 180km/h and shifts down, but then quickly blips the throttle while turning in for Turn 14. He then brakes down further, dropping the speed to 140km/h. This corner is all about keeping the rhythm going: if the driver is too aggressive on the throttle he will lose time through Turn 14 and will carry this deficit all the way through the 130R. Be too slow on the throttle and he will lose tenths on the entry and apex. The challenge here is to give the driver the necessary torque response when required.

130R (Turn 15)

The awesome 130R corner is actually a straight in engine terms, with the driver at full throttle throughout the corner. This long ‘straight’ is a huge 1,250m from the exit of the Spoon Curve and is taken at nearly 310km/h, subjecting the drivers and car to massive g-forces as they take the corner. Drivers will brake down to under 100km/h for the chicane leading onto the pit straight so engine engineers will work to provide effective engine braking as well as literal braking and rear stability for this big stop.

 

Super Suzuka - A track guide

Since its introduction in 1987, Suzuka has established itself as one of the most feared, respected and challenging circuits on the F1 calendar.

It has been the setting for many championship deciders and is synonymous with success. Champions are made at Suzuka. Senna, Prost,Schumacher, Hill, Hakkinen and Vettel to name a few.

Only the best are capable of conquering Asia’s greatest track. It takes nerve, dare and a huge dollop of talent.

It may have now lost its place at the end of the calendar but it still remains a special and unique circuit. As Formula 1 invades Asia a little bit more, Suzuka loses its exclusivity but it will always retain its majesty.

The track, situated in the middle of nowhere, can make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, hence its status as a drivers favourite.

It is filled with legendary corners, which all have a story to tell: The spoon curve, the Degners, the chicane, the ‘S’ curves and, most famously of all, the iconic 130R, a corner to rival Spa’s Eau Rouge.

The circuit was designed in 1962 by a Dutchman, John ‘Hans’ Hugenholtz. It is one of only a handful of circuits in the world to have a figure of eight layout. The back straight passes over the front section, making it unique in F1.

After the Fuji Speedway’s grip on the Japanese Grand Prix relinquished in 1987, Suzuka had its chance. It has not looked back since.

Positioned near the end of the season means it has played host too many championship battles, not least the epic duels between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna which have gone down in F1 folklore.

Mika Hakkinen and Michael Schumacher have also had legendary fights. Races in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999 and 2000 will always be remembered.

In 2005, Fernando Alonso made himself a legend as he pulled off a seemingly impossible overtake on Schumacher round the outside of 130R.

When Formula 1 decided to return to Fuji in 2007, most people spoke out in annoyance. In 2009, Suzuka came back.

Since then, Sebastian Vettel has dominated and epic championship battles have dried up.

But the hunger to see Suzuka on the calendar will never diminish. It is, and always will be, an F1 classic.

Podiums

 

