Fuji Speedway

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Coordinates: 35°22′18″N 138°55′36″E / 35.37167°N 138.92667°E / 35.37167; 138.92667

Fuji Speedway
Fuji.svg
LocationOyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Time zoneGMT +9
Capacity110,000
FIA Grade1
Major eventsFIA World Endurance Fuji 6 Hours
Asian Le Mans Series
Super GT
Super Formula
Super Taikyu
Japanese Grand Prix (former)
F4 Japanese Championship
2020 Summer Olympic Games
5th and current configuration (2005–present)
Length4.563 km (2.835 mi)
Turns16
Race lap record1:18.426 (Brazil Felipe Massa, Ferrari F2008, Formula One, 2008)
4th configuration (1993–2004)
Length4.469 km (2.777 mi)
Turns12
Race lap record1:14.854 (Japan Takuya Kurosawa, Lola, Formula 3000, 2000)
3rd configuration (1986–1992)
Length4.440 km (2.759 mi)
Turns10
Race lap record1:14.088 (Japan Kazuyoshi Hoshino, Nissan R92CP, JSPC, 1992)
2nd configuration (1975–1985)
Length4.359 km (2.709 mi)
Turns8
Race lap record1:10.02 (Germany Stefan Bellof, Porsche 956, 1983 Mount Fuji 1000 km, 1983)
Original circuit (1965–1974)
Length5.999 km (3.728 mi)
Turns15
Race lap record1:32.57 (Australia Vern Schuppan, March-Ford F2, 1973 Japanese Grand Prix)
Websitewww.fsw.tv/,%20https://www.fsw.tv/en/

Fuji Speedway (富士スピードウェイ, Fuji Supīdowei) is a motorsport race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing. Originally managed by Mitsubishi Estate Co., Fuji Speedway was acquired by Toyota Motor Corporation in 2000. The circuit hosted the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in 2007 after an absence of nearly 30 years, replacing the Suzuka Circuit owned by Honda.[1] After Fuji Speedway hosted the 2008 race, the Japanese Grand Prix returned to Suzuka for races from 2009 onward. The Super GT Fuji 500 km race is held at the racetrack on Golden Week.

Fuji Speedway has one of the longest straights in motorsport tracks, at 1.475 km (0.917 mi) in length.[2] The circuit has an FIA Grade 1 license.[3]

History[]

1963–79: F1 launches in Japan[]

Fuji Speedway Corporation was established in 1963 as Japan NASCAR Corporation. At first, the circuit was planned to hold NASCAR-style races in Japan. Therefore, the track was originally designed to be a 4 km (2.5 mi) banked superspeedway, but there was not enough money to complete the project and only one of the bankings was completed. Mitsubishi Estate Co. invested in the circuit and took over the reins of management in October 1965.

Converted to a road course, the circuit opened in December 1965 and proved to be somewhat dangerous, with the wide banked turn (named "Daiichi") regularly resulting in major accidents. Vic Elford said:

"In 1969 I spent two months in Japan doing a test contract for Toyota and their Toyota 7 (5 litre V-8), which along with a big Nissan (6.3 litre V-12), was destined for CanAm. My last testing and then the subsequent Sports Car GP were at Fuji, but the track was run in a clockwise direction. The reason that banking was so horrific, was that at the end of the straight we went over a blind crest at around 190/200 mph and dropped into the banking. At other tracks (Daytona, Montlhéry, etc.) you climb up the banking. One of the results was that although there were many brave Japanese drivers there were not too many with great skill and the death toll from that one corner was horrendous. To such an extent that the big Gp 7 cars were then banned in Japan and thus, neither Nissan or Toyota ever made it to CanAm."

After a fatal accident in 1974 on the Daiichi banking where drivers Hiroshi Kazato and Seiichi Suzuki were both killed in a fiery accident that injured 6 other people, a new part of track was built to counteract the problem, and the resultant 4.359 km (2.709 mi) course, which also eliminated 5 other fast corners, proved more successful. In 1966, the track hosted a USAC Indy Car non-championship race, won by Jackie Stewart. The track had a 24-hour race in 1967.[4]

The speedway brought the first Formula One race to Japan at the end of the 1976 season. The race had a dramatic World Championship battle between James Hunt and Niki Lauda, and in rainy conditions, Hunt earned enough points to win the title. Mario Andretti won the race, with Lauda withdrawing due to the dangerous conditions.

In 1977, Gilles Villeneuve was involved in a crash that killed two spectators on the side of the track, leading to Formula One leaving the speedway. When Japan earned another race on the F1 schedule ten years later, it went to Suzuka instead. The Grand Prix returned to Fuji in 2007 following its renovation.

