The future of the Japanese Grand Prix has been secured until at least 2029 after Formula One chiefs sealed a five-year extension to the current deal.
The Suzuka track has staged numerous title deciders, including the culmination of the controversial rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, and most recently Max Verstappen’s 2022 success.
However, from this year the race will move to a new slot in April, between races in Australia and China, as part of Formula One’s aim to make its calendar more efficient.
Formula One president Stefano Domenicali said: “Suzuka is a special circuit and part of the fabric of the sport, so I am delighted that F1 will continue to race there until at least 2029.”
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The extension follows the news that Osaka was looking to stage the Japanese Grand Prix in the future, amid a trend of Formula One exploring the possibility of racing in cities rather than at traditional circuits, with Madrid recently being awarded the Spanish Grand Prix.
“F1 will be the perfect catalyst for Osaka to become an international tourist city,” the city’s tourism bureau chairman Hiroshi Mizohata said last month.
“In order for Osaka to achieve that, it is important to attract wealthy people from Europe, America, and Australia.
“We also believe that F1 will be the perfect catalyst for attracting luxury hotels and revitalising the nighttime economy.
“I went to watch the Singapore Grand Prix, and it was completely different from the image I had of F1. There were live events going on, and there were business meetings for luxury brands at nearby hotels.”
For now, though, it appears Osaka will have to wait until at least 2029 before it has a chance to feature on Formula One’s ever-growing calendar.