Suzuka: an essential stop on the F1 calendar

This weekend, Formula 1 heads to the iconic Suzuka circuit in Japan. Although the track may seem modest, it has repeatedly left an indelible mark on the sport. Let's take a look back at some of its most memorable moments.

Suzuka hosted its first Formula 1 Grand Prix in 1987 and quickly established itself as a classic circuit. By 1989, the season had already reached its climax at the Japanese stage. McLaren teammates Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna were locked in a fierce battle for the drivers' championship, their personal rivalry adding spice to the battle on the track. Prost was leading the race, but Senna, who was faster in second place, attempted to overtake him in the final chicane before the pit straight. Prost appeared to give way, then abruptly closed the door, and the two McLaren MP4/5s collided. Prost's car was immobilized; he escaped unharmed, while Senna shouted at the marshals to push him back onto the track. He managed to restart, crossed the finish line first, but was then disqualified for receiving outside assistance, leaving the title to Prost. The victory was awarded to Italian Alessandro Nannini, and a furious Senna accused the FIA, then headed by Jean-Marie Balestre, of favoring Prost, a grievance that persisted until the following year.

In 1990, the rivalry resurfaced at Suzuka, with Prost now driving for Ferrari after changing teams. Senna started from pole position; if Prost retired, the Brazilian would win the championship. At the first corner, Prost got the better start and Senna's McLaren deliberately collided with the Ferrari. Both cars spun out and ended up in the gravel, enveloped in smoke. Prost emerged disoriented, while Senna returned to the pits, already aware that the collision had secured his second world title, poetic revenge for the disappointment of the previous season.

Suzuka remains a must-see event, especially for Japanese drivers, who have rarely climbed to the top step of the podium in their own Grand Prix. In 1990, Aguri Suzuki, driving a Larousse equipped with a Lamborghini engine, became the first Japanese driver to finish on the podium in his home country, achieving the best result of his career in front of a delighted crowd. It would be another 14 years before another Japanese driver, Takuma Sato, finished on the podium, at the 2004 United States Grand Prix, and 22 years before a local driver finished on the podium, when Kamui Kobayashi took third place at Suzuka in 2012 with Sauber.

This season, there are no Japanese drivers on the starting grid and the championship will not be decided at Suzuka, but the race still promises to be exciting on one of the most demanding circuits in the sport, which many drivers cite as their favorite.