Suzuka is making significant strides to ensure the longevity of its Formula 1 race, as speculation swirls about a potential rival bid from Osaka.
As-web.jp reported that the Honda-owned Suzuka circuit's president, Tsuyoshi Saito, attended the Italian GP at Monza last month to observe improvements made at another iconic circuit.
"We are considering what improvements are necessary for traditional circuits to survive in the new era that is coming," Saito said.
"Monza is a traditional circuit, just like our Suzuka. We visited Monza to see for ourselves how they have continued to host F1 races up to the present day while cherishing their traditions."
Unlike Monza, which is negotiating a new F1 contract beyond 2025, Suzuka's place on the F1 calendar is secured until 2029. However, Saito is already looking ahead to 2030 and beyond.
"I also visited the Silverstone circuit in July and the Circuit de Catalunya in May, even though it was for MotoGP rather than the F1 race. But other company members have also visited other circuits as well," Saito revealed.
"It is very interesting to see how historic circuits are changing. Catalunya, Silverstone and now Monza are all aware of the issues and are taking on various challenges to move on to the next stage."
As Formula 1 considers adding new hosts to its already packed 24-race calendar, Liberty Media is looking to categorize events—some with guaranteed annual dates, others possibly rotating. Suzuka is already undergoing upgrades to stay ahead of the curve.
In August, it was announced that the hospitality terrace on the third floor of the pit building would be renovated for the 2025 race. "Yes," Saito confirmed. "We want to do everything in our power to create an environment that satisfies not only our guests but all of our visitors."
Saito emphasized the importance of maintaining Suzuka's traditional appeal while also modernizing: "We must protect the fact that it is a race circuit that is loved by racing drivers all over the world. We want to continue our basic idea of providing the best races on a great course."
However, he also acknowledged the need to attract new fans and inbound tourists, adding: "We need to increase the number of new fans, and we need to create an environment that includes ingenuity and entertainment to attract inbound tourists to Japan and Suzuka."
Reports earlier this year suggested that Osaka may be preparing to challenge Suzuka for the future Japanese GP. Saito, however, declined to comment on the speculation, stating: "We have nothing to say about Osaka.
"What we need to think about is to focus 100 percent of our efforts on how to make the Suzuka race enjoyable for our customers."
Finally, Saito emphasized the growing popularity of motorsports in Japan: "I think it's good news for the Japanese motorsports world that many people are becoming interested in motorsports and there is a momentum to turn it into an event. On top of that, I think it's important for us, the organizers of the F1 grand prix in Japan, to fulfil our role and meet everyone's expectations."
