Aguri Suzuki rubber-stamped his place in Formula 1 history as the first Japanese racer to stand on the podium – doing so at his home race at Suzuka – while he also briefly operated his own team in the mid-2000s. In our latest Lights to Flag we catch up with the amiable Suzuki as he reflects on some of the key moments behind the wheel, and the pressure of running a Formula 1 outfit...
Starting out – and a home debut in F1
Tokyo-born Suzuki caught the motorsport bug as a teenager
and climbed the single-seater ladder in his native Japan.
READ MORE: Formula 1 to race in Japan until 2029 after new
five-year extension
“My father had a kart, and there was a track called
Tokorozawa Circuit near my house, so I started driving karts in that
environment and had fun, which is how I became interested in motorsports,”
Suzuki says.
“While I was having fun, I started wanting to race, and I
was able to win the championship at the All-Japan Championship. Then I drove
Formula 3, but I didn't get very good results. Then Nissan gave me a chance and
I decided to participate in a touring car race.
