Fuji: The venue that changed motorsport

For Gary Watkins, the WEC race at Fuji was a chance to finally visit a venue pivotal to motorsport's growth in popular appeal - and to check out the remnants of its astounding original layout

A lifetime's ambition was fulfilled last weekend. I finally made it to the Fuji Speedway, a place that holds a special place in my motorsport psyche. The Japanese venue, you see, is implicated in the first premeditated motor racing event of my life.

Back in 1976, I had an idea of what was going on in the world of Formula 1 during a season in which Britain's championship challenger was on the front as well as the back pages of the newspapers.

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