F1 Podium Winners on Suzuka Circuit

Year	Race	Date	Top 3 Drivers	Teams	Laps
2023	2023 Japanese F1 GP	September 24	Max Verstappen Lando Norris Oscar Piastri	Red Bull McLaren McLaren	53
2022	2022 Japanese F1 GP	October 9	Max Verstappen Sergio Pérez Charles Leclerc	Red Bull Red Bull Ferrari	29
2019	2019 Japanese F1 GP	October 13	Valtteri Bottas Sebastian Vettel Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes Ferrari Mercedes	52
2018	2018 Japanese F1 GP	October 7	Lewis Hamilton Valtteri Bottas Max Verstappen	Mercedes Mercedes Red Bull	53
2017	2017 Japanese F1 GP	October 8	Lewis Hamilton Max Verstappen Daniel Ricciardo	Mercedes Red Bull Red Bull	53
2016	2016 Japanese F1 GP	October 9	Nico Rosberg Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes Red Bull Mercedes	53
2015	2015 Japanese F1 GP	September 27	Lewis Hamilton Nico Rosberg Sebastian Vettel	Mercedes Mercedes Ferrari	53
2014	2014 Japanese F1 GP	October 5	Lewis Hamilton Nico Rosberg Sebastian Vettel	Mercedes Mercedes Red Bull	44
2013	2013 Japanese F1 GP	October 13	Sebastian Vettel Mark Webber Romain Grosjean	Red Bull Red Bull Lotus F1	53
2012	2012 Japanese F1 GP	October 7	Sebastian Vettel Felipe Massa Kamui Kobayashi	Red Bull Ferrari Sauber	53
2011	2011 Japanese F1 GP	October 9	Jenson Button Fernando Alonso Sebastian Vettel	McLaren Ferrari Red Bull	53
2010	2010 Japanese F1 GP	October 10	Sebastian Vettel Mark Webber Fernando Alonso	Red Bull Red Bull Ferrari	53
2009	2009 Japanese F1 GP	October 4	Sebastian Vettel Jarno Trulli Lewis Hamilton	Red Bull Toyota McLaren	53
2006	2006 Japanese F1 GP	October 8	Fernando Alonso Felipe Massa Giancarlo Fisichella	Renault Ferrari Renault	53
2005	2005 Japanese F1 GP	October 9	Kimi Räikkönen Giancarlo Fisichella Fernando Alonso	McLaren Renault Renault	53
2004	2004 Japanese F1 GP	October 10	Michael Schumacher Ralf Schumacher Jenson Button	Ferrari Williams BAR	53
2003	2003 Japanese F1 GP	October 12	Rubens Barrichello Kimi Räikkönen David Coulthard	Ferrari McLaren McLaren	53
2002	2002 Japanese F1 GP	October 13	Michael Schumacher Rubens Barrichello Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari Ferrari McLaren	53
2001	2001 Japanese F1 GP	October 14	Michael Schumacher Juan Pablo Montoya David Coulthard	Ferrari Williams McLaren	53
2000	2000 Japanese F1 GP	October 8	Michael Schumacher Mika Häkkinen David Coulthard	Ferrari McLaren McLaren	53
1999	1999 Japanese F1 GP	October 31	Mika Häkkinen Michael Schumacher Eddie Irvine	McLaren Ferrari Ferrari	53
1998	1998 Japanese F1 GP	November 1	Mika Häkkinen Eddie Irvine David Coulthard	McLaren Ferrari McLaren	51
1997	1997 Japanese F1 GP	October 12	Michael Schumacher Heinz-Harald Frentzen Eddie Irvine	Ferrari Williams Ferrari	53
1996	1996 Japanese F1 GP	October 13	Damon Hill Michael Schumacher Mika Häkkinen	Williams Ferrari McLaren	52
1995	1995 Japanese F1 GP	October 29	Michael Schumacher Mika Häkkinen Johnny Herbert	Benetton McLaren Benetton	53
1994	1994 Japanese F1 GP	November 6	Damon Hill Michael Schumacher Jean Alesi	Williams Benetton Ferrari	50
1993	1993 Japanese F1 GP	October 24	Ayrton Senna Alain Prost Mika Häkkinen	McLaren Williams McLaren	53
1992	1992 Japanese F1 GP	October 25	Riccardo Patrese Gerhard Berger Martin Brundle	Williams McLaren Benetton	53
1991	1991 Japanese F1 GP	October 20	Gerhard Berger Ayrton Senna Riccardo Patrese	McLaren McLaren Williams	53
1990	1990 Japanese F1 GP	October 21	Nelson Piquet Roberto Moreno Aguri Suzuki	Benetton Benetton Larrousse	53
1989	1989 Japanese F1 GP	October 22	Alessandro Nannini Riccardo Patrese Thierry Boutsen	Benetton Williams Williams	53
1988	1988 Japanese F1 GP	October 30	Ayrton Senna Alain Prost Thierry Boutsen	McLaren McLaren Benetton	51
1987	1987 Japanese F1 GP	November 1	Gerhard Berger Ayrton Senna Stefan Johansson	Ferrari Team Lotus McLaren	51

Driver Ranking

 

