Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka International Racing Course) Watch Party

Join us at The Celtic on Market this SATURDAY NIGHT for the pre-race starting at 10:30 pm with lights out at 11:00 pm. There will be food and beverages available the entire time. WE WILL BE MINGLED WITH THE REGULAR BAR CROWD for this one since it's during normal operating hours, but the F1 race will be on at full volume. Also, Glenfiddich, who are the new sponsors of Aston Martin and will be joining us!

Because of the group size and staffing needs, we request that everyone adhere to the "two-drink minimum." That being said, ordering food counts, so even if you're not a drinker, it shouldn't be hard to find something. Basically, just get anything besides water and the Celtic will continue to welcome us with open arms.

If you're new, and/or coming solo and would like to meet some folks, private message me ahead of time for a spot in the "Organizers' VIP Paddock" (limited seating, first-come, first-served).

## Suzuka

### When was the track built?

In 1962. Soichiro Honda, whose car company you may have heard of, was a man with big ambitions. Seeking to turn Honda into an automotive powerhouse, he decided his company should have its own test track. Dutchman John Hugenholtz got the nod, and drew up the now-iconic ‘crossover’ Suzuka track – although original drawings saw the track pass over and under itself a full three times, which would have been sweet!

### When was its first Grand Prix?

Despite most people agreeing that Suzuka is a worthy successor to sliced bread in the ‘Best Thing’ stakes, the Japanese track was a relative latecomer to the F1 calendar, making its first appearance in 1987. Nigel Mansell would remember that weekend well, after he suffered a crash in qualifying that ruled him out of the race, gifting that year’s championship to his bitter rival Nelson Piquet.

### What’s the circuit like?

Show us a racing a driver who doesn’t love Suzuka, and we’ll show you a liar. The high-speed track remains one of the ultimate driving challenges, with the snaking ‘S’ Curves, the two commitment-rewarding Degners and the white-knuckle ride of 130R all highlights in a series of highlights at what is one of F1’s seminal tracks. And hey, it’s got a crossover, which is always cool, right?