F1 news: Osaka street race plans in the making in potential Japanese Grand Prix

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Shock plans for NEW F1 'street race' announced

F1 may be expanding its horizons once more

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 17 January 2024 08:27 Updated: 09:14

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Formula 1 could be set to be heading to yet another different location, with Osaka claiming it is looking into the possibility of holding a race in Japan.

The sport is about to partake in its longest ever season, with 24 races across 21 different countries forming the 2024 F1 season, and that includes the ever popular Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

The Japanese GP has been an event that has been historically held at the Suzuka Circuit (although has been held in Fuji on several occasions).

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Suzuka has played host to some amazing races since regularly hosting races from 1987, including world championship deciders that have gone down in history.

However, with the sport always looking for new ways to expand, it has ventured towards more street circuits in recent years, with Las Vegas being the latest in a long line of cities to close its roads for a racing extravaganza.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix was a real spectacle for Formula 1 fans

The Suzuka circuit has hosted Formula 1 regularly since 1987, with only a few years since then in which the circuit has been missing from the calendar

The Miami GP is another street circuit that has recently been added to Formula 1's calendar

F1 branching out to new locations

Now it appears that Osaka could be next on that list, with Japanese newspaper Sankei.com reporting on a meeting of the Osaka tourism bureau.

Suzuka's contract as the host of the Japanese GP is up for renewal in 2024, meaning this year could be the last we see of the iconic track for a while.

"The F1 automotive series has changed into a business model that can be operated on a private-sector basis," the chairman of said bureau Hiroshi Mizohata revealed in the meeting.

"We would like to move forward with the invitation."

"F1 is no longer a stand-alone motor race, but has turned into a comprehensive entertainment program. If we clear each step by step, it is possible to attract an entrant.''

The website also noted that if the event goes ahead, it is expected that public roads will be used.

"We welcome any talk of wanting to take on the challenge of private management. I think there are challenges, but we would like to cooperate as much as possible.''

F1 Suzuka