The Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent Tokyo Games were the two main causes responsible for the absence of the Japanese Grand Prix from the last two seasons of Formula 1. The cancellation of the event, which is destined to return from the next championship, has done nothing but create sorrow and discontent among the fans, both Japanese and not, given the particularly spectacular atmosphere that reigns around to a weekend valid for one of the most anticipated races of the year.
A general enthusiasm also and above all dictated by the high approval rating for the track in Suzuka, traditional venue of the appointment in the land of the Rising Sun and often the scene of decisive moments for the assignment of the world title, be it drivers or manufacturers. A track – the only one with an ‘8’ conformation present in Formula 1 – which had the merit of bringing the Circus back to the Far East starting from 1987, the year in which the circuit was chosen, for the first time, as the new home of the Japanese Grand Prix.
The latter, which became part of the official calendar in 1976, hosted the F1 racing cars on the Fuji track also on the occasion of the next world championship, then disappearing from the radars of the top racing series. The return of the latter occurred only ten years later, this time at the Suzuka circuit. Inaugurated in 1962 and designed by Honda within a playground, the track has always been used by the car manufacturer for testing both road and sports cars. Thanks to its long straights interspersed with corners as demanding as they are fast, the circuit was identified by the FIA as a new reference point for Formula 1, which officially returned to Japan starting from the aforementioned 1987 world championship.
Immediately placed in the final phase of the calendar as the penultimate round of the world championship, the first race it was therefore disputed thirty-four years ago, November 1, 1987. In a championship characterized by the world championship fight between the two drivers of the Williams, Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet, the first time of Suzuka coincided with one of the most atypical and frightening episodes in the history of this sport: the Lion, in an attempt to recover points in the standings on his Brazilian teammate, he immediately set to work to adapt to the new track, already pushing from free practice on Friday. However, the Brit lost control of his car as he exited the S Curves, crashing violently into the barriers. In the impact, Mansell brought back some bruises to the spine, such as to force him to stay off the slopes for the rest of the season. Consequently, thanks to the departure of the British, Nelson Piquet mathematically conquered his own third and last drivers’ title, even before facing the race.
With the world championship practically decided in favor of the South American, both qualifying and the race saw the realization of the development of the Ferrari. Specifically, the Austrian Gerhard Berger he had the merit not only of conquering the first position at Suzuka, but also the honor of clinching the victory on the same track. While the Honda, hostess, was satisfied with the 2nd place of Ayrton Senna, then at the wheel of the Lotus powered by the Japanese manufacturer, Berger broke the spell of the prancing Horse, absent for two years from the top step of the podium. At the same time, Alain Prost finished third with his McLaren, completing the top three of the Japanese GP with a significant figure for engines Porsche TAG: the latter, thanks to the Frenchman, placed for the 54th and last time on the podium, also obtaining the 18th and last fastest lap always thanks to the performance of the Teacher.
On 1 November 1987, therefore, the green light came on for the first time in Suzuka, but it also marked the sunset of another historic Italian reality in Formula 1. The Japanese circuit, in fact, was the scene of the last GP of a Alfa Romeo engine, which since then has never returned to the top flight.
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