Fuji Speedway
Oyama, Japan · 4 races held
Race History
| Year | Grand Prix | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Japanese Grand Prix | Fernando Alonso | Renault |
| 2007 | Japanese Grand Prix | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren |
| 1977 | Japanese Grand Prix | James Hunt | McLaren |
| 1976 | Japanese Grand Prix | Mario Andretti | Team Lotus |
About Fuji Speedway
Sitting at the foot of Mount Fuji in Oyama, Shizuoka Prefecture, Fuji Speedway opened in 1966 and brought Formula 1 to Japan for the first time in 1976. With the dormant volcano towering over the circuit, the venue offered one of the most spectacular backdrops in motorsport, though its mountain location also made it notoriously prone to fog and sudden rain.
The 1976 and 1977 Japanese Grands Prix were the track's first taste of the world championship. After the second event was marred by a fatal accident involving a marshal and a spectator, Japan dropped off the F1 calendar, and the country's race later resurfaced at Suzuka in 1987. Fuji returned for two further Grands Prix in 2007 and 2008 following an extensive Hermann Tilke redesign and ownership by Toyota, before the Japanese round settled permanently back at Suzuka.
Memorable Moments
- 1976: In torrential rain, championship leader Niki Lauda withdrew on safety grounds, leaving James Hunt to finish third and snatch the title by a single point in one of the sport's most dramatic finales. Mario Andretti won the race for Lotus.
- 1977: James Hunt won at Fuji, but the weekend was overshadowed by a tragic accident that contributed to F1 leaving Japan for a decade.
- 2007: Lewis Hamilton mastered atrocious wet, foggy conditions behind a long safety-car period to win a chaotic, attrition-filled race for McLaren.
- 2008: Fernando Alonso won for Renault after first-corner chaos involving title contenders Hamilton and Felipe Massa, the last Grand Prix held at the circuit.
Track Character
Fuji is dominated by one of the longest straights in motorsport, a flat-out blast of around 1.5 kilometres that feeds a tight first-corner braking zone and creates a natural overtaking opportunity. From there the lap winds into a more technical, twisting middle and final sector of medium and slow corners that demand precision and good mechanical grip. The combination of huge top speed, heavy braking and the ever-present threat of fog and rain rolling down off the mountain has produced some of F1's most unpredictable races.