Suzuka Circuit
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| Location | Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan |
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| Time zone | GMT +9 |
| Coordinates | 34°50′35″N 136°32′26″E / 34.84306°N 136.54056°ECoordinates: 34°50′35″N 136°32′26″E / 34.84306°N 136.54056°E |
| Capacity | 155,000 |
| Owner | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. |
| Operator | Mobilityland Corporation |
| Opened | 1962 |
| Architect | John Hugenholtz |
| Major events |
Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka 8 Hours WTCC Super GT Super Formula MJF Superbike D1 Grand Prix Super Taikyu |
| Grand Prix circuit (2003–) | |
| Length | 5.807 km (3.609 mi) |
| Turns | 17 |
| Lap record | 1:31.540 ( Kimi Räikkönen, McLaren, 2005) |
| Motorcycle Grand Prix circuit (2004–) | |
| Length | 5.821 km (3.617 mi) |
| Turns | 17 |
| Lap record | 2:07.110 ( Kousuke Akiyoshi, F.C.C. TSR Honda CBR1000RR, 2009) |
| East circuit | |
| Length | 2.243 km (1.394 mi) |
| Turns | 7 |
| Lap record | 0:53.885 ( Alain Menu, Chevrolet, 2012) |
| West circuit | |
| Length | 3.466 km (2.154 mi) |
| Turns | 9 |
| Original circuit (1962–1982) (without final chicane) | |
| Length | 6.004 km (3.728 mi) |
| Turns | 17 |
| Lap record | 1:34.247 ( Aguri Suzuki, Ralt Formula 3 car, 1982) |
| Website | www |
The Suzuka International Racing Course (official name), Suzuka Circuit (鈴鹿サーキット Suzuka Sākitto?) for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.. It has a capacity of 155,000.
Soichiro Honda decided to develop a new permanent circuit in Mie prefecture in the late 1950s. Designed as a Honda test track in 1962 by Dutchman John "Hans" Hugenholtz, Suzuka is one of few circuits in the world to have a "figure eight" layout, with the 1.2 km back straight passing over the front section by means of an overpass.
The circuit has been modified four times:
In 1983 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 crash barriers, more run-off areas and removing straw bales leading into vegetation;
In 2002, the chicane was slightly modified, 130R (marked as 15 on the diagram) was also modified and some of the snake curves were made a bit straighter and faster;
In 2003, the chicane was made slightly faster and closer to the 130R.
Following the fatality at the 2003 MotoGP round, Suzuka reconfigured the motorcycle variant of what is now known as the Hitachi Automotive Systems Chicane before the final turn, and added a second chicane, between the hairpin and 200R.
The circuit can be used in five configurations; the car full circuit, the motorcycle full circuit, the "Suzuka east," "Suzuka west car," and "Suzuka west motorcycle" configurations. The "east" portion of the course consists of the pit straight to the first half of the Dunlop curve (turn seven), 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; the straight leading to the overpass is used for the start/finish line and the grid. The chicane between the hairpin and 200R separates the west and full course sections between cars and motorcycles.
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Wikipedia