Did you know… 10 fun facts about Fuji!
Photo: WEC / Adrenal
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Did you know… 10 fun facts about Fuji!

In preparation for the upcoming 6 Hours of Fuji, below are 10 fun facts about the Fuji Speedway and Mount Fuji itself.

1.    At just over 1.5km, Fuji Speedway has one of the longest straights of any race circuit in the world


2.    Fuji has hosted a round of the WEC every year since the championship began back in 2012
3.    Since 2012, Toyota has won every year apart from 2015 when Porsche took the victory
4.    In 2013, the weather was so bad that the race didn’t see any green flag running – all 16 laps were run behind the Safety Car
5.    Legendary F1 driver, Jim Clark, was one of the first to experience Fuji Speedway. The circuit first opened in December 1965, although racing didn’t begin until the following year when Clark competed in a Formula 3 race 


6.    In 1976, Fuji staged its first ever Japanese F1 race.  It was the year that James Hunt and Niki Lauda were fighting to take the world title, with Lauda making a miraculous recovery from his gruesome injuries at Nürburgring. Conditions were so poor that Lauda retired after one lap and Hunt went on take the crown 
7.    The iconic and sacred Mount Fuji is known as Fuji-san in Japanese and was formed over 600,000 years ago
8.    Women were forbidden to climb Mount Fuji until 1912


9.    Mount Fuji last erupted in December 1707, continuing until 1 January 1708. Let’s hope the volcanic mountain is visible when we visit between 4-6 October! 
10.    And, looking to the future… Fuji Speedway will host the finish of the road cycling races at the 2020 Summer Olympics