**Japanese Drivers in Formula 1: A Journey Through Time**

For the first time in decades, a Japanese driver will race for a top team. Yuki Tsunoda, the 19th Japanese F1 driver, finds himself under immense pressure as he makes his debut at his home grand prix. But he’s not the first to face such challenges.

**Aguri Suzuki’s Unforgettable Podium in 1990**

In the 50 years since Hiroshi Fushida qualified for a grand prix, 17 other Japanese drivers have graced the grid. One of the most memorable is Aguri Suzuki, who stepped onto the podium at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix.

That day, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost’s rivalry took center stage. Senna, frustrated with his pole position, intentionally caused a collision at the first corner, securing the title but eliminating Prost from the race. This left Nigel Mansell in control, followed by Nelson Piquet, Roberto Moreno, Thierry Boutsen, Riccardo Patrese, and Suzuki.

Suzuki quickly passed Derek Warwick to secure a points finish by lap seven. Benetton’s strategy of not stopping for new tyres proved beneficial, but Mansell’s aggressive pit stop ended in disaster, forcing him to retire. This put Piquet in the lead, with Patrese behind him.

Suzuki changed tyres and lay in fourth place, nearly 20 seconds behind Patrese. But as Patrese made his pitstop on lap 37, Suzuki moved into third, securing the first-ever Formula 1 podium for a Japanese driver. The crowd roared with approval, and even Nakajima added to the celebrations with a sixth-place finish in his Tyrrell.

**Kamui Kobayashi’s Triumph in 2012**

More recently, Kamui Kobayashi stood on the podium at Suzuka in 2012. Qualifying fourth, he faced a stewards’ investigation for setting his fastest time under yellow flags. Despite this, he was promoted to third when Jenson Button was penalized five places.

The race started with a first-corner shunt that eliminated Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen. Kobayashi made an excellent getaway, slotting between the Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. After several incidents, Kobayashi held second place, resisting immense pressure from Button throughout the race.

Both drivers completed their pit stops in the same order but lost time behind slower cars. In the closing laps, Button mounted heavy pressure, but Kobayashi held his ground, crossing the finish line just half a second ahead of Button. This moment marked the last Formula 1 podium for a Japanese driver and Sauber.

As Yuki Tsunoda prepares to make his debut, let’s hope he can add another memorable moment to Japan’s rich Formula 1 history.