1980–2000: National racing venue[]

Fuji Speedway former layouts: Red 1965–1974, Blue 1975–1985, Green 1986–2004
The abandoned "30° Bank" of the old track

Fuji remained a popular sports car racing venue; the FIA World Sportscar Championship visited the track between 1982 and 1988 and it was often used for national races. Speeds continued to be very high, and two chicanes were added to the track: one after the first hairpin corner, the second at the entry to the wide, fast final turn (300R). Even with these changes, the main feature of the track remained its approximately 1.5 km (0.93 mi) long straight, one of the longest in all of motorsports.

The long pit straight has also been utilised for drag racing. NHRA exhibitions were run in 1989, and in 1993 Shirley Muldowney ran a 5.30 on the quarter-mile strip at Fuji. Local drag races are common on the circuit, at both 440 yd (402.336 m) & 1,000 ft (304.800 m) distances.

The track continued to be used for Japanese national races. Plans to host a CART event in 1991 were abandoned due to conflicts with the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile. It was not until the autumn of 2000 that the majority of the stocks of the track were bought by Toyota from Mitsubishi Estate[5] as part of its motor racing plans for the future.

On May 3, 1998, there was a multi-car crash during a parade lap before a JGTC race caused by the safety car slowing in torrential rain.[6] Ferrari driver Tetsuya Ota suffered serious burns over his entire body after being trapped in his car for almost 90 seconds,[7] and Porsche driver Tomohiko Sunako fractured his right leg.[7]

2001–present: renovations[]

In 2003, the circuit was closed down to accommodate a major reprofiling of the track, using a new design from Hermann Tilke. The track was reopened on April 10, 2005, and hosted its first Formula One championship event in 29 years on September 30, 2007. In circumstances similar to Fuji's first Grand Prix in 1976, the race was run in heavy rain and mist and the first 19 laps were run under the safety car, in a race won by Lewis Hamilton.

Rebuilt grandstand in the 2000s

The circuit has hosted the Nismo Festival for historic Nissan racers since refurbishment in 2003; the event previously took place at Okayama.[citation needed] When the festival returned in 2005, the organisers allowed circuit owner Toyota to bring in their Toyota 7 CanAm racer to re-enact an old Japanese GP battle. Toyota also hosts its own historic event a week before the NISMO festival called the Toyota Motorsports Festival. Close to the circuit is a drifting course, which was built as part of the refurbishment under the supervision of "Drift King" Keiichi Tsuchiya and former works driver and Super GT team manager Masanori Sekiya. There is a Toyota Safety Education Center and a mini circuit. In addition to motorsports, Fuji also hosts the Udo Music Festival.

The only time the circuit is run on a reverse direction is during the D1 Grand Prix round, as Keiichi Tsuchiya felt the new layout meant reduced entry speed, making it less suitable for drifting.[8] The series has hosted its rounds since 2003; with the exception of the 2004 closure, the circuit became the first to take place on an international level racetrack[8] and the first of the three to take place on an F1 circuit. The drift course starts from the 300R section and ends past the Coca-Cola corner. With the reprofiling, as cars no longer run downbank, entry speeds have since been reduced, the hill at the exit making acceleration difficult.[8] As part of the 2003 renovations, most of the old banked section of track was demolished. Only a small section remains to this day.

Fuji Speedway was announced to host the finish of the road cycling races at the 2020 Summer Olympics and 2020 Summer Paralympics.[9]

2007 and 2008 Japanese Grands Prix[]

Main articles: 2007 Japanese Grand Prix and 2008 Japanese Grand Prix

During the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix, Fuji Speedway met with a lot of problems, including the paralysis of the transportation network provided by the shuttle buses, poor facilities including some reserved seats without a view, lack of organization, and expensive meals such as simple lunch boxes being sold for 10,000 yen (US $87) at the circuit.[10][11]

Newspaper accounts of the event also alleged problems with Toyota bias and control. The circuit prohibited spectators from setting up flags and banners to support teams and drivers,[12][13] with the exception of the Toyota F1 team.[14] Therefore, there were very few flags and banners in the event compared with other Grand Prix events.[15][16]

For the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix race, organizers responded to lessons learned the previous year by reducing the total number of spectators allowed at the event. Compared to 140,000 persons allowed for Sunday events in 2007, attendance was restricted to 110,000.[17] Additionally, walkways and spectator facilities were improved, along with larger screens.[18] However, the race was also affected by rainy weather, which has historically interfered in a number of past races at the circuit, and later in 2013, led to interference with a 6-hour endurance race at the track for the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Following both poor ticket sales and weather, it was decided by FOM that the FIA Japanese Grand Prix would be shared between Fuji and Suzuka on alternate years, with Suzuka holding the next race on Sunday, October 4, 2009. After the global recession and its own operational deficit, Toyota decided to discontinue the hosting of Japanese Grand Prix since 2010.[19]

