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Suzuka

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Circuit info:

Address:: Suzuka Circuit
Inao-machi
Suzuka City
Mie Pref
7992 Ino-Cho
Japan
PH:: (81) 593 781111
Fax:: (81) 33 436 4559
Circuit length:: 3.608 miles/5.807 km
Circuit type:: Permanent road course

Circuit history:

Designed as a test track for Honda by John Hugenholtz, Suzuka has emerged as one of the world's most demanding and rewarding motor racing circuits.

Typical of many Japanese circuits, it packs in a lot of track in a small space with a mix of almost every type of corner. Drivers rate it highly, mainly because it is one of the few circuits these days which still has challenges to throw at them. It has also gained world recognition because of its unusual figure-of-eight layout, which has spawned hundreds of Scalextric immitations!

On the Formula 1 calendar since 1987, controversy has certainly been a feature at the circuit, with the collisions between Senna and Prost and Nigel Mansell's '87 practice crash all making the headlines. Most of these controversies result from the race's traditional role as title-decider, with Piquet, Senna, Prost, Hill, Hakkinen and Schumacher all celebrating world title successes here.

So popular is the Grand Prix, tickets are allocated by lottery. Other popular events are the Motorcycle Grand Prix races, the Suzuka 100km race for sportscars and the Endurance Motorcycle eight hours race, which begins at 11.30am and finishes in the dusk.

Suzuka has made several modifications over the years in the battle against rising speeds. Significant were the insertion of a chicane before the final turn and alterations to Degner Curve in 1983, while a general upgrade of the facility in 1987 helped secure the Grand Prix.

Recent years have seen a number of new circuits challenge Suzuka's position as Japan's number one circuit, despite the Honda Yen. The Motorcycle Grand Prix switched to Honda's other circuit - Twin-Ring Motegi - following the death at Suzuka of local superstar Daijiro Kato in 2003. Now arch rival Toyota has won the rights to the Formula One race at its Fuji circuit, and it remains to be seen whether Suzuka will be able to regain its international prominence again.