HONDA'S GREATEST CREATION! The Story of the Suzuka Circuit

[@Ramtamtama]

Suzuka is one of the handful of circuits that is almost unanimously agreed should remain on the F1 calendar in perpetuity

[@rexthewolf3149]

As long as Honda is participating in F1 it probably will.

[@mrkipling2201]

Agreed. Suzuka, Spa, Monza, Silverstone, Magny-Cours and, of course, Monaco. The rest, in my opinion, should be Interlagos, Imola, Canada, Hungary, Adelaide, Kyalami, Hockenheim, Zandvoort, Mexico and one of the American circuits. 16 Grand Prix races, like we used to have when F1 was great. I'd also get rid of the Sprint nonsense and go back to practice and pre qualifying on Friday, proper qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday, but that's an argument for another time......

[@danielread8549]

Monaco need to go away. Worst race of the year, boring af

[@MatthiaGryffine]

But as of 2024, in April? The Japanese GP should always be in Autumn.

[@johnpatricklim4509]

@@rexthewolf3149 when honda pulled out of F1 after 2008, suzuka is still in the calendar....

[@namenamename390]

Shoutout to SouthPawRacer, who, a while ago, did a video about Suzuka's proposed layouts, which were absolutely ridiculous.

[@chicobicalho5621]

The history of Interlagos is also very interesting; created in the late 1930s in its original 8 km long layout with a fascinating "oval" on its outer perimeter, it was the favourite track of no-one less than Ronnie Peterson and Gilles Villeneuve. The original circuit had two straights, of which the current one was the short one, every kind of turn possible (but no "esses" it must be admitted) including a really cool hairpin (Sargento Curve) with 14⁰ banking, where the audience on a molehill inside the pin saw the cars almost as if from above, it also had interesting elevation changes. Destroying that track was like destroying the original Penn Sation in NY, and its substitute was similarly mediocre.

[@NukeshotMedia]

Some of the different layouts of Suzuka were covered by SouthPawRacer, including the 3 crossover one, for those interested

[@jacekatalakis8316]

It's known for more than just F1 though, it hosts the Suzuka 8 Hours and was host to a pair of NASCAR exhibition races in 96-7, and the 500cc (now MotoGP) round until the death of Daijiro Kato in 2003, when the race was moved to Motegi's infield road course

[@F1Kamel_1992]

And it also hosted a 6 hour endurance race in the Super GT calendar.

[@jacekatalakis8316]

When? I don't usually associate SuperGT with long, long endurance races@@F1Kamel_1992

[@chrisguardiano6143]

With the NASCAR exhibition races, they used the East course instead of the full course. This was mainly done to reduce the lap times & allow for more laps to be run as many of the drivers on the NASCAR circuit had never raced on a road course longer than 2 miles. For some context both Sears Point & Watkins Glen (the 2 road courses NASCAR raced on at the time) were 2 miles or less.

[@waylandcool]

@@chrisguardiano6143 The Short Circuit (with the Inner Loop) at Watkins Glen is 2.4 miles and the 90's era Sears Point layout was about 2.5 miles. I don't think NASCAR has run a road course under 2 miles, except maybe the Chicago Street race.

[@jacekatalakis8316]

Not sure if it's the greatest circuit ever, but, it's up there. I can lap Suzuka for hours in any racing game or sim for literally hours

[@reptongeek]

Spa Francorchamps was up there too. Until they started neutering it to chuff from 2001 onwards

[@corpsecoder_nw6746]

Nordschleife, Spa-Francorchamps, Bathurst, Le Mans are all widely considered better than this place. In my opinion, I like Baku, Montreal (Gilles Villeneuve Circuit) and Singapore (Marina Bay) more than this place. Maybe the Bianchi incident has always tainted the place for me, kinda like Imola with Senna.

[@e2rqey]

For me its probably 1. Nordschlife 2. Spa 3. Barcelona 4. Silverstone 5. Bathurst 6. Road America 7. Suzuka 8. Bahrain 9. Albert Park (🇦🇺) 10. Gilles Villeneuve (🇨🇦) 11. Monza/Imola

[@DidierPeroni]

Aidan, you really need to bring back all the back catalog of your older videos. They were absolute gold

[@Pewnhound112]

I have always said it was like Suzuka was created in a lab by racing drivers because it is as close to the perfect track as you can possibly get.

