A formula for thrills

One of the world's best racing circuits is just down the road in Mie and every year hosts world class racing. KS went along to October's big event to meet the fans and get a fix of speed and power.

While many may consider automobile racing to be nothing more that a few flashy cars whizzing around in circles Formula 1 racing — the pinnacle of motor sports — is so much more. Attending a Grand Prix provides an exciting, and for some, even addictive form of entertainment. Little else can compare to the first time you hear the banshee scream of an F1 car as it blasts down Suzuka Circuit's 130R back straight at speeds faster than a 300kph bullet train. It is the kind of sound that makes your insides quiver (in a good way). After your first F1 experience in person it is doubtful motor sports will never seem boring again.

Thousands of racing fans in Japan are already keenly aware of this. Last month's annual event at Suzaka in Mie, just a stone's throw from Osaka, saw almost 150,000 spectators flock to the track for what proved to be one of the highlights of year on the Formula 1 calendar. Kansai residents are fortunate to be situated so close to one of the best circuits in the world.

Diehard fans make it to all three days of events at Suzuka Circuit but everywhere gets quite packed come race day on Sunday. Japanese fans are, by and large, a dedicated bunch. Whereas some sporting events the world over become more of an excuse for fans to indulge in food and alcohol, most fans at Suzuka are there to watch the race.

Food and drink, while essential, are more of an afterthought. Fans are too busy waving team flags at their favorite drivers as they race past lap after lap. Others are preoccupied with taking loads of photos with huge telephoto lenses and top-of-the-line digital cameras at every good trackside vantage point.

The best unreserved spectator spots are staked out with plastic mats the Friday before the race and the claimed turf is commonly respected throughout the entire weekend. Miss out on Saturday's events? It does not matter as come Sunday your spot will still be there. Respect and decorum seem to be the rule of the day as everyone cheers for each and every driver on the parade lap and final cool-down lap. Drunken debauchery is a trackside rarity. Even the post race traffic jam goes pretty smoothly.

Two thirtysomething sisters from Nara, Mayumi and Yukiyo, were among the throngs of spectators who made it to this year's race. Between them, the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix was their nineteenth event, and the second they visited this year, alone. Being diehard fans, they said it was not so extraordinary that they made a four-day trip to Melbourne this past march for the season-opening Australian round. When asked why F1 is such a draw “The power, the excitement, and the engine noise”, was the answer. Cheering for the favorite driver (of course Takuma Sato of Japan) was better appreciated in person versus in front of the TV at home. However, in regards to this year's event they were both “Very disappointed”.

High hopes had been placed on native son and Honda hero Takuma Sato prior to the red lights going out to start the opening lap on Sunday. Sato promptly found the gravel on the outside of the first corner and had a run in with a Ferrari. Later in the race he also punted a Toyota right off the track but managed to continue racing himself. He finished a pointless 12th. To make matters worse Suzuka was to be his last chance at home to show his Honda powered team that they were wrong to replace him for the 2006 season. Tens of thousands of Japanese fans adorned in BAR Honda team hats and shirts, flags in hand, had come to see him make up for his lackluster season only to be let down. They still waved their flags for him as he passed by every lap.

“We wanted to see a point finish for Sato because it was his home race. Because he didn't finish well it was not an interesting race,” the younger sister summed up. Agreement was found with Kozo, a retired businessman and grandfather who came to race from Kyoto with his daughter and son-in-law. Having yet to miss a grand Prix at Suzuka since the first one in 1987, he had thought that Sato and BAR Honda may have had a chance for a first victory after a fortu-nate rain-blessed high qualifying position on Saturday. He watched first hand from his first corner reserved seats as a nation's hopes were dashed only 8 seconds into the race. But was the day a complete letdown? Not in the least.

While the recently dethroned champions Ferrari and Michael Schumacher, along with the Japanese powered teams of BAR Honda and Toyota gave new meaning to the term 'under-deliver', Suzuka in 2005 should be remembered for the dominance of the young and fast, as well as for a ridiculous amount (by F1 standards) of creative overtaking moves.

This year's recently crowned youngest-ever F1 World Champ Fernando Alonso drove a stunning race starting unusu- ally well back in the field but passing more cars in one race than he did virtually the entire season. But the move of the year came from the sport's other young rising star, 25-year-old Kimi Raikkonen.

Starting from an unbelievable 17th position, the 'Ice Man' went around the outside of the first corner on the last lap to pass and steal the win from Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella. While it was not the outcome the vast majority had come to see the race was arguably the most exciting and dramatic of the season. Everyone there seemed to appreciate it for what it was worth.

Text & photos: Chris Fawcett