2020 Summer Olympics[]

During the 2020 Summer Olympics, which due to the COVID-19 pandemic were postponed to 2021, the speedway was a venue and finish for the cycling races:

Records[]

Main gate of the circuit
Mount Fuji
Category Record Driver Car Date
Grand Prix Circuit 5th Configuration: 4.549 km (2005–present)[20]
Formula One 1:18.426 Brazil Felipe Massa Ferrari F2008 October 12, 2008
Super Formula 1:21.391 Japan Nirei Fukuzumi Dallara SF19 Honda December 20, 2020[21]
LMP1 1:24.645 France Loic Duval Audi R18 October 16, 2016[22]
Super GT (GT500) 1:26.433 Japan Ryo Hirakawa TOYOTA GR Supra GT500 July 19, 2020[23]
LMP2 1:30.042 Netherlands Nyck De Vries Oreca 07 October 6, 2019[22]
Super Formula Lights 1:32.223 Japan Ritomo Miyata Dallara 320-Toyota TOM'S December 20, 2020
JLMC (LMP1) 1:33.117 Japan June 2, 2007
Formula Three 1:33.451 Japan Takuto Iguchi Dallara F308-TOM'S F308 April 4, 2009
LMP3 1:36.296 United Kingdom Nigel Moore Ligier JS P3 December 9, 2018[24]
Super GT (GT300) 1:36.563 Japan Hiroki Yoshida TOYOTA GR Supra GT300 December 29, 2020[25]
FRJC 1:36.936 Japan Sena Sakaguchi Dome F111/3 August 1, 2020[26]
LM GTE 1:37.392 United Kingdom Tom Blomqvist BMW M8 GTE October 14, 2018[22]
GT3 1:38.571 New Zealand Jono Lester McLaren 650S GT3 December 4, 2016[27]
Super Taikyu (ST-X) 1:40.354 Japan Kazuki Hoshino Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 July 26, 2014
TCR Touring Car 1:47.360 Japan Takuro Shinohara Audi RS 3 LMS TCR December 20, 2020[28]
Grand Prix Circuit 4th Configuration: 4.469 km (1993–2004)[29]
Formula 3000 1:14.854 Japan Takuya Kurosawa Lola T92/50 April 10, 1993
Formula Nippon 1:15.304 Japan Kazuyoshi Hoshino Lola T96/52 October 19, 1996
LMGTP 1:16.349 Japan Ukyo Katayama Toyota GT-One (TS020) November 6, 1999
JGTC (GT500) 1:23.886 Japan Yuji Tachikawa Toyota Supra May 3, 2003
Formula Three 1:26.344 Japan Tatsuya Kataoka Dallara F302 Toyota April 6, 2003
JTCC (Group A) 1:31.131 Japan Kazuyoshi Hoshino Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 October 31, 1993
JGTC (GT300) 1:31.356 Japan Mosler MT900R May 3, 2003
JTCC (Super Touring) 1:33.035 Japan Naoki Hattori Honda Accord November 1, 1997
Super Taikyu 1:35.173 Japan Shunji Kasuya Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 November 7, 1998
Grand Prix Circuit 3rd Configuration: 4.440 km (1986–1992)[29]
JSPC 1:14.088 Japan Kazuyoshi Hoshino Nissan R92CP May 2, 1992
Formula Two 1:18.31 Japan Satoru Nakajima March 842-Honda/Mugen April 15, 1984
Fuji Grand Champion Series 1:21.800 Japan Masanori Sekiya March 89GC Mugen October 29, 1989
AJTCC 1:32.867 Sweden Anders Olofsson Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R November 8, 1992[30]
WTCC 1:39.249 West Germany Klaus Ludwig Ford Sierra RS500 November 15, 1987
Grand Prix Circuit 2nd Configuration: 4.359 km (1975–1985)[31]
Group C 1:10.02 Germany Stefan Bellof Porsche 956 October 1, 1983
Formula One 1:14.30 South Africa Jody Scheckter Wolf WR3-Ford October 23, 1977
Formula Two 1:12.62 United Kingdom Geoff Lees March 832-Honda/Mugen August 14, 1983

Corners[]

This is the official listing of the twelve corners that make up the current circuit layout, in use since 2005. Only some corners have Japanese names, most of which are a result of sponsorship agreements. The rest are named after the radius of the corner in metres.

The sixth corner hairpin
  1. TGR Corner (27R)
  2. 75R
  3. Coca-Cola Corner (80R)
  4. Toyopet (100R)
  5. Advan Corner (30R)
  6. 120R
  7. 300R
  8. Dunlop Corner (15R)
  9. 30R
  10. 45R
  11. GR Supra Corner (25R)
  12. Panasonic Corner (12R)

The Dunlop corner differs with the configuration used. In the full configuration, it consists of a tight right hairpin turn followed by a left-right flick. In the GT course, it is a medium-speed right-hander, bypassing turns 11 and 12.

