Brembo 2025 - Japanese GP of Formula 1
After recording three different winners—counting the first two GPs and the Sprint—the Formula 1 World Championship continues its Asian journey with the 39th edition of the Japan GP. For Suzuka, this will mark the 35th meeting of a series that began in 1987 and was interrupted only in 2007, 2008, 2020, and 2021. Four editions of the Japan GP, however, have been held at Fuji, the first dating back to 1976 and made famous by Niki Lauda’s refusal.
The GP data
According to Brembo technicians who work closely with all the Formula 1 drivers, the Suzuka Circuit, with its 5.807 km length, falls into the category of circuits that are not very demanding on the brakes. On a scale from 1 to 5, it earned a difficulty rating of 1 because, in one lap, Formula 1 drivers use the brakes for only 10 seconds—just 11 percent of the lap time—the lowest value in the championship. There are only 2 braking instances in the Hard category, 4 in Medium, and 2 in Light.
- Brembo Identity Card, in PDF: https://www.brembogroup.com/en/media/media-library
- Video Hardest Braking Point, in .mp4: https://we.tl/t-AOuapRGCnT
- Link YT Hardest Braking Point: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToIsj9txDa4
- Link web news: 5 facts about the Japanese Grand Prix Formula 1 | Brembo EN
The toughest corner
The most challenging corner at Suzuka for the braking system is Corner 16. Drivers approach it full throttle from the 130R and must decelerate from 303 km/h to 103 km/h. They accomplish this in just 2.17 seconds, applying a brake pedal force of 166 kg and experiencing a deceleration of 4.5 g. In that time, the Formula 1 cars cover 106 meters, and the braking power reaches 2,360 kW.
Nannini’s fairytale
The 1989 Japan GP is still remembered today for the fiasco involving the two McLaren drivers, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, who that year began using Brembo calipers—strongly favored by the Brazilian. Alessandro Nannini seized the opportunity, even though he crossed the finish line in 2nd place. However, Senna was disqualified, and the Benetton car was declared the winner. This remains the only victory for the Sienese driver in Formula 1, despite his 9 podiums—all achieved with Benetton.
The invention of the era
Since its F1 debut in 1986, Benetton had relied on Brembo brakes, continuing their use until 2000. In 1989, the B188, driven by Nannini, featured one-piece calipers cast from a full-piece design that Brembo had managed to develop a couple of years earlier—despite advice to the contrary, as many deemed them unachievable due to the complex machining required on the caliper’s inner section. To produce them, Brembo technicians devised specific equipment to execute an L-shaped movement, allowing machining at a 90-degree angle.
Latest generation monobloc calipers
Nowadays, aluminum monobloc calipers are the standard in the automotive and motorcycle industries, thanks to production facilities that were unimaginable in the late 1980s. However, modern Formula 1 calipers are a far cry from those of the past, as they feature highly advanced ventilation solutions: from cooling fins on the outer body to pillars that allow for high heat dissipation. It is precisely these innovations that lead all 10 F1 teams to rely exclusively on Brembo calipers.
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