The circuit was originally conceived by the Japan NASCAR Company, established in 1963, with the intent of building a 2.5-mile high-banked superspeedway. In 1964, the company secured exclusive rights to host NASCAR-style events in the Far East and invited Charles Moneypenny, designer of Daytona International Speedway, to oversee the project. However, the steep terrain of the Mount Fuji site proved unsuitable for a traditional oval.
Consultant Stirling Moss was subsequently hired and dismissed the oval concept as "nonsense" for the geography, proposing a European-style road course instead. Following funding and management shifts in 1965, the project was reorganized as the Fuji International Speedway Corporation. The final layout incorporated Moss's road course suggestions but retained one element of the original superspeedway design: a massive 30-degree banked first turn. The circuit opened in January 1966.
The original configuration was notorious for the "Daiichi" banking. Drivers approached the section at speeds of approximately 190–200 mph, crossing a blind crest before dropping into the 30-degree incline. Unlike American ovals where cars climb into the banking, the Fuji layout required cars to drop into it, a characteristic described by driver Vic Elford as "horrific."
The banking was the site of numerous accidents. In 1966, the Honda works team boycotted the Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix due to safety concerns regarding the banked section. The most significant tragedy occurred in 1974 during a fatal accident on the Daiichi banking that killed drivers Hiroshi Kazato and Seiichi Suzuki and injured six others. This event led to the permanent closure of the banking and the adoption of a 4.359 km layout that bypassed the section and eliminated five other fast corners.
The circuit is characterized by a mix of extreme high-speed sections and technical low-speed turns.
The Main Straight: At 1.475 km, it allows top-tier machinery to reach maximum velocity before braking for the TGR Corner (Turn 1).
300R: A wide, fast curve that leads into the final sector of the track.
Dunlop Corner: A technical section that varies by configuration; in the full layout, it is a tight right-hand hairpin followed by a left-right flick.
Panasonic Corner: The final turn (12R) that dictates the entry speed onto the long front straight.
The circuit has undergone several major redesigns to address safety and modernization requirements. Following the 1974 fatalities, the banking was removed. In the 1980s, two chicanes were added—one after the first hairpin and another at the entry of the 300R—to curb rising speeds.
In 2000, Toyota Motor acquired the circuit from Mitsubishi Estate. Between 2003 and 2005, the track was closed for a total reprofiling designed by Hermann Tilke. This renovation demolished most of the remaining old banked section, leaving only a small portion as a historical remnant. The redesign was intended to bring the facility up to modern Formula One standards, though it resulted in reduced entry speeds for certain sections, such as the 300R.
Beyond the 1974 tragedy, other incidents have shaped the circuit's history and safety protocols. During the 1977 Japanese Grand Prix, a collision involving Gilles Villeneuve resulted in the deaths of two spectators. This incident contributed to Formula One's departure from the circuit for nearly thirty years.
In May 1998, a multi-car crash occurred during a parade lap for a JGTC race held in torrential rain. The safety car slowed abruptly, leading to a collision that left Ferrari driver Tetsuya Ota with severe burns and Porsche driver Tomohiko Sunako with a fractured leg. These events, often coupled with the region's frequent heavy mist and rain, have historically influenced race management and facility upgrades, including the reduction of spectator capacity and improvement of walkways for the 2008 Grand Prix.
Fuji has hosted a diverse range of international and national categories. It held the first-ever Formula One race in Japan in 1976 and hosted the event again in 1977, 2007, and 2008. The circuit is a staple of the FIA World Endurance Championship (6 Hours of Fuji) and previously hosted the World Sportscar Championship in the 1980s.
National events include the Super GT Fuji 500 km held during Golden Week and the Super Taikyu Fuji 24 Hours. The track is also a center for drifting, featuring a dedicated course built under the supervision of Keiichi Tsuchiya. In 2021, the speedway served as the finish line for the road cycling events of the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
Fuji Speedway remains a central pillar of Japanese motorsport culture. While the Japanese Grand Prix returned to Suzuka) in 2009, Fuji continues to host major international events like the WEC. In 2022, the "Fuji Motorsports Forest" was established, encompassing the Fuji Speedway Hotel and the Fuji Motorsports Museum. The circuit is frequently featured in media, appearing in the Gran Turismo series, the television drama Engine, and the anime Overtake!. Its current FIA Grade 1 license is valid until April 2026.
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