The day begins with positive news that will make many Formula 1 fans happy. Formula 1 has in fact reached an agreement with the organizers of the event to renew the contract of the Japanese Grand Prix for another five seasons. Suzuka will therefore remain on the calendar until at least 2029.
The agreement with the Japanese event was due to expire at the end of this year after the extension signed in 2021 and was one of the few stages on the calendar whose future had not yet been defined, given that the majority of the races were already assured a stable future. The last race that currently has a contract expiring at the end of the championship is Silverstone, but it is believed that an agreement between the organizers of the Grand Prix and the leaders of Formula 1 is not far away.
Although the new agreement signed with Suzuka is not as long as those recently signed with other locations around the world, such as Miami, Australia, Bahrain, Qatar and Spain, which well exceed the 2030 target, the new five-year contract guarantees a longer duration than the previous one, signed in the Covid period. The renewal has never been in doubt, given the popularity of the event and the commitment of the organizers in wanting to keep the event alive, also thanks to Honda's commitment in Formula 1, with the brand which will officially return to the 2026 in partnership with Aston Martin.
Suzuka Circuit logo
The agreement also reduces the possibility of holding a city event in Osaka, a hypothesis still in the background, both because the intention was not to lose Suzuka, and because F1 would hardly accept a second appointment in Japan without an alternation, given an increasingly full calendar.
Compared to last year, in 2024 the Japanese GP will be held in April, together with other events such as Australia and China, in order to facilitate freight transport in terms of costs and reduce emissions.
“Suzuka is a special circuit and part of the fabric of the sport. I am therefore delighted that F1 will continue to race here until at least 2029,” said F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“As we prepare to return to Japan earlier than usual this season, I would like to express my great gratitude to the promoter and the team at Honda MobilityLand for supporting our effort towards greater rationalization of the calendar, in an effort to make the sport more sustainable “, added Domenicali, underlining how the Suzuka appointment has been moved to April compared to the classic autumn slot.
Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo C43, Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-23, Alex Albon, Williams FW45
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
“Our fans in Japan embrace F1 with a unique passion and we look forward to working with the promoter to give fans the experience they deserve for years to come.”
Honda Mobilityland President Tsuyoshi Saito added: “We aim to create a sustainable future and are currently preparing to welcome many fans for the 2024 F1 Japanese Grand Prix in April, the first time the event will be held in the spring season”.
“We will continue to collaborate with local communities and government bodies, including Mie Prefecture and Suzuka City, so that Suzuka can continue to be loved by fans around the world and contribute to the prosperity of motorsports culture and development industrial”.
#Suzuka #remains #calendar #renewal #signed
