Rumor: Japanese GP to move to Osaka in 2025, Beijing, Panama & Seoul eye F1

“The Singapore paddock had a few visitors with ambitions to run Formula 1 races in the future (which is not unusual). The most interesting for me was the delegation from Osaka.  Osaka is either the second or third-largest city in Japan, depending on your interpretation of the country’s complicated administrative boundaries,” per Joe Saward’s Green Notebook from Manila

“Anyway, race fans will know that the home of F1 in Japan is Suzuka, the Honda-owned circuit located close to Ise Bay, south of Nagoya, which is between Tokyo and Osaka. Pretty much everyone likes Suzuka and it has always had a big crowd, although it is not an easy place to get to. F1 currently has a contract to continue to race there until the end of 2024 and will probably stay longer if Honda decides to remain active in F1.

“The Formula 1 group, however, might prefer somewhere else. The Japanese GP has been held at [Toyota owned] Mount Fuji in the past, but this is prone to torrential rain and equally difficult to access. And neither venue is “a destination city”.

“Osaka is.

“In 2025 the city will host the World Expo on an artificial island, called Yumeshima (literally “Dream Island”).  The plans allow for 285,000 visitors a day, with a new station linked to the Osaka Metro. The big question is what happens to the site after Expo. In recent days MGM Resorts International has announced that it has agreement to develop Yumeshima into “an integrated resort” which will include three hotels, a casino, convention and exhibition space, banqueting halls, entertainment venues and so on.

“This will cost $9 billion and will aim to attract millions of visitors each year. It was interesting to see a number of people from the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau turning up in Singapore to discuss putting a circuit on the island. One of them even had a business card which said: ‘F1 Business Development Manager’.

“Those who know about MGM might leap to the conclusion that this could all be linked to the ongoing F1 project in Las Vegas, but I am told it is a pure coincidence.”

Saward also says there are rumors that F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has made visits to both Panama and Seoul, both interested in getting on the F1 calendar.

And from China, word is China President Xi would like to have a night race in the capital (Beijing). We assume that means Shanghai would lose its race, but do not bet on that because if the USA has 3 F1 races, China will want at least 2.   Money talks and Xi has the checkbook.