[@RACECAR]

Cool to hear the greater context behind the construction of Suzuka. I also agree that "Groups Of Thunderous Riders" is a cool name. Its got "Bad ass Rock band" energy to it (Leather chaps and chains optional)

[@mrterp04]

Reminds me a little of the story of Daytona-going from a “natural” course to a purpose built one

[@VonBlade]

Degna 2 is one of my favourite corners. It's so satisfying when you get it right, and can give you a Dan Dare into the hairpin. What a glorious track.

[@johnpatricklim4509]

a bucket list to visit and see the japanese gp in suzuka....

[@roberteddington746]

There is a great documentary sky did a couple of years ago on Ernest degner. Even if your not a bike fan it's a really interesting cold War docufilm. Plus the suzuka 8hr bike race is a amazing event especially when the fans light up the main grandstand with glow torches

[@davie2675]

There's only two F1 races I've went out of my way to watch in years Spa and Suzuka. Both great tracks

[@Jon.S]

My favourite circuit, it just flows so nicely, is difficult to get right, and it must feel so amazing to get a great lap done in an F1 car around there.

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

Thank you! I knew the "great escape" story from Julian Ryder (perfect name for a bike commentator lol), years ago when watching Moto GP (IIRC at the Saxonring). He didn't go into quite as many details, but it was a great story even so. You just added the icing on the cake! I never put him and the corner(s) together, though. I just assumed it was a Japanese word (I've never seen it written down, I know next to no Japanese, so...🤷🏻‍♀️) I _love_ Suzuka. Even the 8 hour bike race has me hooked. It's got everything a race needs and I don't need the drivers to tell me that the crowd is awesome, it's obvious over the TV. Much respect to the organisers and the crowds, who manage to do so much all over the site, with so little interference (if any) with the timetable. IMHO it's one of a handful of races that should _never_ be off the calendar, along with Melbourne (or any of the best tracks in Oz. The country has got to be there, I am not wedded to the track, though it's definitely a good one), Silverstone (let's be honest, the crowds there are pretty awesome too), Spa, Interlagos & Montreal. I'm not completely sold on Monza, but I understand why it's so important to the drivers. History is very important. So that's on my "B list" (the _should_ be on the calendar), alongside Austria, Hungary (the racing is usually better there than predicted each time), and CotA (essentially a new favourite of mine as well as the drivers). The "C list" (okay, if you insist...) has Monaco & Bahrain (though I prefer the Sakhir circuit). My "wish list" has one of the German tracks coming back because racing is a major part of German road history, ditto with France, but they don't have a suitable track anymore, sadly. The rest..., I don't really care about them. I dare say people will disagree with my "rankings", but as they say, opinions are like arseholes, everyone's got one!

[@AxeGaijin]

My favourite circuit to race on in racing games hands down. This and Laguna Seca are my go to tracks to find a good general set-up for my cars.

[@pete5534]

Fantastic job. Thank you!

[@RobbertsTravelGuides]

Enjoying your videos always Aidan! A good day begins with a video of Aidan Millward :)

[@koruki]

I was at Suzuka two weeks ago and very pleasantly surprised to spot they have a relationship with Spa. My two fav tracks

[@AntoniusTyas]

Me and my friends held a racing league in our discord server using RSS SuperFormula cars. We did our practice at Suzuka. Easy to see why. It is stunning. Be it in SuperFormula cars or F1 2022 cars, it is a huge fun to drive around. My favourite part is the exit from parabolic and into two Degner Curves. That feeling when you nailed an almost flat-out entry into Degner 1 and hard braking into Degner 2 before going all-out under the bridge... it's something else. Other parts that I love include throwing the car almost flat-out into turn 1 before nailing that precision job around the Esses complex. In a downforce-dependent cars it is a huge fun, and I love every single second of my lap. Definitely my favourite Japanese track along with Sugo.

