Suzuka is a city located in Mie, Japan with a total area of 194.67 km². Suzuka International Racing Course is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
Designed as a Honda test track in 1962 by John Hugenholtz, Suzuka is one of few circuits in the world to have a "figure 8" layout, with the back straight passing over the front section by means of an overpass.
Suzuka Circuit has 5.8 km, 53 laps with a race distance of 308 km; 4 highspeed straches, 3 slow turns, 2 ideal spots for overtaking and a top speed around 315 km/h.
The circuit was modified three times, once in 1983, when a chicane was put at the last curve to slow the cars into the pit straight and the Degner curve was made into two corners instead of one long curve; the circuit was also made considerably safer in 1983 by adding more Armco, more run-off areas and removing straw bales leading into vegetation; and again in 2002, when the chicane was slightly modified, 130R was also modified and some of the Snake curves were made a bit straighter and faster, and in 2003, when the chicane was made slightly faster and closer to the 130R.
The circuit can be used in three configurations; the full circuit, the "Suzuka East" and "Suzuka West" configuration. The "East" portion of the course consists of the pit straight to the first half of the Dunlop curve (turn 7), before leading back to the pit straight via a tight right-hander. The "West" course is made up of the other part of the full circuit, including the crossover bridge.
Michael Schumacher's car being carried after retiring from the 2006 Japanese Grand PrixSuzuka was dropped from the F1 calendar for the 2007 and 2008 seasons in favour of the Toyota-owned Fuji Speedway, after the latter underwent a transformation and redesign by circuit designer Hermann Tilke.
The circuit closed for a year in order for the renovation to make it F1-compliant for 2009, with the last major event held on November 18, 2007. The track held a re-opening day on April 12, 2009. Following two tremendous accidents in 2002 and 2003, safety has been a concern at the circuit's 130R, a 130 metres radius turn starting past the Crossover which has been compared to Spa's Eau Rouge.
Statistics
Sebastian Vettel: races - 2, victories - 2, podiums - 2, pole-position - 2
Mark Webber: races - 7, victories - 0, podiums - 1, pole-position - 0
Lewis Hamilton: races - 2, victories - 0, podiums - 1, pole-position - 0
Jenson Button: races - 9, victories - 0, podiums - 1, pole-position - 0
Felipe Massa: races - 5, victories - 0, podiums - 1, pole-position - 1
Michael Schumacher: races - 17, victories - 6, podiums - 9, pole-position - 8
Nico Rosberg: races - 3, victories - 0, podiums - 0, pole-position - 0
Nick Heidfeld: races - 8, victories - 0, podiums - 0, pole-position - 0
Vitaly Petrov: races - 1, victories - 0, podiums - 0, pole-position - 0
Rubens Barrichello: races - 16, victories - 1, podiums - 2, pole-position - 1
Now lets see last year pole by Vettel:
1:30.785
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