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Since 1976, Japan has hosted 36 Formula 1 races, and the Japanese Grand Prix has achieved legendary status, marking historic moments ranging from joy to drama.
1989 – A title decided amid controversy
By the time the Japanese Grand Prix rolled around, the rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at McLaren-Honda had reached fever pitch. Senna had secured pole position and looked set to repeat his 1988 triumph, but Prost took the lead from the start, forcing the Brazilian into a relentless chase. The duel lasted until lap 46, when Senna attempted his now-famous “dive” on Prost. The two McLarens collided, causing Prost to retire and leaving Senna with a damaged MP4/5. He limped back to the pits, rejoined the race, and crossed the finish line ahead of Alessandro Nannini's Benetton, but was disqualified after the race. This decision allowed Prost to win the championship, a result that infuriated Senna, who claimed he had been “treated like a criminal” and even considered retiring. 1990 – Revenge at Suzuka Prost's move to Ferrari was supposed to give him a fresh start, but the Japanese showdown pitted him against Senna once again. This time, the rules required Prost to finish ahead of the Brazilian. Remembering the previous year's clash, Senna launched a retaliatory attack, crashing into the rear of Prost's Ferrari in the first corner. Both cars retired instantly and the title went to Senna, giving him the long-awaited revenge over his greatest rival.
2003 – Schumacher eclipses Fangio
The 2003 season was eventful after Ferrari's dominance in 2002, with eight different winners and a three-way battle for the title between Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen, and Juan Pablo Montoya. Montoya's hopes faded at Indianapolis, while Räikkönen, nine points behind Schumacher, moved up from eighth on the grid to second at Suzuka, poised to become the youngest champion at 23. Schumacher, who started 14th, had to change his front wing after contact with Takuma Sato and, blocked by Rubens Barrichello, secured the single point he needed to finish eighth. That point secured his sixth world championship title, finally surpassing Juan Manuel Fangio's record. 2005 – Two unforgettable overtakes at Suzuka With Fernando Alonso already crowned drivers' champion two weeks earlier, McLaren focused on the constructors' title. Starting in 17th position, Kimi Räikkönen launched an offensive at the wheel of the MP4/20, taking advantage of Giancarlo Fisichella's slipstream to move up the field. On the final lap, he overtook the leading Renault on the outside of the first corner, a move that perfectly illustrated his aggressive style. Earlier, Alonso had made a spectacular outside pass on Michael Schumacher at the 130R corner, a daring move achieved without the aid of DRS.
2012 – National exploits at Suzuka
While the 2012 calendar saw seven different winners in the first seven races, the most memorable story for Japanese fans was Sauber's surprise performance. Sergio Pérez came close to victory in Malaysia, but it was his teammate Kamui Kobayashi who stole the show at his home Grand Prix. A brilliant start put him in second place behind Sebastian Vettel, and he held that position until the end of the race, finishing ahead of Felipe Massa. This podium was Kobayashi's only top-three finish in Formula 1, later complemented by world endurance titles with Toyota. 2022 – Duel of veterans in the Verstappen era Max Verstappen's dominance seemed to seal the drivers' championship, with Charles Leclerc the only serious challenger. Yet the race that has remained in the memory saw two former world champions go head-to-head: Fernando Alonso in an Alpine and Sebastian Vettel in an Aston Martin. Their fierce battle, particularly in the wet chicane, ended with Vettel beating Alonso by eight thousandths of a second for eighth place, reminding us that even in a season dominated by a single star, the legends of the sport can still produce classic moments.
