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On Friday, February 2, F1 announced a five-year contract extension to keep the Japanese Grand Prix on the calendar until 2029 at the iconic Suzuka circuit. This motorsport race track has witnessed many significant moments in F1 history, including 12 Drivers’ Championship winners getting decided there, with the last one being Max Verstappen in 2022.
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The Japanese Grand Prix first happened at the Suzuka circuit in 1987, and since then, it continued unabated until the race was moved to Fuji Speedway in 2008 and 2009. After that, it had a brief hiatus of two years in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japanese Grand Prix shifted from October to April
From 2024 onwards, the F1 and Suzuka circuit officials decided to move the Japanese Grand Prix from its traditional date in October to April. The call was made “as part of F1's efforts to minimise the environmental impact of shipping freight over the course of the season.”
The President and Representative Director of Honda Mobilityland Corporation, Tsuyoshi Saito, remarked, “I am pleased that we will be able to continue hosting the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit from 2025 onwards. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Stefano Domenicali and other related Formula 1 members.”
“We aim to create a sustainable future and currently we are preparing to welcome many fans for the 2024 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix in April, the first time the event will be held in the spring season,” he added.
Suzuka is a special circuit: Stefano Domenicali
The President and CEO of F1, Stefano Domenicali was quoted as saying about the announcement, “Suzuka is a special circuit and part of the fabric of the sport, so I am delighted that F1 will continue to race there until at least 2029. As we prepare to return to Japan earlier than usual this season, I would like to express my huge gratitude to the promoter and team at Honda MobilityLand for supporting our effort towards greater calendar rationalisation as we look to make the sport more sustainable.”