[@brettburns9321]

adian long time fan from the black country we talked before buddy. Glad you bought up road america i think its the world's most under rated track for cars. isle of man for bikes and road america or mugello for cars. great content as always my mon keep it up buddy

[@thesunnynationg]

I❤ Suzuka One of "my" Top 5 favourite Tracks. It's a great flowing course especially in High Downforce Cars it is a Pleasure to go around in anger. 😊😊😊😊😊

[@Dimsen666]

I love Suzuka, back when I Raced F1 2010 online, I setup the gearing, so I could floor it in 3rd gear through the S bend sector after the first corner, I won a couple, and got praised for my fast Virgin F1. I allso got the perfect setup for Sao Paulo GP, I won allot there, in my Virgin F1 hehe :D

[@bernhardjordan9200]

You could do a video about Interlagos as well, the old layout and how the modern track came to be. For me like many others old non Tilke circuits there are no boring races there, overtakes are possible, and you can watch almost the whole track from the stands

[@reptongeek]

I'd like this too

[@clintonmorris8222]

That wrap up at the end of the video was a genuine Clarkson bombshell...

[@Godiekgaming]

Love Suzuka in ACC, challenging and unforgivable

[@photodave219]

It’s only a handful of circuits I e been able to win at in Gran Turismo. Love it.

[@patrickhein6986]

Definitely under my Top 5 Tracks. I also love driving in Suzuka, regardless in whatever Racing Game.

[@clivedopeman]

Always surprisingly overlooked when it comes to great F1 tracks. I guess the same could be said for Interlagos.

[@MatthiaGryffine]

It would be hard to find someone who doesn't like this track, it's that iconic.

[@minibus9]

great video, I love Suzuka, would be great to get there one day

[@thomaswatkiss9484]

Great video aiden BTW love the studio

[@dictumobiter1365]

But, study UK advertising law(+KZbin channel)...🧐😉

[@GregBrownsWorldORacing]

Well what I find most objectionable is that you translated boot into trunk for us, but you often give us kilometers & tell us just to live with it, Aidan. Enjoy Tejas!

[@ThePhyry22]

Hugenholtz didn't design Zandvoort. He was the director of the track after it opened, but wasn't involved with the designing

[@somguy728]

I believe that every track should have a crossover point around the middle, like Suzuka. It equalizes left and right turns, minimizes the land requirements for the circuit and it's just plain cool. It also compresses the circuit so that grandstands can be placed outside and have views of more than just one turn. One other thing I'd love to see is a pit loop that short circuits the circuit, with a pit lane loss of only 10 seconds or so. That would spice up stategies and add risk to a sport that's becoming predictable. Refueling too, we need refueling.

[@hoedenbesteller]

Built by the visionary that Soichiro Honda was... Damn I long for those days... nothing left of it

[@charleshulsey3103]

By far my favorite track in games. 1 on 1 in matching cars, 10 laps, best 3 out of 5.

[@Midtable1881]

Love this track! Hi Aidan, would you consider doing a video on Super Formula? Also have you read Tiff Needells biography Tiff Gear?

[@kneebon5]

Best track

[@samuelzackrisson8865]

Wish they could bring back the old 130r

[@215dagby]

NASCAR should return to Suzuka.

[@onnayoung7699]

Top 3 for sure.

[@johnelliott7850]

One of my favourites, anyway.

[@gordonwallin2368]

Good job, maybe the track is why the Japanese make the best motorcycles and cars. Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.

[@bernhardjordan9200]

Have you ever heard about the 2 engine vw beetle Fittipaldi build in the late 60's for endurance racing? It culd keep place with ford gt 40 and lolas. It could be a cool video subject.

[@MONSTERxMIRAGE]

a great video i saw about suzuka was by gp laps. who did the history and laps on an older suzuka track

[@bmstylee]

Any chance you could do a video on your sim rig? I like doing video game racing and I would be interested in having a sim for myself.

[@AndrewGeierMelons]

IMO, Calabogie here in Canada is even better. Not specifically for the history, of course not, but for the drama of the elevation change in Jacques and Gilles corners and just how fun it is to yeet it throttle in most cars, slam on the brakes and try to carry speed through Jacques and Gilles corners. Some cars are right about to go airborne through Gilles. Or, if not that one, then Mosport. In short, Canadian tracks are amazing.