Driver Ranking Suzuka Circuit

	Driver	GP	1st	2nd	3rd	Pod	Pole	FL	Avg Grid	Avg Pos	Points
1	Michael Schumacher	19	6	3	0	9	8	4	5.4	7.5	97
2	Sebastian Vettel	12	4	1	3	8	5	3	3.8	4.2	176
3	Lewis Hamilton	13	4	0	3	7	2	3	3.9	4.5	187
4	Mika Häkkinen	11	2	2	2	6	0	1	5.6	5.9	46
5	Max Verstappen	7	2	2	1	5	2	1	4.9	5.1	104
6	Ayrton Senna	7	2	2	0	4	3	2	2.4	9.4	31
7	Gerhard Berger	11	2	1	0	3	2	0	4.2	10.2	31
8	Damon Hill	7	2	0	0	2	0	1	7.3	7.6	26
9	Nico Rosberg	9	1	2	0	3	3	0	7.6	8.8	70
10	Fernando Alonso	17	1	1	2	4	0	1	10.6	9.9	75
11	Kimi Räikkönen	15	1	1	1	3	0	1	9.1	6.4	94
12	Riccardo Patrese	7	1	1	1	3	0	1	6.9	6.0	24
13	Valtteri Bottas	9	1	1	0	2	0	1	7.7	8.9	74
14	Rubens Barrichello	17	1	1	0	2	1	1	9.0	10.6	27
15	Jenson Button	15	1	0	1	2	0	1	8.4	6.6	85
16	Nelson Piquet	5	1	0	0	1	0	0	7.4	9.6	12
17	Alessandro Nannini	3	1	0	0	1	0	0	10.7	8.3	11
18	Mark Webber	10	0	2	0	2	1	3	7.9	9.8	55
19	Felipe Massa	12	0	2	0	2	1	0	8.8	10.3	42
20	Alain Prost	6	0	2	0	2	1	3	2.2	8.5	15
21	Eddie Irvine	10	0	1	2	3	0	0	7.3	7.4	20
22	Giancarlo Fisichella	11	0	1	1	2	0	0	9.5	10.5	15
23	Sergio Pérez	11	0	1	0	1	0	0	9.3	10.6	45
24	Lando Norris	3	0	1	0	1	0	0	7.0	7.7	19
25	Jarno Trulli	12	0	1	0	1	0	0	12.0	11.8	15
26	Ralf Schumacher	10	0	1	0	1	1	2	6.8	9.7	14
27	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	9	0	1	0	1	0	1	7.6	9.1	13
28	Juan Pablo Montoya	5	0	1	0	1	0	0	8.2	10.4	11
29	Roberto Moreno	3	0	1	0	1	0	0	18.3	14.0	6
30	David Coulthard	12	0	0	4	4	0	0	6.8	10.3	21
31	Thierry Boutsen	6	0	0	2	2	0	0	8.7	8.3	12
32	Daniel Ricciardo	10	0	0	1	1	0	0	11.4	10.7	48
33	Charles Leclerc	4	0	0	1	1	0	0	4.5	7.8	35
34	Romain Grosjean	9	0	0	1	1	0	0	9.6	11.2	27
35	Kamui Kobayashi	4	0	0	1	1	0	0	11.3	10.5	21
36	Oscar Piastri	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	2.0	3.0	15
37	Martin Brundle	7	0	0	1	1	0	0	13.4	9.0	10
38	Jean Alesi	12	0	0	1	1	0	0	10.7	14.1	9
39	Johnny Herbert	11	0	0	1	1	0	0	11.3	11.4	5
40	Stefan Johansson	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	9.0	3.0	4
41	Aguri Suzuki	5	0	0	1	1	0	0	15.8	12.2	4
42	Nico Hülkenberg	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	12.7	12.5	30
43	Esteban Ocon	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	11.0	10.0	23
44	Carlos Sainz	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	10.3	12.6	20
45	Alex Albon	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	11.7	13.0	12
46	George Russell	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	11.3	10.3	10
47	Takuma Sato	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	9.8	10.0	10
48	Pastor Maldonado	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	13.8	12.4	8
49	Pierre Gasly	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	12.4	11.6	8
50	Esteban Gutierrez	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	13.3	13.3	6
51	Nick Heidfeld	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	12.1	10.3	5
52	Kevin Magnussen	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	14.1	14.3	4
53	Michele Alboreto	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	16.4	12.8	3
54	Nigel Mansell	6	0	0	0	0	1	1	3.8	14.8	3
55	Andrea de Cesaris	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	14.9	16.9	3
56	Nicholas Latifi	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	19.0	9.0	2
57	Cristiano da Matta	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3.0	7.0	2
58	Vitaly Petrov	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	15.0	16.0	2
59	Jean-Eric Vergne	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	15.7	11.3	2
60	Satoru Nakajima	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	11.6	10.0	2
61	Lance Stroll	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	15.2	14.4	2
62	Jacques Villeneuve	9	0	0	0	0	2	1	7.6	10.9	2
63	Olivier Panis	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	11.8	12.5	2
64	Christian Fittipaldi	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	15.0	7.0	1
65	Sébastien Buemi	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	15.3	17.7	1
66	Stefano Modena	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	15.5	12.8	1
67	Daniil Kvyat	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	14.8	11.8	1
68	Derek Warwick	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	12.6	13.2	1
69	Mika Salo	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	17.3	12.3	1
70	Jean-Marc Gounon	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	13.0	18.0	0
71	Gianmaria Bruni	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	18.0	16.0	0
72	Nicolas Kiesa	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	18.0	16.0	0
73	Antonio Giovinazzi	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	11.0	14.0	0
74	Logan Sargeant	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	20.0	17.0	0
75	Christian Danner	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	16.0	23.0	0
76	Enrique Bernoldi	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	20.0	14.0	0
77	Will Stevens	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	18.0	19.0	0
78	Brendon Hartley	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	6.0	13.0	0
79	Yannick Dalmas	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	22.0	14.0	0
80	Andrea Montermini	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	19.0	17.0	0
81	Antônio Pizzonia	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	12.0	17.0	0
82	Justin Wilson	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	10.0	13.0	0
83	Paolo Barilla	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	19.0	26.0	0
84	Jan Magnussen	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	14.0	21.0	0
85	Kazuki Nakajima	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	15.0	15.0	0
86	Zsolt Baumgartner	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	20.0	17.0	0
87	Éric Bernard	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	18.0	16.0	0
88	Gabriele Tarquini	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	24.0	11.0	0
89	Jan Lammers	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	23.0	20.0	0
90	Esteban Tuero	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	21.0	16.0	0
91	Jérôme d'Ambrosio	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	20.0	21.0	0
92	Tomáš Enge	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	19.0	19.0	0
93	Ricardo Rosset	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	19.0	13.0	0
94	Alexander Rossi	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	19.0	18.0	0
95	Sergey Sirotkin	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	17.0	16.0	0
96	Mick Schumacher	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	15.0	17.0	0
97	Hideki Noda	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	23.0	26.0	0
98	Toshio Suzuki	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	23.0	12.0	0
99	Tarso Marques	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	20.0	15.0	0
100	Julian Bailey	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	26.0	14.0	0