Fuji Speedway in videogames[]

The Fuji circuit is represented in the arcade racing game Pole Position. Fuji is also featured in Project CARS 2, Top Gear, TOCA Race Driver, Gran Turismo 4: Prologue, Gran Turismo 4, Tourist Trophy, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, Gran Turismo (PSP), Gran Turismo 5, Gran Turismo 6 and Gran Turismo Sport. For F1 Challenge '99–'02, Grand Prix Legends, rFactor, GTR 2 – FIA GT Racing Game, GT Legends and Race 07, the track is available as free downloadable content.

Fuji Speedway in television[]

The Fuji circuit is featured prominently in the Japanese television drama Engine as the main setting for the racing scenes, as well as the home of the (fictional) "Regulus Cup".

The track was also featured in an episode of the 11th season of the British automotive show Top Gear, in which host Jeremy Clarkson drives a Nissan GT-R.

Part of the Gaki no Tsukai 2013 New Year's Holiday No-Laughing Earth Defense Force punishment game was also shot at Fuji Speedway.

The circuit was featured in the opening scene of tokusatsu series Dennou Keisatsu Cybercop.

Notes[]

  1. ^ service, Grandprix.com – First & fastest: The original online F1 news. "Grandprix.com". Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  2. ^ "Fuji: Duval, Couto weekend summary". motorsport.com. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  3. ^ "LIST OF FIA LICENSED CIRCUITS" (PDF). FIA. February 6, 2015. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  4. ^ "1967 Toyota 2000 GT". conceptcarz.com. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  5. ^ "Suzuka responds to Fuji pressure". grandprix.com. December 23, 2000. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  6. ^ RJ O’Connell (May 3, 2018). "20 Years Later… Tetsuya Ota, Shinichi Yamaji, & The Fuji Disaster". Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Super GT: AUTOBACS CUP GT Championship 1998 Round 2 – Race Review, Fog Bank Ends 2nd Round of GTC". Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2009.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c JDM Option Vol.21
  9. ^ Challenging Cycling road race courses revealed – Tokyo 2020 official website, 9 August 2018
  10. ^ "富士スピードウェイ：コース見えず、トイレやバスは大渋滞 ３０年ぶりＦ１に課題 (Fuji Speedway: Can't see the course, and the rest rooms and the shuttle buses are crowded. There is a problem in F1 has not held for 30 years)" (in Japanese). Mainichi Shimbun. October 1, 2007. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
  11. ^ "F1 Grand Prix lunch-box – \10,000". www.kansenzyuku.com/. September 28, 2007. Archived from the original on August 24, 2008. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
  12. ^ "Notes on the reserved seat" (in Japanese). kansenzyuku.com. September 28, 2007. Archived from the original on August 24, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  13. ^ "日本ＧＰ・横断幕の事 (About banners at the Japanese GP: Q&A with Mr. Ikeya, Fuji Speedway)" (in Japanese). champion-ship. October 1, 2007. Retrieved October 1, 2007.
  14. ^ "Captured image from the race on Sunday" (in Japanese). Formula One Administration. September 30, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  15. ^ "横断幕はどこ？ (Where are banners?)". AUTOSPORT Japan. September 30, 2007. Retrieved October 2, 2007.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ "Kenji Sawada's Report from circuit" (in Japanese). Kenji Sawada, an official F1 photographer. September 30, 2007. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  17. ^ "Fuji to limit attendance for 2008 GP". f1update.com. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  18. ^ "Fuji gets better toilets but still needs a roof · F1 Fanatic". f1fanatic.co.uk. February 20, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  19. ^ "Toyota to pull out of hosting 2010 Japan GP". Mainichi Daily News. Archived from the original on 8 July 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  20. ^ Reprofiled by Hermann Tilke in 2003
  21. ^ "2020 Super Formula Fuji". results.motorsportstats.com. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b c "2019 6 Hours of Fuji Results" (PDF). fiawec.com. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  23. ^ "Results - Round 1 FUJI GT500". supergt.net. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  24. ^ "4H of Fuji - Asian Le Mans Series 2018-2019 Fastest Lap Times per Drivers" (PDF). Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  25. ^ "Results - Round 4 FUJI GT300". supergt.net. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  26. ^ "FRJC Fuji Round 1 Results" (PDF). Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  27. ^ "4H of Fuji - Asian Le Mans Series 2016-2017 Fastest Lap Times per Drivers" (PDF). Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  28. ^ "2020 TCR Japan Fuji Round 6 Sunday Race Results" (PDF). Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  29. ^ Jump up to: a b The chicanes were added in 1984 and 1987.
  30. ^ "1992 AJTCC – round 8". touringcarracing.net. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  31. ^ After abolishing the high-banking in 1974

External links[]

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