[@TheKincognito]

there is a great Video from SouthPawRacer about the proposed layouts for Suzuka. a good watch if you wanna know more about this Track

[@davidmarecek1754]

Southpawracer has a good video demonstrating the proposed layouts for Sozoka

[@dschoene57]

Degner also took asll of MZ's engine plans with him and sold them to Suzuki, who - surprise - almost immediately started winning races.

[@Rosario_Verano]

First sector is one of few places that you take in one breath.

[@senorsoupe]

In terms of the ticket lottery, there was one year in the early 90's something like 4 million people applied for tickets to see their demigod Senna in action

[@rassiracing5104]

Thank you for clearing up the spelling of “Asama”.

[@seancassidy795]

“” *Wisconsinite fist pump*

[@rosumin38]

For a time the circuit hosted both Formula 1 and MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix simultaneously. Sadly the prototype bikes just got too fast for the track and after rising star Daijiro Kato lost his life there during the 2003 race at the re profiled 130R MotoGP never returned. Happily bike racing didn't disappear from Suzuka as domestic bike racing still happens there with the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race being the circuits crown jewel event of the year.

[@markoarkaina8656]

Phillip Island is Aus is S tier on a bike.

[@danmc_2783]

Oran Park was a figure of 8 circuit and also hosted Grands Prix

[@rockets4kids]

4:50 Somebody (you or one of your sources) failed at math. According to the Honda website, the track required 660,000 to 990,000 square meters, the high end of which is less than 1 square kilometer. For reference, the size of the entire city of Suzuka is only 194 square km.

[@pranc236]

My favorite track, in sim racing its a sure thing that someone rage quits. 😂 i could do no better at saying japanese words. Where you impressed with max’s pass on charles in 22’? Just curious and great video.

[@Elios0000]

MAN you need to do a video on Degner on his own dude was a BOSS!

[@redshift6170]

Is that original track layout at 7:30 not what they built at Motegi?

[@Yosuf06]

when i play Project cars 2 and having fun. i find a circuit it's look like Suzuka circuit but it have a different turn rather than the hairpin back to the start but had a different name!!! 🤔 but i can't remember it. which lead me to search about the history for the Suzuka circuit and didn't fin the video am looking for and find your video with more.. Is it that the old Suzuka circuit before they change the name and the layout!!?? i wish to find the ansower to that because am lost and confused!!!

[@Baldrick99]

750² km?! That would be some track.

[@flashgordon3715]

Now I have to fire up the ps5 and run laps at Suzuka

[@palm92]

I’ve been here 3 times. If you can, please go. It’s a wonderful place.

[@AidanMillward]

Bit of a trek. I’d love to but hate being on a plane for longer than four hours. 🤣

[@palm92]

@@AidanMillward It’s a 13 hour flight from where I am so I understand.

[@PendragonDaGreat]

Hearing all about the motorbike racing and knowing what bikes and scooters are on the islands. Yamaha, please, re-release the Vino and/or release the eVino in the states, I'm begging you.

[@oxcart4172]

It's actually the sound of the old CBX-1000 motorcycle. No question about it!

[@therrydicule]

Suzuka is a great circuit. I hope that they would move a few wall because it is limit in some place with some vehicles. If you want to see an awful racetrack, try the Belvederre circuit in Tunisia on a simulator...

[@TheBrainSpecialist]

Just so you know, Soichiro is pronounced So-i-chi-ro. Like take the baseball player and put "so" in front of his name. Other than that great video

[@King_Ears]

Definitely not one of the greatest, but it's not bad. It's known as Suckzuka to me and my GT7 friends. Not because it sucks, but because the track likes to 'suck you off' at T1, Dunlop, the degners, spoon & 130R 😂

[@paul_mumford]

I am absolutely hopeless at driving at Suzuka!

[@adenkyramud5005]

Sector 1 will always be an absolute nightmare for me😂 i still have nightmares from that god damn suzuka endurance race in gran turismo 5 😅

[@F1Kamel_1992]

As for me I mastered the track through F1 and Gran Turismo series on PS2 & PS3.

[@cyberleone00]

8th track. i think you're forgetting the content manager screen i have 400 hours in B)

[@RubyRoks]

As a certified loser...i mean weeb, i absolutely love the dive into Japanese racing history.