Team Ranking

 

Team Ranking Suzuka Circuit

	Team	GP	1st	2nd	3rd	Pod	Pole	FL	Avg Grid	Avg Pos	Points
1	Ferrari	33	7	8	6	21	10	6	5.4	8.6	345
2	McLaren	33	7	7	10	24	4	7	7.4	8.0	285
3	Red Bull	15	6	5	4	15	7	5	5.9	6.3	347
4	Mercedes	12	6	3	2	11	5	4	6.1	6.2	298
5	Williams	33	3	5	2	10	4	8	8.4	10.5	140
6	Benetton	15	3	2	3	8	2	1	8.4	10.1	61
7	Renault	12	1	1	2	4	0	1	11.9	11.8	42
8	Toyota	6	0	1	0	1	1	0	6.5	9.1	16
9	Team Lotus	8	0	1	0	1	0	0	13.3	12.5	10
10	Lotus F1	4	0	0	1	1	0	0	9.8	9.9	43
11	Sauber	21	0	0	1	1	0	0	12.6	12.2	38
12	BAR	7	0	0	1	1	0	0	10.7	9.5	24
13	Larrousse	7	0	0	1	1	0	0	18.5	15.2	4
14	Force India	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	11.1	11.1	43
15	Alpine	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	9.5	7.5	21
16	Jordan	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	11.5	12.3	18
17	Racing Point	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	12.3	8.3	14
18	Toro Rosso	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	14.0	13.3	14
19	Aston Martin	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	13.5	11.0	12
20	BMW Sauber	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	11.5	8.0	11
21	Haas	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	12.8	13.7	10
22	Tyrrell	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	17.5	14.7	6
23	Honda	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	7.5	8.0	5
24	Brabham	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	14.6	14.4	4
25	Brawn	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	8.0	7.5	3
26	Ligier	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	17.3	13.2	2
27	Arrows	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	17.6	14.1	1
28	Minardi	19	0	0	0	0	0	0	17.5	15.5	1
29	Fondmetal	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	24.0	11.0	0
30	Rial	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	14.0	18.0	0
31	Lola	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	25.0	17.0	0
32	Forti	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	20.5	18.5	0
33	Spyker	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	18.5	19.0	0
34	Simtek	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	25.0	18.0	0
35	Super Aguri	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	21.0	16.0	0
36	Leyton House	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	17.3	17.8	0
37	Virgin Racing	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	21.0	18.3	0
38	AlphaTauri	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	13.3	13.5	0
39	Pacific	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	20.5	19.0	0
40	Alfa Romeo	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	14.2	15.0	0
41	HRT	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	22.8	19.2	0
42	Stewart	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	13.7	15.2	0
43	Zakspeed	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	19.3	23.3	0
44	AGS	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	22.0	13.0	0
45	March	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	17.6	17.0	0
46	Osella	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	19.0	19.7	0
47	Jaguar	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	11.0	13.0	0
48	Manor	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	19.8	19.5	0
49	Prost	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	13.2	16.9	0
50	Dallara	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	18.4	15.8	0
51	Caterham	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	19.4	16.9	0
52	Footwork	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	16.4	13.5	0