[@Torero2901]

It's an amazing classic circuit, still I feel Zandvoort beats it in unique character, but definitely the best circuit in Asia for me.

[@mrFiiSKiiS]

Well I guess I'm buying Suzuka on iRacing now

[@philllawrence1580]

5.5 to Moreno!!!

[@corpsecoder_nw6746]

Suzuka would be perfect if the race organizers aren't too quick to put cranes on the track when the visibility is zero. Also the barriers aren't as advanced as maybe Spa or Monaco. Finally the narrow track width makes for less racing action than Fuji, so in my opinion it will never be as good as Fuji (which also has plenty of runoff area these days for safety).

[@wanr5701]

Agree with you. As much as Suzuka is considered "drivers/riders track" for all its challenges, the racing action there is relatively boring because of narrower width and less runoff areas, in turn forced racers to be more cautious which ironically rather counter-intuitive to what the circuit meant for the racers. Fuji for its rather simplistic layout, provides better racing for reasons you stated.

[@shaun_sharlev]

Just like whiskey, Japan imported the idea and made it better.

[@VonCrakenfart]

every one loves Suzuka because its a track with flow, you need to know how to drive to be good at it.

[@Batters56]

So Cota mk1 then?

[@tedtheo7131]

The biggest problem with f1 wanting to go to any other track in japan is simply: but suzuka exists

[@Quintinohthree]

Didn't stop TI Aida/Okayama.

[@tedtheo7131]

@@Quintinohthree ti aida didnt replace suzuka. Thats my only problem with the races at fuji.

[@AfroMyrdal]

Suzuka is such an underrated track, absolutely my favorite of all time. Well, after Tsukuba. Sorry not sorry!

[@Pewnhound112]

Dang, different strokes for different strokes because I’ve always thought Tsukuba was patently awful. Well, unless you are racing go karts.

[@15DEAN1995]

I love fuji and suzuka, but suzuka is in the top 10 best tracks to drive in the world. I'm not sure about Fuji.

[@MsZeeZed]

11:17 - Monza was the first Figure-of-8 for F1 in the Italian GPs for four years 1955-56 & 1960-61. It had been that shape in 1933, but the original banking rotted away during WWII and was rebuilt in concrete in the 1950s that then itself decayed.

[@AidanMillward]

I’d call that combined oval/road than figure of eight.

[@tdyerwestfield]

Honda also built Motegi, which might be the most boring purpose-built closed permanent circuit in the world. Swings and roundabouts.

[@AidanMillward]

The f1 track in South Korea exists. 🤣

[@jkel16]

1:06 nope definitely 4th.

[@mid-packhack8130]

Still think suzuka works much better as a time trial test track and isn't so great for actual racing in anything bigger than small sedans. Just so very narrow and with few actual passing spots. Fun track, but just too tight for large modern cars

[@JoseManuelLegardaGalarza]

Bring back AVUS

[@neilldonahue]

Never understood the love for Road America

[@1_5RCBiker]

Mat Oxley produced a book about Ernst Degner. Well worth a read. :)

[@HMDHEGD]

Gedser is pronounced as "guesser" lol.

[@DennisDithmar]

Forget the D. It's pronounced Gesser...

[@andygreener3130]

Some tracks get modified simply because the FIA’s chosen sweetheart doesn’t get pole.... Granted, apparently all drivers were consulted but....really? WTF “Here you go highest paid athletes on four wheels, if you say it’s too hard to stay in track we’ll make it wider for you, don’t worry about slowing down a bit”

[@JerryCrow]

Danish is swedish spoken with a hot potato in the mouth...

[@henryjohn2218]

i wish iracing puts buddh racing track.

[@tdyerwestfield]

I don't like Suzuka. The whole circuit only seems to exist to join the end and start of the esses together, much like how Laguna Seca is just to join the end and start of the corkscrew.

[@project182r3]

Suzuka is arguably still the greatest mainstream circuit on class leading calendars. Spa is the only circuit anywhere near but it’s been over sanitised and it’s now well, just a bit shit…

[@project182r3]

Laguna Seca I hold in similar regard but it again, it’s been tamed too much…